This morning the very last white panel from the exterior of Pacific Centre was removed. The infamous white facade that wrapped around the building’s Howe, Robson, and Granville walls made it one of the most disliked structures in downtown Vancouver for decades. Once occupied by Eaton’s and then Sears, the exterior and interior renovations are a part of a multi-year re-development plan for the shopping centre.
Photo courtesy of Cadillac Fairview.
The last stone panel on the side of downtown Vancouver’s Sears building was removed today, bringing to an end the building’s reign as “Vancouver’s unending urinal wall.” [Global News: What Do You Think Is The Ugliest Building In Vancouver?]
Pacific Centre Construction Update
With the white walls down, the Ledcor Group is moving to the next phase of the project, rebuilding and refitting the structure. The new exterior will feature a combination of glass, stone, and a curtain wall system. What will happen to all of those old wall panels? All 473 of them will be repurposed out at the Langley Regional Airport to create 6,000 square meters of new roadway.
The white-walled Sears building at Pacific Centre. Photo:
Tom Wiebe on Flickr.
To date 91% of the waste materials have been diverted from landfills to recycling or remanufacturing companies as a part of the project’s LEED Gold Certification process.
4 floors of new office space are expected to open in early 2015 with new retail spaces opening in mid 2015, and Nordstrom’s Canadian flagship store (taking up 4 floors) will open its doors toward the end of that year. You can read up on the whole project and check out renderings on the 725 Granville website.
Vancouver’s Megaphone magazine has become the first street paper in the world to create and release a mobile phone application to make it easier to find and support a vendor.
Published by the non-profit Street Corner Media Foundation, Megaphone helps homeless and low-income individuals earn their own income, allowing them to purchase and re-sell the magazine.
Roughly 40 homeless and low-income Vancouverites sell Megaphone, which is published every two weeks. They buy each issue for 75 cents and sell it for $2—keeping the profits.
I had the honour of writing an article for Megaphone, back in 2009, and I love supporting the work that they do to enable the community.
Designed by Denim & Steel, the new Megaphone app will make it easier for locals to find a vendor near them, with a regular schedule and location, so they can purchase the magazine. Simply click on the map of Vancouver in the app to pinpoint your ideal location and a vendor listing will appear with the vendor’s name, photo, and scheduled time.
Follow Megaphone on Twitter and Facebook to learn more about the app launch and the publication, and be sure to check out the free app.
There is a brand new CAMRA (Campaign for Real Ale) chapter sprouting up in Surrey that will incorporate Langley, Delta, Tsawwassen, White Rock, Landner and Richmond as well.
“Drinking craft beer means you know what you’re putting into your body and it also tastes a lot better. Through CAMRA South Fraser I hope to educate people about the importance of drinking good beer.”
“Surrey has had a strong craft beer culture for years and is the home of award winning breweries like Russell and Central City so it makes sense to have a chapter of CAMRA focused on this growing community in addition to the cities surrounding Surrey,” says Scott Graham, one of the co-founders of the chapter.
“Richmond, especially Steveston, is one of the strongest craft beer markets in the GVRD but with Vancouver’s increased membership we thought it would be great if we could devote more time to them given the high concentration of craft beer fanatics in that city.” Graham has also previously hosted the Surrey Beer Club, which supported the Surrey Memorial Hospital Foundation.
The CAMRA BC South Fraser Branch will celebrate with its first event on Saturday, September 21, 2013 from 3:00pm at Big Ridge.
There will be casks from Big Ridge Brewing Company, Dead Frog Brewing, Four Winds Brewing, Red Truck Brewing Company, Russell Brewing Company, The Brewhouse at Whistler and Yaletown Brewing Company.
Aside from great beer, festivities will include an inaugural toast, a ‘meet the team’ session and raffle prizes from supporters benefitting Variety BC Children’s Charity.
Starting at 2:00pm on September 21st, Big Ridge Brewing will operate a shuttle from King George Skytrain Station for attendees in support of their ongoing commitment to the safety of their patrons and the public. Those who wish to take advantage of this service should call (778) 938-7433 in advance to book a pickup time from King George SkyTrain.
