#WhatsTheLink is a series about all that TransLink, Metro Vancouver’s transportation authority, is responsible for in the region. Join the conversation on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. These guest posts are written by Robert Willis.
#WhatsTheLink: Three out of 418,000 riders – Surrey Central Station
Jump on the SkyTrain during rush hour or watch the successive buses full of riders arrive at the 2014 Fair at the PNE this summer, and it’s plain to see that transit is well used in Metro Vancouver. But just how many people use transit in the region?
In numbers, 418,000 people take TransLink transit every day. That’s a lot of people!
So just who are those 418,000 riders? Well, as you can imagine, they’re all different, and they use transit as well as the roads, bridges, and cycling options TransLink provides differently. So, I headed down to Surrey Central Station—a major transit hub in our system—to meet and get a few snapshots of transit riders in the region.
Photo by Robert Willis
Nick Renowitzky
Nick was travelling by transit from Coquitlam to Surrey Central on a sunny Monday morning. The commute took him about an hour. His current schedule has him using transit at least three days a week, but when school was in session, he was on transit at least five days a week for an hour and a half commute to Langley. As Nick puts it,
“It’s pretty good. It gets me to where I want to go. The bus isn’t a car, but it’s a tradeoff. I don’t have to pay for insurance or the car itself.”
When I asked him what he does on transit, Nick replied that he reads, uses his phone or sleeps, adding, “For whatever reason, I can nap on the bus and wake up at my stop.”
Photo by Robert Willis
Albe Zhu
Albe doesn’t use transit as often as Nick does. Four or five times a month she says she uses the bus and SkyTrain to go downtown on the weekends. For Albe, she uses transit for these trips for convenience, stating, “… it’s easier to use public transit because it’s hard to find parking downtown.” Albe told me she likes to use her phone on transit.
Today, Albe was using the bus to go to work from New Westminster because her car was in the shop.
Photo by Robert Willis
Alisha Horvath
I met Alisha and her adorable five-month-old son while she was waiting for a bus. Alisha is what you would call a heavy transit user. “I take transit more than once every day. I take my step-daughter to school. I take it to the mall. I go everywhere on the bus,” Alisha tells me. Travelling on bus and SkyTrain primarily in Surrey, Alisha says she’s comfortable taking the bus and enjoys reading and checking Facebook on transit.
Are you one of the 418,000 people using transit today? If so, why do you use transit over other modes of transportation? Are your reasons different from those of the transit users above?
I’ve covered everything from aerials and timelapses to ‘before and after‘ comparisons but recently I found a handful of sweeping cityscape photos in the City of Vancouver Archives that are definitely worth sharing as well.
Vancouver Cityscape Photos
1969: View of Downtown Vancouver. Archives# CVA 780-6.
1975: Looking east on Water and Cordova in Gastown. Archives# CVA 780-772.
1975: Kitsilano, looking west. Archives# CVA 780-176.
1969: Northwest view of Mount Pleasant and Downtown. Archives# CVA 780-220.
1969: North facing view of the West End. Archives# CVA 780-383.
Did you know that the World’s Best Food Truck Tour is right here in Vancouver? It’s also one of the top 4 activities in Vancouver on Trip Advisor out of every possible attraction — that’s pretty impressive! Vancouver Foodie Tours invited me on this signature tour to experience the best street eats that the city has to offer:
World’s Best Food Truck Tour in Vancouver
Our guide, Manuela Sosa, was cheerful, upbeat, charming, and knowledgeable about all things in the downtown core. Peppering her narration of the tour with cultural, historical, and Greenest City 2020 factoids, she added an extra layer of value to the lunchtime experience.
Stop 1: Japadog
Offering: Kurobuta Terimayo
Location: Burrard and Smithe
Before Japadog arrived on the scene in 2005, Vancouver’s street food scene was comprised of simple hot dogs, chestnuts, popcorn and ice cream. City Councillor Heather Deal brought a motion to council to ““Increase Healthy Food Options in Vancouver” in March of 2005 as well, getting the ball rolling for the expanded food truck program. By 2008 it was approved and spots opened up for 17 more food carts in the city — over 800 applications were submitted. In 2010 the program launched and the rest is history. Vancouver now has 130 food trucks on the streets today.
