Nobody could have been more pleased than Mike Harcourt when Vancouver topped the list of cities for the fifth year running. The former Vancouver mayor and B.C. premier led a recent chat about his new book–the fittingly titled City Making in Paradise–with a mention of the honour, bestowed August 22 by England's Economist Intelligence Unit. The "most livable" award recognizes Vancouver–ahead of 131 other cities–for our low crime rate, our enhanced transit and communications infrastructures, and our attractive scenery and vibrant culture.

Our livability is no accident, as City Making makes clear. The book, subtitled Nine Decisions that Saved Greater Vancouver's Livability (Douglas & McIntyre, $24.95), argues that choices at all levels of government have made our city unique. As Harcourt and coauthors Ken Cameron and Sean Rossiter see it, it's the cooperation between Vancouver and adjacent municipalities–especially since the flood of 1948, which set the stage for the GVRD–that has made us what we are today.

Harcourt is not unfamiliar with plannerese, but City Making is a civilian's book; think of it as a manual for the GVRD's operating system. Some of the hinge moments it highlights are physical–fighting against the highway through Strathcona; building the infrastructure for Expo 86–while others are organizational: explaining the evolution of the GVRD and its vision of the Lower Mainland as a string of cities in a sea of green.

The vision of the Lower Mainland as a series of interconnected town centres linked by high-capacity highways and effective public transit runs throughout City Making. Harcourt remains confident that by following this model, the region can manage huge growth without sacrificing quality of living–or falling from the EIU's top spot.

Harcourt on Harcourt

Audio clips of Mike Harcourt, interviewed on August 23:

   "Livability is all of those qualities, and I think Vancouver has got that not by chance..." [1:58]

   "The critics of the Port Mann Bridge have missed the point. The horse has left the barn..." [2:18]

   "Surrey Centre is going to become another important downtown, like downtown Vancouver..." [1:46]

   "Who's going to take the RAV line? It's going to have a ton of people..." [1:46]

   "That was a watershed moment that had us move off on a different direction from most other cities in North America..." [1:30]

Clips are in WAV format and will open in your default audio application.

Key to that is acknowledging where that growth is. "We've got to realize the other important downtown in the Lower Mainland–which will be the downtown for the whole Fraser Valley–is Surrey Centre," he said. "It's going to become another important downtown, like downtown Vancouver. So I think that's the new focus, and [to] base it on sustainability principles."

Harcourt is bullish on rapid transit: "I'd like to build out within five years, that would be my goal," he said. "I don't think that's going to happen, but say, within 10 years…extend the Millennium Line out towards UBC, extend it with the Evergreen Line out to Coquitlam, and extend the Expo Line from Surrey Centre out to Guildford and maybe an extended LRT line or at least fast bus to Newton, and then connect up Surrey, Langley, Langley City, Abbotsford."

We've got a ways to go, though. "You need to have then a huge increase in the number of buses, the quality of the bus service, and really make it attractive for people and to see that there's a complete system of buses and rapid transit and ferries and commuter trains, so you have an alternative for people to use a car. Right now, it's a half-ass system."

As City Making tells it, our Lotusland began with some large-minded planners willing to peek over their own fences; audible in Harcourt's voice is the passion that will keep at least one citizen of this region continuing to do just that.

Harcourt and Cameron discuss City Making in Paradise , and future challenges, at a free lecture this Friday (September 7) at 7 p.m. at SFU Harbour Centre (515 West Hastings Street). For reservations, call 778-782-5100 or visit www.sfu.ca/city/fpl.htm .