Urban Explorations: A Canadian GIS Journey

See the world through new eyes

Several years ago, I became a regular member of a Korean-English language exchange group in Vancouver. Later, I became a group organizer. When I started, I knew little about Korea beyond the news headlines.

Through many interactions with my language exchange partners and fellow members, a new world revealed itself. I realized that many of my assumptions were wrong. Different cultures have different rules. And for those who grow up in these cultures, these rules seem natural.

This voyage of discovery is something I hope to repeat and share. This blog is my contribution to understanding this increasingly small world. I don’t yet know where this journey will take me. Join me as we explore together.

Toronto’s Greenest Neighourhoods

Toronto is known as a city of neighbourhoods: it is a city of 152 of them, in fact. This includes many that are well-known to locals and Torontophiles alike: The Danforth. Little Italy. Kensington-Chinatown. The Beaches (or is the the Beach?) Not to mention many more.  Toronto also refers to itself as a ‘city within a park’. This begs the question, how park-like is each neighbourhood?  To this end, I decided to calculate the percentage of each neighbourhood that is…

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Walk Tucson

Tucson and the Southwest might not come to mind when you think about walkability. Sunbelt cities are famous for their devotion to the automobile. Consequently, an avid walker might balk at the idea of a walkable city in Southern Arizona. No doubt the choices are limited compared to the older, denser, more dynamic cities of the East Coast or Europe.

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Explore Canmore Five Ways

It often strikes me how different modes of travel affect my experience of a place. Walking down a street for the first time after having driven the same street countless times opens up an entirely new world. This is valuable to keep in mind when making travel plans, too. If you really want to experience a place fully, how you go is as important as where you go.

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Wells Gray Park: Waterfalls, Lakes and Mountains

British Columbia is graced with an abundance of natural beauty.Well-loved, oft-visited spots such as Whistler, Tofino and the Canadian Rockies need no introduction. But many other wonderful areas may have escaped your attention. One such place is Wells Gray Provincial Park; a land of calm lakes, undisturbed forests and majestic waterfalls.

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Seoul: Peace and Calm in an Asian Megalopolis

Korean culture exploded into the world’s conscience following the massive popularity of the song “Gangnam Style” in 2012. Since then, K-Pop became a worldwide phenomenon and Korean dramas found huge audiences throughout Asia and beyond.

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Beat the Crowds: Vancouver

Vancouver is a must-see place; one of the most beautiful cities in the world. Vancouver offers a host of well-known, world-class sites: Stanley Park, English Bay, Capilano Suspension Bridge and the Sunshine Coast all draw scores of enthusiastic visitors.

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Beat the Crowds: Banff

Banff National Park is a world-class destination with some of the planet’s most inspiring mountain scenery. Soaring peaks, shimmering lakes and abundant wildlife continually thrill visitors at Canada’s oldest national park. Conde Nast says about Banff, “in terms of jaw-dropping, life-changing scenery, it’s right up there with Yellowstone and Yosemite”.

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