The Lower Mainland received a healthy dose of snowman-worthy snow over the last few days and although much didn’t stick downtown, I found evidence in the Vancouver Archives that such wasn’t always the case. Downtown Vancouver has definitely seen its share of snow days over the last century:
Vancouver Snow Photos
1937: Courthouse (now Vancouver Art Gallery) lion in the snow. Photographer: James Crookall. Archives# CVA 260-787.
1916: Courthouse (now Vancouver Art Gallery) covered in snow. Archives# CVA 371-1119.
1914-1916 Seymour and Richards Str P94 & Snow in alley. Archives# CVA 789-85.
Georgia and Burrard in the snow. Photographer: James Crookall. Archives# CVA 260-786.
1937: Hastings Street in the snow. Photographer: James Crookall. Archives# CVA 260-788.
1936: Granville at Pender. Archives# CVA 677-276.1 & 555 Howe Street. Archives# CVA 1376-407.
1930s: Stanley Park Pavilion in the snow. Photographer: Walter E. Frost. Archives# CVA 447-242.
1916 Hastings Street. Archives# CVA 789-77 & CVA 789-75.
1918: CN Railway station. Archives# Bu N540.085
The Vancouver Orphan Kitten Rescue Association (“VOKRA”) is hosting their 3rd annual Oscar Party at the Morrissey on Sunday. VOKRA is a non-profit organization dedicated to rescuing cats around the Lower Mainland and placing them in foster homes, covering costs and providing support. Their Oscar parties combine a red carpet experience with an evening of entertainment all in support of a great cause.
VOKRA Oscar Party at the Morrissey
Location The Morrissey (1227 Granville St)
Date Sunday, March 2, 2014
Time Doors at 3:30pm, red carpet 4:00pm, broadcast 5:00pm. Complimentary Oscar-themed appetizers, a live auction, “Best Dressed Award” & more with host Morgan Brayton.
Tickets $25 online in advance or at the door, benefitting VOKRA. Reservations can be made for groups by calling (778) 686-0102.
As a cat person in this dog-loving town, I have to recommend following VOKRA on Twitter and Facebook for information, current campaigns, and heart-warming stories.
Royal City Musical Theatre presents the Tony Award-Winning and family favourite Annie at the Massey Theatre from April 10th to April 26th.
Celebrating their 25th season, this Royal City Musical Theatre production of Annie is directed and choreographed by Valerie Easton with musical direction by James Bryson.
This broadway musical is based upon the popular Harold Gray comic strip Little Orphan Annie and the book by Thomas Meehan. The original Broadway production opened in 1977 and ran for nearly six years, setting a record for the Alvin Theatre (now the Neil Simon Theatre). It spawned numerous productions in many countries, as well as national tours, and won the Tony Award for Best Musical. The musical’s songs “Tomorrow” and “Hard-Knock Life” are among its most popular musical numbers.
Tickets are available online today or by calling (604) 521-5050. You can also become a Royal City Musical Theatre member for $10 and receive discounts on all tickets, access tickets earlier, and attend musical theatre skills workshops.
Win Tickets to Annie in New Westminster
Julie MacLean, who plays Annie, also opened the Variety Show of Hearts Telethon on January 25th and to promote this fun family production, Variety BC has offered up a prize package that includes: 2 tickets to Annie and 2 limited edition Helping Hearts chocolate bars from Purdys Chocolates.
In early February, $2 of each sale of the family size Dark Chocolate Salted Butter Toffee Bar went to Variety and they sold out this year, raising an incredible $15,014.
Variety – The Children’s Charity has a long and rich history of helping families, communities and organizations throughout the province of British Columbia. The ways in which we make a difference, with the vital support of donors and volunteers, are vast in number yet heartfelt on every occasion. Learn more about our work and how you can join us to make a difference.
Here’s how you can enter to win the prize package thanks to Variety BC:
- 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 12:00pm on Friday, March 14, 2014. Follow the Variety BC Blog, and Variety on Facebook and Twitter to learn more about their latest campaigns and promotions like The Gold Heart Fundraising Program. Not only do these hearts raise money for children all over BC but they also make wonderful gifts for friends and family.
Update The winner is Christel!
Back in November I spent a few days out near Harrison enjoying the sights and scenes of the Fraser Valley Bald Eagle Festival. It’s one thing to be standing in tall grass along the side of a turquoise river, surrounded by mountains, and turn to see thousands of eagles in the trees behind you, and it’s another to spot them in downtown Vancouver.
Bald Eagles in Vancouver
According to the Stanley Park Ecology Society: “In the 1960s only two pairs of bald eagles were nesting in the City of Vancouver – one pair in Stanley Park and one near UBC. Today, the Stanley Park Ecology Society monitors 18 bald eagle nests throughout Vancouver and has been doing so since 2005.” Bald eagles return to their old nest sites between December and February to re-establish their territories, which is why I have been seeing more photos of these majestic birds popping up online recently.
The next phase of the eagle nesting calendar happens between March and April when they lay their eggs. Hatching then starts between April and May. This process is fun to watch via one of the bald eagle webcams setup in White Rock, Sidney, on Hornaby Island and a few other South Coast locations.
The Fraser Valley and up the Sea to Sky around Squamish and Brackendale are your best bets for local bald eagle viewing but you won’t be too hard pressed to spot them around the Stanley Park forest and waterfront in downtown Vancouver during peak seasons. You can also help conserve the natural habitat of bald eagles in Vancouver by adopting a nest via the Stanley Park Ecology Society.
The Tim Horton’s NHL Heritage Classic is set to be played at BC Place on Sunday, March 2, 2014 as the Vancouver Canucks, in vintage uniforms, take on the Ottawa Senators.
One-of-a-kind games like this should be enjoyed by all so the NHL and Canucks for Kids Fund have partnered with me to award tickets to a local youth hockey player.
Youth Hockey Ticket Giveaway
To enter to win, enter the contest on behalf of a deserving youth hockey player (as their parent/guardian) fill out the form below. The lucky winner will receive a pair of tickets to this classic stadium match-up.
[contact-form 2 “Heritage Classic”]
By entering this contest on behalf of a youth hockey player you give consent to the sharing of entrants’ information (content/stories) by the National Hockey League and its teams, and give consent as a parent/guardian of any minors featured in the content.
Tickets to Sunday’s Tim Horton’s NHL Heritage Classic are still available online now. I will draw one winner at random from all valid entries at 9:00am on Wednesday, February 26, 2014 and once approved, the lucky winner will be notified by email.
The Canucks for Kids Fund dedicates resources to assist charities which support children’s health and wellness, foster the development of grassroots hockey, and facilitate and encourage education in British Columbia.
Update The winning entry was submitted by Belinda!
