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CTV News
23-07-2025
- Politics
- CTV News
Gatineau, Que. residents raise concerns over concert by controversial artist at Jacques-Cartier Park
Christian musician Sean Feucht of California sings to the crowd during a rally at the National Mall in Washington, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2020. (Jose Luis Magana/AP Photo) Controversial Christian musician Sean Feucht is set to perform at Jacques-Cartier Park in Gatineau, Que. this weekend, but the show is stirring up frustration from people living in the national capital region. 'My issue isn't that his values don't align with mine or that I have a difference of opinion politically. It's that it's a public space,' said Melissa, a Gatineau resident who asked CTV News Ottawa not to include her last name. 'If it was in a private arena or a private room, I wouldn't be upset by that. People have the right to exist, and they have the right to say whatever they want to say as long as it falls within hate speech laws.' On social media, Feucht describes himself as a missionary, musician, author and 'founder of global movements.' He unsuccessfully ran for congress in 2020 as a Republican candidate in California and has faced criticism for speaking out against abortion rights and the LGTBQ2+ community. He has also grown in popularity within the Make America Great Again (MAGA) movement as a prominent figure with nearly 600,000 followers on Facebook and another 166,000 followers on X. Feucht's shows on the east coast have also faced significant pushback, with Parks Canada revoking his permit to perform at the York Redoubt National Historic Site in Halifax for safety and security reasons. He then found a different venue near Halifax to hold his event on Wednesday but permits to perform in both Moncton and Charlottetown on Thursday were reportedly also revoked. 'Theses are worrisome messages. They're very popular in the states. It's popular to beat up on small minority groups as target victims. We saw that in the 1930s in other parts of the world, we just don't feel that's where Canadians want to go,' said lay minister David-Roger Gagnon with St. Paul's United Church in Riverview New Brunswick. 'If this gentleman wants to promote that message, he's welcome to do that in his own country. But in Canada, I don't think those values resonate with us.' Some residents in Gatineau and Ottawa want the National Capital Commission (NCC) to follow suit by calling off his planned performance on July 26 in Jacques-Cartier Park. Sam Feucht Melissa, a Gatineau, Que. resident, says she's concerned over a planned concert by singer Sam Feucht this weekend. (Brad Quinn/CTV News Ottawa) 'It's not about cancelling or holding someone accountable because they don't agree with the same things we agree with. It's that it's in a public space,' said Melissa. 'Our tax dollars are going to fund this space that this person is performing in.' Melissa also expressed scepticism over Feucht's claims on social media that pushback to his shows is rooted in anti-Christian bigotry. 'I'm Christian. Most of my friends are Christian,' she said. 'I don't think there's anything Christian about his public stances on women or marginalized groups.' The NCC did not provide a response to CTV News Ottawa before deadline. With files from The Canadian Press
Al Jazeera
09-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Al Jazeera
How to become a bike-friendly city? Lessons from a Paris revolution
Smog once choked Paris streets. Now, cleaner air, grassroots pressure and a bold city agenda are reshaping how the city breathes and moves. From bottom-up activism to political pushback, Paris's transformation reveals a success story in the fight to reclaim public space. In this episode: Episode credits: This episode was produced by Marcos Bartolome and Sari el-Khalili, with Kylene Kiang, Phillip Lanos, Spencer Cline, Mariana Navarrete, Remas Alhawari, Kisaa Zehra, and our host, Manuel Rapalo. It was edited by Alexandra Locke. The Take production team is Marcos Bartolome, Sonia Bhagat, Sari el-Khalili, Tamara Khandaker, Phillip Lanos, Chloe K Li, Kylene Kiang, Ashish Malhotra, Khaled Soltan, Amy Walters, and Noor Wazwaz. Our editorial interns are Remas Alhawari, Kingwell Ma, Mariana Navarrete, and Kisaa Zehra. Our guest host is Kevin Hirten. Our engagement producers are Adam Abou-Gad and Vienna Maglio. Aya Elmileik is lead of audience engagement. Our sound designer is Alex Roldan. Our video editors are Hisham Abu Salah and Mohannad al-Melhem. Alexandra Locke is The Take's executive producer. Ney Alvarez is Al Jazeera's head of audio. Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on Instagram, X, Facebook, Threads and YouTube
Yahoo
31-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Vancouver city council to vote on a car-free future for Granville Street
