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Vancouver Park Board OKs 2026 World Cup Practice Field at Neighbourhood Parks

2024-12-10

A practice field at Memorial South Park in Vancouver is set to be off-limits due to the construction of a training facility. This decision has sparked concerns among the park board and residents alike. B.C. Place Stadium is hosting seven games during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, estimated to cost around $581 million. As part of the preparations, host cities need to provide training sites that meet FIFA guidelines, including natural grass, privacy, and no sightlines. A motion was presented to park board commissioners on Monday night to start construction at Memorial South and Killarney parks in South Vancouver. Staff emphasized the time sensitivity of the motion and the potential legal ramifications if it was not approved.

Residents' Outrage and Lack of Consultation

The South Vancouver community was in an uproar over the construction, especially at Memorial South Park on Ross Street. Residents claimed they would lose a valuable walking track and green space for over two years. Those who spoke at the Monday meeting were furious about what they perceived as a lack of consultation. It was revealed that some legal contracts were signed back in March 2022, before the current commissioners were elected. Cindy Heinrichs from the Friends of Memorial South group said, "To hear you say that this was a done deal two years ago, I don't feel like I live in a democracy at this point. Why are we here?" 2: The residents' opposition was strong, with more than a dozen speaking out against the motion. Some cited the loss of the walking track in Memorial South Park as particularly painful. As one resident put it, "To my mind, that track is the most important part of that park."

Park Board's Dilemma and Forced Votes

Given the legal ramifications, many park board commissioners only reluctantly voted in favor of the motion. Some even abstained from voting to start construction at Memorial South Park. Commissioner Brennan Bastyovanszky said, "I feel that the obligations we have in front of us are unfortunate. My hand is being forced." Commissioner Laura Christensen only recently learned that the funding provided would only cover the bare minimum of construction and not facilities that could benefit the community in the long run. 2: Commissioner Tom Digby pressed city staff for alternatives. He pointed to the training facility at the University of B.C. used by the Canada men's national team and the Vancouver Whitecaps. He argued that the current plan was a "joke facility" and that other cities were using major facilities recognized for their quality. He said the UBC facility "solves almost all the concerns that we've heard tonight."

Amendments and Future Plans

Commissioners passed amendments to ensure that no trees would be felled until the UBC option was explored. They also prioritized the parks in future capital plans beyond 2026. With the motion passed, construction is set to start on Jan. 2. This decision will have a significant impact on the parks and the community for years to come. 2: The construction of the FIFA World Cup training facilities in Vancouver parks is a complex issue that has raised many questions and concerns. The park board and residents will need to work together to find the best solutions and ensure that the parks are preserved for future generations.

Starting the day, March corn shows a choppy trend, constantly bouncing between unchanged, up by less than a penny, and down by less than a penny. This morning, January soybeans have witnessed a significant increase of 5¢. As the trading session begins, March KC and Minneapolis wheat were trading in a similar manner to corn. However, now all three March contracts have moved into the green zone but with an increase of less than 2¢. CBOT wheat is up by 1¾¢, KC wheat is up by 1½¢, and Minneapolis wheat is up by 1¼¢. At 11 a.m. CT today, the highly anticipated December World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) report is expected from the USDA. Naomi Blohm, the senior market advisor at Total Farm Marketing, believes that this report is likely to be beneficial for corn and have a neutral impact on soybeans and wheat. To gain more insights, read what Grain Market Insider analyst Scott Masters has to say about what farmers should know before today's report here. In the livestock market, February live cattle have seen a rise of 30¢ this morning. January feeder cattle have increased by 78¢, and February lean hogs are up by 68¢. In the energy sector, January crude oil is up by 7¢. Regarding the currency market, the U.S. Dollar Index December contract has reached 106.35. And in the stock market, December S&P 500 futures are up by 2 points, while December Dow futures are down by 102 points. Published: 9:03 a.m. CT

Stay Informed on Today's Commodity Market Movements

March Corn: A Tale of Choppiness

1: March corn has been experiencing a rather erratic morning, with its price fluctuating between different levels. It shows no clear direction, constantly moving up or down by just a fraction of a penny. This choppy behavior is likely to keep traders on their toes as they try to make sense of the market. 2: The inability of March corn to settle on a specific price range highlights the uncertainty in the market. Traders are closely watching these price movements as they await further cues and developments that could potentially lead to more stable trading conditions.

January Soybeans: A Strong Surge

1: January soybeans have taken center stage with a remarkable 5¢ increase. This significant upward movement is likely to attract the attention of both traders and investors. It indicates a positive sentiment in the soybean market and could potentially lead to further gains. 2: The surge in January soybeans may be driven by various factors such as supply and demand dynamics or global market trends. Traders will be closely monitoring these factors to assess the sustainability of this upward trend and make informed trading decisions.

March Wheat: Following Suit

1: Near the open of the trading session, March KC and Minneapolis wheat were trading in tandem with corn. However, as the day progressed, all three March contracts have managed to move into the green. This shows a certain level of convergence in the wheat market and suggests that there may be some underlying factors at play. 2: The relatively small increase of less than 2¢ in March wheat indicates a cautious market sentiment. Traders are likely to be waiting for more concrete information, such as the upcoming USDA WASDE report, to determine the next move in the wheat market.

