I was aware that the Vancouver Canucks as a team were in a rebuilding phase but I didn’t realize that Rogers Arena and the Canucks hospitality experience were undergoing similar overhauls. With a hard hat screwed on tight I joined a large group of Vancouver media this afternoon to check out what’s new at Rogers Arena — from the induction burners in the suites to perogies on hot dogs and margaritas on ice.
Suite and Luxury Experiences
The media cluster split off into two groups and I followed Harvey Jones, the VP of Construction and Jeff Stipec, VP of Hospitality, to level 200 where suites were being renovated. There are 14 suites being re-fit and re-furbished this year, getting new floors, cabinets, burners, appliances, and more.
Walking down the hall there was the shell of a massive new space that will soon be the Loge Club. This will be an exclusive, luxury space with room for 13 groups of 6. Groups can book these high end seats that come with 3 course meals served throughout the game and semi-private viewing areas on the arena side. The Loge Club will have dedicated chefs, its own liquor lockup, its own wine cellar, and other premium features.
Behind the Scenes in the Kitchen
We left one construction zone for another as we made our way to ground level and met Executive Chef Robert Bartley who was very excited to tell us about what will be produced in his kitchen this year. Rogers Arena will soon have its own butchery program, pastry shop, and locally-sourced, caught, and picked ingredients.
The kitchen aims have 60% of all ingredients sourced in BC. Salt Spring Island lamb, fresh off the boat spot prawns, sockeye salmon, pulled pork from the new smoker, and other homemade ingredients that will be used in the quick service areas along the concourse.
“Everyone loves seafood, I love seafood,” proclaimed Chef Bartley. He personally assures fans that hot dogs will be juicy, popcorn will be freshly popped, and the bread will be fresh daily.
After a quick tour of what will be the cook line, butchery, and walk-in freezer area we were led to the beer fridge. There will be over a kilometre and a half of new beer lines in Rogers Arena, the old ones — that are 19 years old — are being replaced. “The fans will never see these lines but they’re going to taste them,” Chef Bartley assured us. The new Fresh Tap system will save 260 tons of bottles each year.
Old beer taps that have been replaced.
Expanded Concourse and Quick Service
Heading back up to concourse level we toured through the new tower next door, which is growing to 26 storeys next to the Georgia Viaduct. There are five levels of the tower that fit in seamlessly with the Rogers Arena concourse so fans will have even more room to move around — and this includes even more bars, quick service stations, and 30% more washroom facilities all within 11,000 new square feet.
On level 100 there will be a brand new bar just off the concourse in the new tower. This will feature tap wine with a minimum of 12 different wines available at each game, and the new menu options like a Carve and Catch with hand-carved sandwiches, Smoke’s Poutine and lobster rolls. Jeff said that the goal is to prepare as much as they can right in front of the fans. New food, great food, and quick food are paramount for the fan experience.
You’ll still be able to find pizza and family-favourite Triple O’s at Rogers Arena but the other quick service menus have changed drastically, with 180 new offerings. Chef Bartley has developed a vegetable-packed Flora Dog for vegetarians, chopped salads, high end grilled cheese concepts, an Asian noodle box, mac and cheese, poutine and fries with veggie options.
The new expanded hot dog stations are named Steamer’s, after Canucks great Stan Smyl, The Steamer, and appropriately there will be 12 different hot dog menu options. On the tour today we were served five options:
Croque Monsieur: (I missed the ingredients on this one but one can assume there is ham and cheese on there).
I didn’t try a hot dog but I did have a carved roast beef sandwich and a salmon roll. Both were served with house-made chips and the salmon roll came with sweet pickles. The meat was fresh, flavourful, and what I enjoyed the most was the variety in the bread. On the carved sandwich it was a soft brioche-type bun and the salmon was on a lightly toasted roll, crisp on the outside and soft on the inside.
Dessert was also circulating at the event and it will be available at concourse level on game days. Lemon blueberry cheesecake, butter tarts, salted caramel meringue, and peanut butter pie, oh my!
Steamer’s hot dog stations will be on level 100 and 300 next to new bar areas that will serve up Budweiser, Bud Light, Alexander Keith’s, Shock Top, and a refreshing cocktail menu crafted by Jay Jones.