If Vancouver city council gives the go-ahead on Wednesday, Granville Street could one day resemble a mix of car-free Las Ramblas in Barcelona, with the live music of Nashville's Broadway, plus a touch of the bright lights of Tokyo's Shibuya pedestrian crossing. That is the 20-year vision for a striking new plan to revitalize the city's once-neon-lit grand old dame of a street, which has fallen on hard times. The plan, which envisions all of Granville eventually being car-free from the bridge over False Creek to Waterfront Station, could cost up to $140 million in 2025 dollars, according preliminary estimates in the report, which was two years in the making. 'Currently, the area faces challenges with vacant storefronts, lack of daytime activity, and rising health, safety and street-disorder concerns, contributing to a negative perception of the Granville Entertainment District,' the report states. The plan keys on three areas: The city centre (between Georgia and Smithe streets) with mixed-use residential developments including some of the city's tallest towers; the entertainment core (between Smithe and Davie streets), a hub of live music, theatres and restaurants; and the bridgehead (between Davie and Drake Streets) with a quieter mix of residential, local shops and cultural spaces. If approved, the plan eventually envisions the creation of a 'world-class destination public space gradually working toward a year-round shore-to-shore pedestrian zone.' Built around the time the city was founded, Granville soon became known as Theatre Row, and welcomed trolleys heading up and down. By the 1950s, it glowed with endless neon signs, and today is still home to icons such as the Orpheum Theatre and Commodore Ballroom. The plan's goal is to transform Granville into an arts, entertainment and cultural destination, with more restaurants and patios. That includes improving safety, live music, expanded hotel space, mixed-use residential (including tall towers 200 and 400 feet high, taller than previously allowed, near the Canada Line Station at Georgia), and single-room occupancy social housing. There are eight single-room accommodation buildings on Granville, the report states, containing about 600 rooms, many of them privately owned, which the city plans to replace with self-contained social housing. The preliminary estimated cost is between $90 million and $140 million. There is a proposed new plaza at Granville and Robson streets, which would be home giant digital billboards, like Manhattan's Times Square or Piccadilly Circus in London's West End, showing visual art and live-event screenings along with advertisements. At the moment, about 1,100 TransLink buses ply the corridor daily, carrying 21,000 passengers. Those would be shifted to adjacent Seymour and Howe streets, after those roads are upgraded. 'Granville Street, part of Vancouver's historic streetcar network, remains a busy transit corridor connecting key areas,' the report reads. 'The 2010 Winter Olympics marked a peak of activity, with significant changes including the introduction of the Canada Line and public realm improvements,' it says. 'Despite (today's) challenges, Granville Street has significant opportunities. 'The Granville Street plan will enhance the area's future for businesses, venues, visitors, and residents. The plan's vision aligns efforts across city departments, private property owners, and business and venue operators to transform Granville into a dynamic destination for culture, performance, and entertainment.' There will be regular reviews and updates to ensure the plan adapts to changing contexts, the report says. Before presenting the plan to council, the city held a dozen public workshops, held youth roundtables and public walking tours, received 5,700 completed surveys and heard 11,000 comments. The city also met with business and hospitality associations, arts and cultural organizations, social service providers, and public agencies such as B.C. Housing and TransLink. After the final round of engagement this past February, support for the vision was 76 per cent, the report says. gordmcintyre@ Farce in legislature as B.C. Conservatives seek a provincial election over a blurred Zoom call Vancouver teacher suspended after pup fetish identity, adult content discovered online If Vancouver city council gives the go-ahead on Wednesday, Granville Street could one day resemble a mix of car-free Las Ramblas in Barcelona, with the live music of Nashville's Broadway, plus a touch of the bright lights of Tokyo's Shibuya pedestrian crossing. That is the 20-year vision for a striking new plan to revitalize the city's once-neon-lit grand old dame of a street, which has fallen on hard times. The plan, which envisions all of Granville eventually being car-free from the bridge over False Creek to Waterfront Station, could cost up to $140 million in 2025 dollars, according preliminary estimates in the report, which was two years in the making. 