Nothing like the view from the ground.  Clockbike posted this roundup of what’s happening just north of Vancouver:

Squamish resident here. I would like to tell you all a spooky story, grab your marshmallows and gather round, I’ll point my bear flashlight up at my face to create dramatic effect. I call this story: “The Haunted Sales Centers.”

It is ~2005, in a rainy windy city, upon the water. There lied the Squamish Oceanfront Development. A plan to create a residential neighborhood with marina, small industrial jobs love and flowers. Fast forward to today: the district is now $6.57 Million in debt. Source PDF.

Surely we have accomplished something magnificent for our downtown core, this is a story of the results of 7 years of hard work.

Here we have the Public Information Center and Site Office for the Squamish Oceanfront Development on a Sunny Tuesday afternoon. Let me tell you, this place is packed with hot a- oh who am I kidding. There’s a single vehicle for the representative staffing the building, who left early today: locking the door as they walked out.

So what was the Squamish Oceanfront?

It was a log-sort for the Lumber Industry. Now it’s not to say the Lumber Industry has been booming in recent years, but Industry has taken a large hit. In 2008 Industrial building permits were at $4,755,000. In 2009: $33,000. Before the Olympics were even over with, Industrial growth had petered out. With a current record low at $14,000 building permits in 2011, hardships come from more than just an over inflated housing sector. Perhaps we should laud the housing sector for keeping the community going. Source PDF.

The Park House, maybe it was for the best that the economy stalled right before they could get started.

Unlike these lots.

Then we have Red Point, a sales center directly off the highway on your way to whistler, across from the KFC.

Speaking of KFC.

They’re out of business too. Right off the highway no less.

And behind KFC? Another proposed residential development that went nowhere.

Back into the downtown core, we have yet another sales center on the water, decrepit and abandoned. The rear of the building revealed the homeless and broken glass.

      
Turning around to look across the street there’s Fields – which is also going out of business from lack of business.

But I saved the best for last.

Aqua was stopped in it’s tracks, went into receivership sale twice and failed to complete the construction project. Even now you can see the foliage growing through the re-bar. This was a story of a local economy which focused too much on residential development and forgot to support industry and commercial.

Stores have fled North to the community of Garibaldi Highlands where the rich live. But when the Canadian Housing Bubble as a whole collapses, what happens to them?

__________________________________________
A big thanks to clockbike for all images and text.