To put this into perspective, Vancouverites trust Trevor Linden with all their hearts when it comes to hockey and in the same vein, Jay Jones is the man you want to see behind a bar when you pull up your chair. I know this because ever since I met him at a mixology competition in 2010 (where I was a judge) he’s been influential, innovative, and incredibly supportive of the Vancouver cocktail scene.
It was happy news to any cocktail lover’s ears in July when Jones signed on as Director of Wine and Beverage. Margaritas, Manhattans, Negronis, Sidecars, all will be available to fans on the concourse level. Jones’ goal is to elevate the quality and selection of the bars at Rogers Arena while still making them approachable at reasonable price points.
It will be exciting to see how the fan experience changes on the concourse at Rogers Arena, as much as it will be to see new promising faces hit the ice when the new season starts. Follow the Vancouver Canucks on Twitter for all pertinent information about the NHL season and Rogers Arena updates.
The 2014 Terry Fox Run is just around the corner and while some kids may participate each year with their school (School Run Day is September 24th), this year families might need to take it upon themselves to sign up on their own. The general run takes places in hundreds of communities across Canada on Sunday, September 14th in memory of Terry Fox, and keeping with tradition there is no entry fee and no donation minimum to be met.
Terry Fox Run Locations in Metro Vancouver
Location: Abbotsford
Details: The run starts at Tradex (north end) Building A at 9:00am.
Location: Agassiz-Harrison
Details: Starting at Cheam Retirement Village (1525 McKay Crescent). Registration is at 9:00am with 2km, 5km, and 10km options. Bikes, wheelchairs, strollers welcome along with dogs on leash.
Location: Aldergrove
Details: STarting at Aldergrove Kinsman Community Centre. Registration is at 9:00am.
Location: Bowen Island
Details: Starting at Collins Hall. Registration at 11:00am. 4km and 8km routes. Suitable for bikes. Not suitable for wheelchairs or rollerblades. Dogs on leash are welcome.
Location: Burnaby
Details: At Swangard Stadium. Registration at 9:00am followed by opening ceremonies and run start. 2km, 5km, and 10km options. Suitable for bikes, wheelchairs, strollers but not rollerblades. Dogs on leash are welcome in Central Park but not in Swangard.
Location: Chilliwack
Details: Starting at the Landing Sports Complex on Spadina. Registration at 8:30am. 2km, 5km, and 10km options. Suitable for bikes, wheelchairs, and strollers. Not suitable for rollerblades. Dogs on leash welcome.
Location: Coquitlam
Details: At Blue Mountain Park. Registration at 9:15am with 2km, 6km, and 10km options. Suitable for bikes, wheelchairs, strollers, and rollerblades. Dogs on leash welcome.
Location: Langley City
Details: At the Douglas Park Band Shell. Registration at 8:30am with 1km, 5km and 10km options. Suitable for bikes, wheelchairs, strollers, and rollerblades. Dogs on leash welcome.
Location: Langley Walnut Grove
Details: At the Walnut Grove Community Centre (front parking lot) 8889 Walnut Grove Drive. Registration at 8:30am with 5km and 10km options. Suitable for bikes, wheelchairs, strollers. Not suitable for rollerblades. Dogs on leash welcome.
Location: Maple Ridge/Pitt Meadows
Details: At Hammond Community Centre, Soccer field at 20601 Westfield Ave in Maple Ridge. Registration at 8:30am with 1km, 5km, and 10km options. Suitable for bikes, wheelchairs, strollers, and rollerblades. Dogs on leash welcome.
Location: Mission
Details: At Fraser River Heritage Park, 7494 Mary St. Registration at 8:00am with 5km and 10km options. Suitable for bikes, wheelchairs, strollers, and rollerblades. Dogs on leash welcome.
Location: New Westminster
Details: At New Westminster Quay/Pier Park. Registration at 9:00am by the food court. Run options are 1km, 2.5km, 5km, 7.5km, and 10km. Suitable for bikes, wheelchairs, strollers, and rollerblades. Dogs on leash welcome.
Location: North Vancouver
Details: At Inter River Park (Premier Street) Lacrosse Box. Registration at 9:00am with 1km, 2km, 5km, and 10km options. Suitable for bikes. Not suitable for wheelchairs, strollers or rollerblades. Dogs on leash welcome.
Location: Port Coquitlam
Details: At Hyde Creek Community Centre, 1379 Laurier. Registration at 8:00am with 2.5km, 6km, and 10km options. Suitable for bikes, wheelchairs, strollers, and rollerblades. Dogs on leash welcome.
