A tribute to the 2010 Olympics and other Vancouver, Canada General Tips

Fondest Memory: When I was 6 years old, Vancouver hosted Expo '86. A great deal of monumental structures were built that year which includes Canada Place, Science World, and the Skytrain system. However, one lesser-recognized additions was the inukshuk statue which currently stands at the southern end of English Bay. The inukshuk was a gift from the Inuit of Canada's arctic to Vancouver.

People always come up with different interpretations for what inukshuks are, but when I was little I was taught that they were traditionally built as place markers on the vast and barren tundra and were also used as a way to herd caribou - who knows. Regardless, inukshuks are human-like statues built out of carefully stacked rocks and are wide recognized as symbols of the Inuit culture.

In 2001 when Vancouver won the bid to host the 2010 winter Olympics, a contest was held to design the offiicial logo. The winner's design was a colourful interpretation of an inukshuk inspired by the one at English Bay.

The inukshuk design initially caused a huge controversy because people thought that the winning entry looked too amateurish. Others complained that it had absolutely nothing to do with Vancouver's indentity, but instead, continued to persist the stereotype that Canada will always be thought of as snowy and cold. I think there was a 90% disapproval rating for the inukshuk design, but it was created anyway and was first shown at the 2006 Torino Olympics during the closing ceremonies.

Regardless of public approval, it seems like the inukshuk will be Vancouver's Olympic logo. And whenever you pass by the inukshuk down on English Bay, now you know all about it.

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Favorite Thing: The seawall plays a major role in the authentic Vancouver experience. And it's fair to say that you haven't experienced Vancouver until you've strolled (or jogged, or cycled, or skateboarded, or rollerbladed) the seawall.

The seawall is what surrounds most of Downtown Vancouver and Stanley Park. It starts at Canada Place, heading west through Coal Harbour, around Stanley Park, along Third beach, Second Beach and English Bay, rounding its way down along False Creek to Yaletown, bending up around BC Place Stadium and over to Science World, and following along to Stamp's Landing, Fairview and hooking up with Granville Island then under the Burrard Street Bridge to Vanier Park and Kitsilano Beach. All together it's 22 km in length.

However, the seawall might be significant of thing further...

In 2006 I was invited to attend a Geography Alumni meeting at UBC on Valentine's Day (out of all days!) and our guest speaker was Lance Berelowitz, a Vancouver urban planner. He said something that has stuck with me since. He mentioned that unlike most major cities, such as London or New York, Vancouver lacks a central public gathering space. Where other cities might have places like Central Park or Trafalgar Square, Vancouver has... the seawall. But people do not come to the seawall to gaze n at Vancouver. People gather along the seawall to gaze out and away from the city.


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Favorite Thing: Early in Vancouver's history, the incredibly-wealthy Irish Guinness family who owned the Guinness brewery *also* owned a lot of property in West Vancouver called the "British Properties". At the time there was no bridge connecting Vancouver to the north shore of Burrard Inlet; you had to take a boat.

Because the Guinness family wanted to create more access to the British Properties (so their land would be worth more), they decided to build a bridge... hence, the Lions Gate Bridge was built.

Once the bridge was built, the Guinness family got their wish, and people started to move into the British Properties and the Guiness family started to make money. Nowadays, West Vancouver and the British Properties are considered to be the most elite addresses in Greater Vancouver.

So how did the bridge get its name?

Between Cypress and Grouse mountains are two twin peaks known as "the Lions". It's an old native legend that these two peaks were lions - not African lions silly, but BC mountain lions! And it's true... I can see two mountain lions when I look at these peaks.

Anyhow, as you are heading north over the bridge, you are essentially enterting the territory of "the lions".

You might also recognize the name "Lions Gate" from the Lions Gate Studios film studios... a Canadian film studios located in North Vancouver.

The Lions Gate Bridge is definitely the most striking bridge in all of Vancouver, and it is also one of the most oldest bridges in the city.