Livestock and Energy Markets: Moving in Different Directions

1: In the livestock market, February live cattle have seen a substantial 30¢ increase, while January feeder cattle have risen by 78¢. These gains highlight the strength in the livestock sector. On the other hand, February lean hogs are also up by 68¢, indicating a positive trend in the pork market. 2: In the energy market, January crude oil has seen a 7¢ increase, reflecting the overall sentiment in the energy sector. However, it is important to note that the stock market is showing some divergence, with December S&P 500 futures up by 2 points and December Dow futures down by 102 points. This shows the complexity and interconnection of different markets.

Currency and Stock Markets: Impact and Outlook

1: The U.S. Dollar Index December contract reaching 106.35 indicates the strength of the dollar. This could have implications for various markets, including commodities and stocks. Traders will need to closely monitor the currency market as it can influence the overall market sentiment. 2: In the stock market, December S&P 500 futures and December Dow futures are showing contrasting trends. While the S&P 500 futures are up, the Dow futures are down. This highlights the volatility and uncertainty in the stock market and emphasizes the need for careful analysis and risk management.

Devs have long awaited tech vendors to supply software development kits (SDKs) alongside their products. This would simplify the process of creating apps. However, many vendors only offer APIs, which are basic communication protocols. Alex Rattray, the founder of Stainless, believes AI can play a crucial role. Stainless uses a compiler to automatically generate SDKs from APIs on the fly. Without an SDK, API users have to rely on reading API docs and building everything themselves. There is no easy way for vendors to create SDKs at scale. Stainless takes in an API spec and generates SDKs in multiple programming languages like Python, TypeScript, Kotlin, and Go. As APIs evolve, the platform pushes updates with versioning and changelog options. While typical vendors have in-house devs build libraries, Stainless uses AI to create an initial config that teams can fine-tune. This avoids library inconsistency and outdated issues, leading to quicker upgrades and faster integration. Rattray claims that we are entering a world where everyone has an expert-level engineer in their pocket. With this shift, APIs will become the primary interface for all users, and companies without excellent APIs will become outdated. Much of Stainless' functionality is based on Rattray's industry experiences. He picked up programming while at UPenn and later worked at Stripe, where he helped with API documentation and launched the API client SDK. Stainless is not the only API-to-SDK generator. There are others like LibLab and Speakeasy, as well as open source projects like the OpenAPI Generator. But Rattray argues that Stainless offers more "polish" due to its compiler. Many customers have tried the OpenAPI Generator but found its output lacking in code quality. This polish has attracted tech giants like OpenAI, Anthropic, and Meta to Stainless' platform, along with other companies like Runway, Groq, Cerebras, Modern Treasury, and Cloudflare. Rattray claims that Stainless has hundreds of paying customers and its SDKs are downloaded millions of times weekly. Most customers pay for the enterprise tier, which includes additional services and AI functionality. Publishing a single SDK is free, but multiple SDKs cost between $250 a month and $30,000 a year. Rattray said the company's annual recurring revenue is around $1 million and it is nearing profitability. To grow, Stainless recently closed a $25 million Series A led by a16z with participation from Sequoia, The General Partnership, Felicis, Zapier, and MongoDB. The new funds will be used to expand the 20-person team in New York. Rattray added that the business is efficient but they raised funds to accelerate development towards their vision. SDKs are just the first step; their vision is to build a comprehensive platform for all API-related needs.

Unlock the Power of APIs with Stainless' AI-Driven SDKs

Tech Vendors and the SDK Dilemma

Devs have been expecting tech vendors to provide SDKs alongside their products. But the reality is that many only offer APIs. This creates a challenge for developers who need to build apps using these products. Stainless steps in with its innovative approach using AI to generate SDKs from APIs.

Without an SDK, API users have to do a lot of work themselves. They have to read API docs and build everything from scratch. This is not an efficient process. Stainless' solution automates this process and makes it easier for developers to create apps.

The Stainless Approach

Stainless takes in an API spec and generates SDKs in multiple programming languages. This allows developers to choose the language they are most comfortable with. As APIs evolve, Stainless' platform pushes updates with versioning and changelog options.

Unlike typical vendors who have in-house devs building libraries, Stainless uses AI to create an initial config. This config can then be fine-tuned by teams to meet their specific API needs. This approach avoids problems like library inconsistency and outdated issues.

The Impact of Stainless

Rattray believes that we are entering a world where everyone has an expert-level engineer in their pocket. With this shift, APIs will become the primary interface for all users. Companies without excellent APIs will be left behind.

Stainless' functionality is based on Rattray's industry experiences. He has seen firsthand the challenges of working with APIs and the need for better solutions. Stainless is not just another API-to-SDK generator; it offers more "polish" due to its compiler.

Customer Success and Growth

Stainless has attracted many tech giants and other companies with its platform. It has hundreds of paying customers and its SDKs are downloaded millions of times weekly.

The company's enterprise tier offers additional services and AI functionality. Publishing a single SDK is free, but multiple SDKs come at a cost. Rattray said the company's annual recurring revenue is around $1 million and it is nearing profitability.

Future Plans and Funding

To grow, Stainless recently closed a $25 million Series A led by a16z with participation from other investors. The new funds will be used to expand the team and continue developing the platform.

Rattray added that SDKs are just the first step. Their vision is to build a comprehensive platform for all API-related needs. This shows their ambition and commitment to the field.