Location: Richmond
Details: At Garry Point Park, Steveston. Registration at 9:00am with 1km, 5km, and 10km options. Bikes are accessible on the West Dyke for all routes; Wheelchairs may not be accessible due to a rough surface on the West Dyke and pathways around the park; Rollerblades are not accessible. Dogs on leash welcome.
“I’m not special. This just intensifies what I did. It gives it more meaning. It’ll inspire more people. I just wish people would realize that anything’s possible if you try; dreams are made possible if you try.” ~ Terry Fox
Location: SFU
Details: SFU Burnaby, SFU Surrey, and SFU Vancouver will have their runs on September 24th.
Location: Surrey Cloverdale
Details: At the Cloverdale Legion (17567 57th Ave). Registration at 9:00am with 1km, 5km, and 10km options. Suitable for bikes, wheelchairs, strollers, and rollerblades. Dogs on leash welcome.
Location: Surrey Newton
Details: Bear Creek Park, next to the Pavilion (accessed from parking lot off 88th Avenue). Registration at 8:00am with 1km, 5km, 10km options. Suitable for bikes, strollers and wheelchairs. Not suitable for rollerblades. Dogs on leash welcome.
Location: Surrey Fraser Heights
Details: At Fraser Heights Recreation Centre (10588 160th St). Registration at 9:00am with 2km, 5km, and 10km options. Suitable for bikes, wheelchairs, strollers, and rollerblades. Dogs on leash welcome.
Location: South Surrey
Details: At the Rotary Field House, South Surrey Athletic Park, 148th St & 20th Ave. Registration at 8:00am with 1.5km, 6km, and 10km options. Suitable for bikes, wheelchairs, strollers, and rollerblades.
Location: Vancouver Stanley Park
Details: At Ceperley Park near Second Beach within Stanley Park. Registration at 8:00am with 3km and 10km options, and a kids run. Suitable for bikes, wheelchairs, strollers, and rollerblades. Dogs on leash welcome.
Location: West Vancouver
Details: At Ambleside Park, at the west end (13th St). Registration at 8:00am with 5km and 10km options. Suitable for bikes, wheelchairs, and strollers. Not suitable for rollerblades. No dogs allowed.
Follow the Terry Fox Foundation on Twitter and Facebook. If you would like to learn more about Terry Fox, the BC Sports Hall of Fame and Museum at BC Place is an excellent resource. There is an entire gallery dedicated to Terry, featuring artifacts, news clippings, and inspirational quotes.
Campbell Valley Park in South Langley is a wonderful place to explore marshlands, pastures, forest trails, and view wildlife. Situated in the heart of local wine country, it’s also the perfect location for the Campbell Valley Wine Run.
Organized by Peninsula Runners of White Rock, this 15km run will course through Campbell Valley’s diverse landscape providing a scenic route for participants along with stops at 4 host wineries nearby.
What: Sunday, September 21, 2014 at 9:00am Where: Start/Finish at High Point Equestrian Center (658-200 St Langley) Registration: Register online or in person at a Peninsula Runners location.
This is a fun run, which won’t be officially timed, and prizes will be awarded for Best Costume. It’s all about having a good time on the run, wine tasting, and socializing. A course map can be found online here. There is also a 2 person relay option or a 5km walk/jog route available.
Participating wineries include Domain De Chaberton (the oldest and largest winery in the Fraser Valley), Township 7, Neck of the Woods, and Vista D’oro. — three of which I toured in a single day a few years ago.
Participants can reserve/pre-order a gourmet burger that will be served up by Well Seasoned after the event and High Point will host a market in the afternoon as well. Follow the Campbell Valley Wine Run on Facebook for more information.
The 104th annual Fair at the PNE closed out the season with an 8% increase in visitors this year and now Playland will welcome even more guests with extended days this month. Playland’s decision comes after an overwhelming response from parents who are looking for ways to keep kids entertained while the BC Teachers’ Strike continues.