The Campaign for Real Ale Society of British Columbia is an independent, voluntary, consumer organization. Incorporated in 1985, it is dedicated to the promotion and responsible consumption of natural, craft beers. With branches in Vancouver, Victoria, South Fraser, the Fraser Valley and Powell River, CAMRA BC advocates for consumer rights, promotes education, and supports community.
Though the weather is currently reflecting late July temperatures, autumn is just around the corner and with it comes all the fun and excitement (and fright) of Halloween. This year the Stanley Park Ghost Train‘s theme, running October 11th until November 2nd, is “Monster Movie Mashup“:
Stanley Park Ghost Train
Mortal Coil Performance Society has created another great production for this year’s premium Halloween event in Vancouver. The Monster Movie Mashup is alive with visual and imaginative theatre for audiences young and old. The costumes are amazing, and their is a sense of magic with this year’s classic horror movie theme from 1930 movie scenes.
The Stanley Park Ghost Train will run nightly seven days a week from October 11th until November 2nd, from 6:00pm to 10:00pm. There will also be matinees on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays from 11:00am until 6:00pm. The train will be closed for Thanksgiving Monday, October 14th.
You can purchase your tickets in advance now through Ticketmaster online or by calling 1-855-985-5000 to plan ahead. Tickets will also be sold on-site at the train station ticket window at 3:00pm every day with matinee sales from 11:00am to 3:00pm, day of.
As they say, you know you grew up as a true Vancouverite if your Halloween costumes were made to fit under a garbage bag poncho. But fear not — the rain, at least! We’ll probably have more fantastic weather leading into October but the Stanley Park Ghost Train is covered anyway. Hot and cold drinks are available at the Railway Cafe along with hot buttered popcorn from the Stanley Park Ecology Society’s Cob House in the plaza. It’s the perfect fall activity, rain or shine, for you and the kids.
I have 5 pairs of train tickets to give away so you can check out all of the Monster Movie Mashup magic yourself. Here’s how you can enter to win:
- Leave a comment here naming your favourite monster movie (1 entry)
- Post the following on Twitter (1 entry)
I will draw 5 winners at random from all entries at 12:00pm next Wednesday, September 18, 2013. Follow the Stanley Park Ghost Train on Facebook and Twitter for more information about ticket purchases, activities, and attractions.
Update The winners are Alicia, @leanne_mac, Darwin, Brian P, and Mo!
This Saturday you can join the 12th annual Music Therapy Ride from Richmond to Whistler to raise funds for community-based music therapy services in British Columbia.
This charity motorcycle ride, escorted all the way by the Vancouver Police Department’s Motorcycle Drill Team, will set out from the River Rock Casino after breakfast and head right up to Whistler with celebrity guest rider Dan Mangan. Upon arrival at there will be lunch at the GLC, a live auction and live music from The Washboard Union.
As a result of eleven years of dedication, support and generosity, the Music Therapy Ride has raised over $550,000 for the Canadian Music Therapy Trust Fund. Recipients of funds raised from the Music Therapy Ride have included: Canuck Place, BC Cancer Agency,Vancouver Oral Centre for Deaf Children, Camp Moomba, Brookhaven Extended Care Facility, George Pearson Centre, BC Women’s Hospital, the Society for Disability Arts and Culture and many more.
The proceeds from this year’s ride will support the maintenance and continued use of the mobile recording studios designed specifically for music therapists called Bandwagons. These mobile studios contain recording software, sound processing equipment and a variety of musical instruments. The Music Therapy Ride has funded the creation of 2 Bandwagons thus far. Bandwagon 1 arrived at its permanent residence, the BC Children’s Hospital, in July 2011. Created in 2012, Bandwagon 2 provides music therapy programs in the lower mainland of British Columbia, traveling to various institutions for six-week residencies.
Registration is still open for Saturday’s event. Motorcycles, passengers, and classic cars are welcome although there is limited space for cars. You can sign up for the ride if you’re a single or double rider or a four-wheeled vehicle.
Follow the Music Therapy Ride on Twitter or Facebook for more information. If you can’t make the ride, you can still donate online to the cause.
