Re: “City looks at capping events”, April 10-17

Capping events? Perhaps instead of worrying that tolerance for events may dwindle, [Muriel] Honey and her [city] staff may want to begin looking at creative ways of staging larger and greater events in Vancouver. The jazz festival in Montreal is world-famous. The fringe festival in Edmonton is the biggest on the continent. The Toronto Caribbean festival is the largest of its kind in the world. Are the Olympics too big for us too? No.

Let’s think big, people. We aren’t a mill town anymore!

> John LeBlanc / Vancouver

I had to sigh when I read the article “City looks at capping events” that suggested Vancouverites are reaching the limits of their tolerance for street festivals and events. It made me awfully nostalgic for the five years I lived in Montreal, where street festivals are part of the fabric of life and are among the many things that make Montreal such a vibrant and livable city. And far from confining their festivals to some “car-free plaza away from residential neighbourhoods”, Montreal’s neighbourhoods just shut down a few streets to traffic for their festivals, and residents join in the fun.

Why, the jazz festival even shuts down a big chunk of downtown for 10 days, throws up six or seven stages for free music, opens up a few open-air wine and cheese pavilions, and turns the whole city centre into one big party for the duration.

Radical, eh?

C’mon, Vancouver, loosen up!

> Avril Orloff / Vancouver