10:00am – 5:00pm Friday, September 5 to Sunday, September 7, 2014
10:00am – 5:00pm Friday, September 12 to Sunday, September 14, 2014
10:00am – 5:00pm Friday, September 19 to Sunday, September 21, 2014
Win Passes
To keep the Playland fun going, I have a pair of ride passes to give away that can be used during any of these extended days in September. Here’s how you can enter to win:
The Fair at the PNE had 54 rides in operation, name your favourite in the comments (1 entry)
Post the following on Twitter (1 entry)
RT to enter to win #Playland passes from @PNE_Playland @Miss604 http://ow.ly/B2VWB
I will draw one winner from all entries at 12:00pm on Tuesday, September 9, 2014 who will receive a pair of Playland 1-day PlayPasses valid during operational days in September 2014. Follow Playland on Twitter and Facebook to learn more about their September hours and upcoming attractions this fall.
Every month I put together a list of events to look forward to around the city with festivals, markets, fundraisers, pub nights, and everything in between. While I look ahead I also like to take a look back and share what happened each month around Vancouver. Thanks to Chuck Davis’ legacy, The History of Metropolitan Vancouver, I have put together a list of things that happened in Vancouver throughout history, in the month of September:
September 2, 1927 On this day in history (September 2nd, 1927) Jonathan Rogers sold his namesake “Rogers Building” at the corner of Pender and Granville for $1 million to General F. A. ‘One Arm’ Sutton. At the time, it was the biggest real estate transaction in the city’s history.
1913 Rogers Building on Granville. Richard Broadbridge photo. Archives # CVA 220-04
September 3, 1929 Winston Churchill, Britain’s former Chancellor of the Exchequer visited Vancouver today and gave a talk at the Vancouver Theatre on Granville Street. He became extraordinarily famous a decade later, when the Second World War began.
September 4, 1918 Vancouver’s first plane crash happened at the home of Dr. J.C Farish on the corner of Bute and Alberni. Chuck Davis writes:
“Piloting the little plane was Lt. Victor Bishop of the RAF, a seasoned pilot who had seen (and would see more) action in the First World War. Bishop’s plane dropped like a stone and fell on the roof of a house owned by Dr. J. C. Farish at the corner of Bute and Alberni Streets. Bishop was not seriously injured. In fact, he stepped out of the plane into the upstairs hallway of the house and, with the assistance of one of the residents, walked down the stairs to the front door and outside through a gathered crowd to a waiting ambulance.”
September 5, 1940 The provincial government’s wartime order-in-council required all school children in BC to salute the flag and sing God Save the King at least once a week.
September 7, 1968 Jimi Hendrix played the Pacific Coliseum in Vancouver today. During the show he acknowledged his grandmother, who lived here and was also in the audience. The Jimi Hendrix Shrine in East Vancouver today is located near his grandmother’s old restaurant, Vie’s Chicken and Steak House.
September 8, 1979 The Vancouver Whitecaps won the North American Soccer League championship in New York against the Tampa Bay Rowdies.
September 11, 1898 The New Westminster Fire was finally out after two days of destruction that destroyed almost the entire downtown leaving hundreds homeless. The Burr Block was one of few buildings that remained, and is still around today.
1898: Remains of the Bank of BC after the New Westminster fire. Archives# Out N574.
September 14, 1928 Percy Williams returned to Vancouver today after winning two gold medals in track and field at the Amsterdam Olympics.
September 15, 1911 North America’s biggest bank-vault robbery to date happened in New Westminster. Varying reports of five or three men, bound and gagged a janitor at the Bank of Montreal and got away with more than a quarter of a million dollars (which would be about $6.5m today).
September 16, 1884 CPR President William Van Horne recommended today that the town at the western end of the railway’s line be renamed Vancouver. It had been called Granville until that time.
September 17, 1995 General Motors Place opened today as a new home for the Vancouver Canucks. Today it’s known as Rogers Arena.
September 22, 1887 Under the chairmanship of Alderman R. Clark, the Vancouver Board of Trade was formed on this day.
September 25, 1911 Park Drive in Vancouver was renamed Commercial Drive.
September 26, 1971 The Stanley Park Seawall was officially opened today. Jimmy Cunningham began building the Seawall in 1917 and over several decades it grew, bit by bit.
September 29, 1950 The Sunset Community Centre opened today and received a very special call from none other than Bing Crosby to mark the occasion. Crosby was fond of BC and a year later he managed to visit the community centre in person.
We left one construction zone for another as we made our way to ground level and met Executive Chef Robert Bartley who was very excited to tell us about what will be produced in his kitchen this year. Rogers Arena will soon have its own butchery program, pastry shop, and locally-sourced, caught, and picked ingredients. 