Fondest Memory: On a warm August evening, I walked across the Lions Gate Bridge with my boyfriend, from West Vancouver's Ambleside Beach all the way to Stanley Park on the other side. It took us about 20 minutes to walk across the bridge. We were some of the only people walking it as cars and trucks sped past. The view of Burrard Inlet was breathtaking. We could even see Mount Baker in the far east over the downtown skyline. We were so high up! We sang along the bridge as we crossed it, stopping to take pictures and to admire the view. This is a great way to experience the Lions Gate Bridge.

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Favorite Thing: Sometimes refered to Vancouver's "Haight-Ashbury", though I'm not sure if there's anything else like it in other cities. In the first half of the 20th century Vancouver's Commercial Drive area used to be the city's major Italian neighbourhood. If there were new Italian immigrants, this is where they settled. Italian coffee shops, bakeries, grocery stores and restaurants were key ingredients to Commercial Drive. Over the past few decades, Commercial Drive has attracted immigrants of other nationalities, but since the 1980's and 90's it became the "Mecca" of the locals subcultures; an artist, hippy, punk, vegetarian, and lesbian hangout. Multicultural indeed! Now, fast forward to the 21st century and you have a mix of all the groups combined into one area spanning dozens of city blocks along Commercial Drive, from Broadway north to Venables.


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Favorite Thing: False Creek is not actually a creek, but more like a shallow inlet from the ocean that seperates downtown Vancouver from the rest of the city. The name "False Creek" was given to this body of water by Captain George Richards in 1859, before Vancouver even existed.

Writes author Catherine Gourley, "On entering the creek he expected to discover a water link to coal deposits he had noticed in Burrard Inlet. When he met a dead end he gave the basin the mundane name of False Creek. "

The shores of False Creek were used for industrial purposes during the first century of Vancouver's existance, however, industry has slowed since the 1970's, and the land has been turned into popular residential and commercial neighbourhoods, including the famous Vancouver attraction, Granville Island.

False Creek is surrounded by a man-made wall - the sea wall, as it's known... which makes for a very scenic and peaceful route for walking, cycling or rollerblading.

Fondest Memory: Walking along False Creek after Canada's men's hockey team won the gold medal at the Salt Lake City 2002 Olympics. It was the first real spring day - not a cloud in the sky and the air was warm.

In the photo you see the seawall along the north shore of False Creek. The glass building on the left is the Plaza of Nations (from Expo 86, used for many concerts). The tall buildings in the back are apartments and office buildings. The spherical building in the distance is none other than Science World, Vancouver's little version of the Epcot Center (also from Expo 86). Photo taken by me!

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Favorite Thing: Kitsilano is Vancouver's cool and trendy beach-side community. Kitsilano is called "Kits" by the locals, and it's the neighbourhood where Vancouver's young people dream of moving to, where many students end up sharing apartments, where yuppies drink their tall, non-fat soy lates along the seawall, where 20-somethings play beach volleyball in the evening, where trendsetters stroll along West 4th Avenue and where skateboarders and snowboarders cruise all the local skate shops.

Of course, this is only one aspect to Kits. Kits is also quite wealthy, and some homes have cliff-side property with million dollar views. All the streets in Kits are lined with trees, and the homes all have front and back yards - ideal for when you want to live somewhere with a garden. Not to mention, the architecture in Kits is quite unique and isn't really found elsewhere in the city, or in the rest of Canada! Most homes have 3 levels including a balcony in the back and a front porch.

Kits Beach is very popular for people-watching. There are some really great pubs just across the street, or if caffeine is more your fancy, go to the local Starbucks. Sure, they're evil. But eveyone goes there nevertheless... and the irony is that Kits used to be home to Vancouver's hippies in the 1960's.

The boundary of Kits could be said to be between Burrard Street to the east and Macdonald to the west, from 16th Ave to the south, all the way north to Kits beach, however, West 4th and Yew is definitely the heart of Kitsilano - a major shopping area with great cafes, grocery stores and restaurants.

Whether you're wanting to shop at the boutiques or eat at the many great restaurants along West 4th or Broadway, or whether you just want to stroll the beach, Kits is a really fun neighbouhood to explore.


