Upon entering Stanley Park, either by turning east off Georgia Street from Vancouver or from the Coal Harbour Seawall, the first statue you will come across is that of Scottish poet and lyricist Robert Burns.
Robert Burns Statue in Stanley Park
According to the Vancouver Archives: “In February 1924, inspired by a recently published critical analysis of Burns’ work, the Vancouver Burns Fellowship was formed to encourage the study of Burns’ life and works and the singing of his songs. The group also hoped to erect a statue of Burns in Stanley Park.”
Archives# CVA 1184-2705. Photographer: Jack Lindsay.
“The unveiling ceremony was August 25, 1928 and was followed by dinner at the Aztec Room of the Hotel Georgia. The Honourable Ramsay MacDonald, ex-Prime Minister of Britain, arrived by train that day with his three daughters. It has been reported that a large crowd welcomed him in spite of his arrival time of 7:30am. He was, coincidentally, in Canada on vacation and agreed to unveil the monument.”
The inscription on the monument’s front plaque reads:
1759-1796. Robert Burns’s sincere desire or friendship and brotherhood among all peoples is clearly shown in his many poems and songs. His poetry and letters, both serious and humorous are worthy of study by those who value liberty and freedom.
On the side plaque is an excerpt from To a Mountain Daisy (1786):
On turning one down with his plough
Wee, modest, crimson-tipped flow’r,
thou’s met me in an evil hour;….
to spare thee now is past my pow’r
thou bonie gem.
This memorial was rededicated on the 200th anniversary of the bard’s death by the Burns Club of Vancouver on July 21st, 1996.
Robbert Burns Day (January 25th) is widely celebrated and in Vancouver several organizations, businesses and groups keep the tradition alive by hosting a supper, as the Centre for Scottish Studies will do on Friday, January 23, 2015. One of the most unique events in honour of The Bard is Gung Haggis Fat Choy (February 8th) which blends the Chinese New Year with a Burns Supper.
Previous Vancouver Icons posts: Vancouver Maritime Museum, Flack Block, The Drop, Prospect Point Lighthouse, Engagement, Ovaltine Cafe, The English Bay Slide, Freezing Water #7, Cleveland Dam, Heritage Hall, School of Theology Building at UBC, Gate to the Northwest Passage, St Paul’s Hospital, Capilano Lake, Stawamus Chief, Nine O’Clock Gun, Malkin Bowl, Search, Vancouver Rowing Club, Echoes, Point Atkinson Lighthouse, English Bay Inukshuk, Hollow Tree, Hotel Europe, Lions Gate Bridge Lions, LightShed, Granville Bridge, 217.5 Arc x 13′, Canoe Bridge, Vancouver Block, Bloedel Conservatory, Centennial Rocket, Canada Place, Old Courthouse/Vancouver Art Gallery, Dominion Building, Science World, Gastown Steam Clock, SFU Burnaby, Commodore Lanes, Siwash Rock, Kitsilano Pool, White Rock Pier, Main Post Office, Planetarium Building, Lord Stanley Statue, Vancouver Library Central Branch, Victory Square, Digital Orca, The Crab Sculpture, Girl in Wetsuit, The Sun Tower, The Hotel Vancouver, The Gassy Jack Statue, The Marine Building, and The Angel of Victory. Should you have a suggestion for the Vancouver Icons series please feel free to leave a note in the comments. It should be a thing, statue, or place that is very visible and recognizable to the public.
The RunGo app, a running app with turn-by-turn instructions for popular running routes in cities like Vancouver, London, New York, and Seattle, is hosting the Dash for Dogs in February. This is a guided 10km, 5km or 2km run or walk through Stanley Park with 100% of proceeds going to BC & Alberta Guide Dogs.
RunGo Dash for Dogs
Where Stanley Park trails, starting and ending at Brockton Point
When Saturday, February 21, 2015
Registration Register online for the 2km Walk (optional donation); 5km Run (minimum $20 donation); or 10km Run (minimum $20 donation).
This is a fun, non-competitive race so start times are anytime between 9:00am and 11:00am. There will be no route markers as participants will be encouraged to use the RunGo app to make their way around the course. Participants are asked to please leave their dogs at home as there will be guide dogs working.
Download the RunGo app for Android or Apple devices.
BC & Alberta Guide Dogs makes a profound difference to blind/ visually impaired people by partnering them with a certified guide dog at no cost. These guide dogs provide tangible and immediate help; making a significant difference in their partner’s safety, independence, sense of well being and belonging.
The Vancouver Motorcycle Show rolls into Abbotsford’s Tradex from January 23rd until January 25th, highlighting the motorcycling industry’s loudest engines, coolest exhibitions and latest trends, along with death-defying riders to watch and terrific contests to enter.