It’s rare that a city tour can teach me something I don’t already know (having done research for the last 10 years) but Vancouver Foodie Tours managed to share some unique nuggets of information, in particular about Arthur Erickson and his visions, when we passed through Robson Square.
Stop 2: Mom’s Grilled Cheese
Offering: Sourdough Cheddar and Mint Ginger Lemonade
Location: Howe St between Robson and Georgia
Mom’s Grilled Cheese is definitely a favourite. Sweet and savoury combinations, a wide selection, and the mint ginger lemonade really hit the spot. We also met “Mom”, Cindy Hamilton, and learned more about her background.
Stop 3: EAT Chicken Wraps
Offering: Hoisin Chicken Wrap
Location: Robson and Howe
I’ve never stopped at EAT Chicken Wraps before but it’s now on my list to return for lunch. Sample sizes served in small paper cups were packed with crunchy, spicy, and chewy bites.
Stop 4: Guanaco
Offering: Pupusa and Horchata
Location: Burrard at Pender
The next stop was a taste of El Salvador. Take a corn tortilla, fill it with goodness, and I’m sold. These warm pupusas were packed with cheese and beans, served up with slaw and (my favourite) yuca frita. The horchata was cool and creamy, with a splash of cinnamon. Another great combination.
Stop 5: Tacofino
Offering: Fish Tacos and Diablo Cookie
Location: Howe at Robson / Burrard at Dunsmuir
You absolutely cannot go wrong with a fish taco from Tacofino. It’s crunchy, fresh, tangy, and a very healthy serving for your lunch break. Sit in the sunshine, squeeze a lime over the crispy ling cod, let the chipotle mayo drip down as you take another bite with cabbage and salsa fresca dripping from your chin. End on a high note with a devilishly sweet treat, the Diablo Cookie, spiked with ginger and cayanne pepper.
I particularly appreciated the added value this tour offered, providing information about each food truck and its history, explaining the process for the dishes, sharing recipes and coupons, and letting their participants know more about how food trucks came to be in Vancouver. Given the young history of food trucks in this city, this tour and its variety and quality of stops really say something positive about what the Vancouver food scene has to offer.
The World’s Best Food Truck Tour is 2 hours long and runs April 1st to November 30th. Monday to Friday between 11:00am and 1:00pm. Additional Saturday tours between May 17th – September 6th, 12:00pm to 2:00pm. The cost is $49 and it includes all food tastings. You’ll cover about 1.6km, walking for a total of about 25 minutes. Tours run rain or shine and you’ll meet at Burrard and Smithe, near the original Japadog food cart.
Allegiant Air is a growing airline and the choice of many BC travellers when heading to destinations within the United States.
The airline’s popularity in Bellingham led to an expansion of their presence at the local airport and was responsible for over 50% of the airport’s passenger traffic in 2012.
The Bellingham Airport, just 1 hour from downtown Vancouver (not including border times), recently completed a $17-million, 60,000-square-foot addition to the main terminal, ticketing and baggage claim area and a 20,000-square-foot renovation of the passenger gates was completed last year [source].
John and I recently flew out of Bellingham when I won a trip with Allegiant Airlines. We parked our vehicle on-site, just a 2 minute walk from the front doors of the airport, and it only cost $30 for four days, which you might pay in one day for parking in Vancouver. From there we soared across the Pacific Northwest, over the desert, and landed in fabulous Las Vegas.
Allegiant Air #G4Summer
Allegiant is celebrating 15 years of low-cost air service to sunny vacation destinations by popping up in towns across the U.S. with free ice cream, $15.00 off coupons towards future Allegiant vacations, and a chance to win free Allegiant flights.
The carrier is sweetening the pot, hiding a “Golden Ticket” in free ice cream scoops across the U.S. Allegiant will host impromptu celebrations of summer and sunshine in cities throughout its network between May 5 and May 15, 2014. In each city one lucky winner will find a Golden Ticket in their summer treat that will get them aboard a vacation for two to the Allegiant destination of their choice. Travelers looking to hunt down a free summer vacation will have to follow the hashtag #G4Summer on the carrier’s social media sites for hints to where the Allegiant team will be handing out sweet treats and great deals.
The Company, known for its exceptional travel deals on sunny vacations, will also be giving away mystery prizes to 15 lucky Facebook Fans every day beginning May 5 through May 30, 2014. Visit Allegiant’s Facebook page to share your best summer travel tip and enter to win one of hundreds of prizes, from an Allegiant beach towel to free flights.