'Currently, the area faces challenges with vacant storefronts, lack of daytime activity, and rising health, safety and street-disorder concerns, contributing to a negative perception of the Granville Entertainment District,' the report states. The plan keys on three areas: The city centre (between Georgia and Smithe streets) with mixed-use residential developments including some of the city's tallest towers; the entertainment core (between Smithe and Davie streets), a hub of live music, theatres and restaurants; and the bridgehead (between Davie and Drake Streets) with a quieter mix of residential, local shops and cultural spaces. If approved, the plan eventually envisions the creation of a 'world-class destination public space gradually working toward a year-round shore-to-shore pedestrian zone.' Built around the time the city was founded, Granville soon became known as Theatre Row, and welcomed trolleys heading up and down. By the 1950s, it glowed with endless neon signs, and today is still home to icons such as the Orpheum Theatre and Commodore Ballroom. The plan's goal is to transform Granville into an arts, entertainment and cultural destination, with more restaurants and patios. That includes improving safety, live music, expanded hotel space, mixed-use residential (including tall towers 200 and 400 feet high, taller than previously allowed, near the Canada Line Station at Georgia), and single-room occupancy social housing. There are eight single-room accommodation buildings on Granville, the report states, containing about 600 rooms, many of them privately owned, which the city plans to replace with self-contained social housing. The preliminary estimated cost is between $90 million and $140 million. There is a proposed new plaza at Granville and Robson streets, which would be home giant digital billboards, like Manhattan's Times Square or Piccadilly Circus in London's West End, showing visual art and live-event screenings along with advertisements. At the moment, about 1,100 TransLink buses ply the corridor daily, carrying 21,000 passengers. Those would be shifted to adjacent Seymour and Howe streets, after those roads are upgraded. 'Granville Street, part of Vancouver's historic streetcar network, remains a busy transit corridor connecting key areas,' the report reads. 'The 2010 Winter Olympics marked a peak of activity, with significant changes including the introduction of the Canada Line and public realm improvements,' it says. 'Despite (today's) challenges, Granville Street has significant opportunities. 'The Granville Street plan will enhance the area's future for businesses, venues, visitors, and residents. The plan's vision aligns efforts across city departments, private property owners, and business and venue operators to transform Granville into a dynamic destination for culture, performance, and entertainment.' There will be regular reviews and updates to ensure the plan adapts to changing contexts, the report says. Before presenting the plan to council, the city held a dozen public workshops, held youth roundtables and public walking tours, received 5,700 completed surveys and heard 11,000 comments. The city also met with business and hospitality associations, arts and cultural organizations, social service providers, and public agencies such as B.C. Housing and TransLink. After the final round of engagement this past February, support for the vision was 76 per cent, the report says.
South China Morning Post
21-05-2025
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Hong Kong seeking proposals to revamp Kai Tak Cruise Terminal
Hong Kong authorities are inviting proposals for better utilisation of space at the Kai Tak Cruise Terminal. Advertisement The Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau announced on Wednesday it was 'inviting the market to submit expressions of interest' to enhance the use of the terminal. A spokesman added that this initiative is part of an action plan aimed at developing cruise tourism and 'to elevate the function of the KTCT as a cruise terminal for all.' He noted that in addition to cruise operation facilities, the terminal features an ancillary commercial area of around 5,600 square metres (60,277 sq ft) and public space on the rooftop and second floor. The bureau was seeking proposals for 'conventional retail or other purposes', he added. Authorities emphasised their commitment to promoting the terminal for hosting more non-cruise and commercial events during off-peak seasons and on days with fewer cruises. Advertisement It also noted the recent opening of Kai Tak Sports Park within the district, serving as a hub for major sports and entertainment events, and a new pedestrian walkway connecting it with the terminal.