Vancouver Motorcycle Show Highlights
Deeley Harley-Davidson Project LiveWire™ Experience Tour, an exhibition of the very first Harley-Davidson with an electric engine. This exhibit offers Harley fans a chance to test ride this one-of-a-kind bike as well as an opportunity to check out their Jumpstart™ Demo riding simulator for one weekend only.
Back by popular demand is SHE Rides Night, celebrating women who ride and those who want to take up the sport. Between 5:00pm and 8:30pm on Friday, January 23rd, admission for all female attendees is half price, and women (18+) are encouraged to enter the ladies-only draw, where one lucky rider will take home a brand new 2015 Kawasaki EX300, courtesy of Canadian Kawasaki and your local Kawasaki dealers. In addition to the contest, all Show attendees that night will have a chance to meet Valerie Thompson – America’s Queen of Speed and 5-time motorcycle land speed record holder, presented by BMW Motorrad Canada.
For young visitors, the Show is bringing back the always-popular Yamaha Riding Academy for Kids, a fun and interactive course designed for children aged 6-12, who will learn how to ride a Yamaha TTR or PW in a safe and monitored off-road environment.
The always thrilling, fan-favourite Team Empire, are also returning to this year’s Show, presented by Parts Canada. Nick “Apex” Brocha and Ernie “Edub” Vigil are professional motorcycle freestyler stunt riders, constantly pulling off daring feats that push the limits of what a person can do on two wheels.
On four wheels, Bill Hitchon will be doing equally daring ATV stunts all weekend. In addition, the Canadian Pacific Trials Association will be performing at the Show, where riders will manoeuvre through a specially designed obstacle course, all without touching their feet to the ground. Take a break from the Show floor, grab some fresh air, and be captivated by the talent of each of these riders in their Shows running three times a day.
The Vancouver Motorcycle Show’s grand prize is a 2015 Triumph Bonneville Newchurch Commemorative Special Edition motorcycle. This is a unique bike as less than thirty will be made available in Canada.
Hours are 10:00am to 9:00pm on Friday, 10:00am to 8:00pm on Saturday, and 10:00am to 5:00pm on Sunday.
Admission is $14 for adults (15 and over), $10 for seniors (65 and over), $10 juniors (ages 6 to 14), and free for children (5 and under, with paid adult). Family passes (2 adults and 2 juniors) are $38 and on Ladies Night, women pay 1/2 price admission after 5:00pm.
Win Tickets to the Vancouver Motorcycle Show
If you would like to check out the Vancouver Motorcycle Show I have a 4-pack of tickets to give away, here’s how you can enter to win:
- Leave a comment on this post (1 entry)
- Post the following on Twitter (1 entry)
I will draw one winner at random from all entries at 9:00pm on Thursday, January 22, 2015.
Update The winner is Shawna!
Charlie Ross is living his childhood dream (and probably the dream of many other men and women) as he gets to be Luke Skywalker and Han Solo, and retell the Star Wars stories. In just 60 minutes Ross will take the audience to a galaxy far, far away as he performs the One Man Star Wars Trilogy in Vancouver this February.
One Man Star Wars Trilogy
Originally from farm just outside Prince George, Ross single-handedly plays all the characters, sings the music, flies the ships, fights the battles, and condenses the plots and his show has received rave reviews from SPIN Magazine, the BBC, the Chicago Sun Times, and more. He’s performed One Man Star Wars Trilogy off-Broadway, in Dubai’s resorts, London’s West End, at Star Wars conventions, and everywhere in between.
One Man Star Wars Trilogy is playing February 17th to February 19th at Performance Works on Granville Island. Tickets are available online now for 8:00pm showtimes on February 17th, February 18th, and February 19th.
Follow the Vancouver Fringe Festival on Facebook and Twitter for more information.
The summertime watershed tours now have a winter counterpart, which involves snowshoeing, education about our local environment, and a cup of hot chocolate.
Winter Watershed Snowshoe Tours
Enjoy a moderately strenuous snowshoe tour as you learn about the important role our snowcapped mountains play in the collection and storage of your drinking water. Learn about adaptations of the local plants and animals that call the Seymour Watershed home.
There is currently a waitlist for the January 25th and February 15th tours but February 19th, February 22nd, March 8th, March 12th, March 15th, and March 22nd are available to book today. The times are 9:30am to 1:00pm or 6:00pm to 9:30pm.
Find available dates and register online (click Available for Registration, then click Adult/Youth) or call 604-432-6359 to book. The fee is $18 per person, must be 18+ to participate.