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Favorite Thing: Kerrisdale is the old upperclass neighbourhood found in Vancouver's west side. Located around the intersection of West 41st Avenue and West Boulevard, Kerrisdale offers many blocks of ecclectic shopping and restaurant options with the old-fashioned community charm. It's the kind of neighbourhood where you can visit several times a year, just to browse through the windows as you walk along West 41st. Many of Vancouver's famed shops are found here. This includes Forster's Cheese Shop, a family-run gourmet cheese import shop that has been in business for decades; Hobb's Florist, the most prestigious florist shop in Vancouver, complete with a seperate gift shop; the Avenue Grill, a casual French bistro; the Secret Garden, one of the few places in Vancouver that serves a traditional high tea; Oscar's Books, Vancouver's best bookshop that specializes in art books; and Hill's of Kerrisdale clothing boutique. While many restaurants and boutiques are unique and locally owned, there are the occasional franchises in Kerrisdale such as Nike, Baby Gap and Starbucks, but these are the exceptions, not the rule.

Fondest Memory: It used to be an unofficial family tradition to go to Kerrisdale on December 23rd, the day before Christmas Eve. We'd usually browse all the stores, especially those like Hobb's, which are done up in Christmas decorations. My dad would then purchase gourmet cheese for Christmas dinner at Forsters, and then we'd have a lunch at a casual restaurant nearby.

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Favorite Thing: Lost Lagoon is a lake at the entrance to Stanley Park, perhaps familiar to some by the works of Canadian poet Pauline Johnson. Lost Lagoon is home to many species of waterfowl, like ducks, swans, geese, etc - almost like a bird sanctuary, full of safe dwellings for the birds to raise their young. Back a century ago, the lake used to be connected to the ocean through an underground channel, so when the tide went out, so did all the water, hence "Lost" Lagoon. The channel has since been blocked, and the water level of Lost Lagoon no longer changes.

Walk around the trails and feed the birds at Lost Lagoon in Stanley Park! If you come at dusk, you might be lucky enough to spot the bats hunting around the skies for insects.


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Favorite Thing: If you only have a few hours in Vancouver and you don't know what to do, you HAVE to visit Stanley Park. This is Vancouver's "jewel" - Vancouver's pride and joy. A park unlike any other. If you can only see one thing in Vancouver, this is it.
Stanley Park is 1000 acres of forest and gardens, surrounded by a 5.5 mile long seawall and miles of beach. It's one of the largest urban parks in North America, and has gorgeous views where ever you go! You can literally spend days in this park and still discover new areas. Stanley Park is technically a peninsula on the north-west tip of downtown. Three quarters of the park is surrounded by water, which gives the park its many beaches. The park consists of second-growth forest (forest that had once been logged in the late 1800's - but you wouldn't know!). It's a little piece of wilderness in downtown, complete with lakes, streams, wildlife (like raccoons, squirrels, porcupines, skunks), and lots of lush green vegetataion. If wilderness isn't your thing, there are also many manicured gardens throughout the park, such as Lost Lagoon, the Rhododendron gardens, the Rose Garden, Brockton Point, Prospect Point, Second Beach, Third Beach, and the totem poles. Even Lumberman's Arch is a great place to drop by for a great view of the Lions Gate Bridge, and perhaps a quick peak into the public viewing spots at the Vancouver Aquarium. Bring your camera and a good pair of walking shoes (ie: not high heels or anything that can be ruined if it gets wet or dirty!) - you'll never stop taking pictures, and you'll never stop walking!


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Fondest Memory: Life does not stop in Vancouver when it rains... and there's something about the atmosphere of a rainy afternoon in Vancouver that I enjoy, particularly in the neighbourhood of Gastown. Perhaps it's the way the light reflects over the city... and the buildings and people are reflected in the wet pavement. There's something cozy about it though: the crowds tend to stay indoors, the windows in the coffee shops fog up, and I feel like I have the whole city to myself, wandering the streets in my rain jacket.

While Vancouver is known for its rain, essentially the rain is only a drizzle. There are exceptions of course, but generally, rain in Vancouver is random; on and off, misty, spitting, and gentle.

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