About Allegiant
Starting with just one plane flying from Fresno, Calif. to Las Vegas, NV on Feb. 28, 1999, Allegiant has grown to a fleet of 68 planes, flying over 7 million passengers last year. Allegiant now serves over 90 cities nationwide.
Over the years, Allegiant has carried over 40 million passengers, and the Company continues to grow, offering more nonstop service in more communities. In 2013, Allegiant announced service in 15 new cities and added 39 new routes to its network at a time when many airlines are consolidating and cutting service. The company recently announced its 44th consecutive quarter of profitable operation while keeping its average one-way fare under $100.
Enter to Win an Allegiant Air Getaway
To celebrate Allegiant’s 15th anniversary, and to share some of the good fortune I had when winning the Allegiant blogger trip to Las Vegas, the carrier would like to offer up two roundtrip vouchers to one lucky Miss604 reader. The vouchers will be valid for travel between Bellingham Airport and an Allegiant Air destination city offered from there.
How about Bellingham to Honolulu? Las Vegas? Los Angeles? Maui? Palm Springs? Phoenix? San Diego? Or San Francisco?
Here’s how you can enter to win:
- Leave a comment here naming your top dream Allegiant destination (1 entry)
- Post a travel photo on Instagram tagging @Miss604 @AllegiantTravel #G4Summer (1 entry)
- Post the following on Twitter (1 entry)
I will draw one lucky winner from all entries on Thursday, May 29, 2014. Follow Allegiant Air on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram for more information about their services and destinations.
Airfare is valid for travel on Allegiant and only between cities indicated (in this case, starting from Bellingham Airport). Airfare is based on availability. Seats are limited and may not be available on all flights. Prize is non-transferable. No substitution or transfer of prize or cash redemption is permitted. However Allegiant may, at its option, substitute another prize of equal or greater value, or the cash value of the above prize, if the stated prize is unavailable. Any prize not redeemed in full within one year of date of issue will be forfeited. [expand title=”Click to view full contest rules and regulations”] Additional Options: Confirmation is for air travel only and does not include insurance and additional baggage fees. If winner chooses to prepay additional luggage or would like to purchase pre-assigned seats, they must call the reservations line at 702-505-8888 once they receive their itinerary. All expenses and incidentals not mentioned above, as well as required travel documents are the responsibility of the winner and winner’s travel guest. Transportation is not included.
Changes/Cancellation: No changes or substitutions will be permitted. Changing the date of travel is not permitted. Changing the originating city and destination of the agreement is not permitted. Allegiant reserves the right to cancel, alter routes/ times and suspend air service without notice. Management reserves all rights. No cash value.
Use of Likeness: By accepting prize, winner consents to use of their name, photograph and/or likeness for advertising/publicity purposes without additional compensation, except where prohibited by law.
Eligibility: Open to legal residents of the continental U.S., Canada or Mexico, 21 years of age or older. Employees (and their immediate families) of Allegiant Air, their subsidiaries, vendors, media partners and advertising agencies are not eligible. Void where prohibited. Federal, state, and local laws and regulations apply.[/expand]
Update The winner is Emily!
What were those random Coal Harbour fireworks? It’s a question many take to social media to ask and they often get the same answer from the Vancouver Convention Centre, and me if they haven’t yet posted anything.
The random fireworks — random meaning they were not advertised and they’re not part of the Honda Celebration of Light — are usually attached to a convention, conference, or major private event at the convention centre. However, The Province reports that there are other ways to get a private, unpublicized fireworks show to happen:
…”If you happen to have the cash, say $25,000 to $50,000, BC Event Management can set up a pretty impressive fireworks display just for you — and whoever else happens to be in the neighbourhood, specifically Coal Harbour. The Vancouver-based company specializes in big events like opening ceremonies, gala banquets and openings — but it also serves as the agent for GFA Pyro, which was formerly Fiatlux.”
These fireworks surprise locals, can be heard quiet clearly across the city, and playfully disrupt late nights with bursts of colour and curiosity. So the next time you see the reflections on glass buildings and hear the distinctive, repetitive booms, know that it’s a mining conference, union convention, or simply someone’s (big) birthday bash.
