There is a statue in Coal Harbour’s Devonian Harbour Park that is often called the “Flower Lady” as it depicts woman sitting down and there are often fresh-cut flowers in her hands or in her hair. Upon close inspection, you’ll see she is actually looking for something in her purse hence the name of the piece: “Search“. This bronze statue by J. Seward Jr. Johnson is this week’s Vancouver Icon photo feature:
It’s uncertain as to why people feel compelled to leave flowers for the statue and there is a sign nearby that asks that you not pick them from the park. However, passersby still seem to enjoy brightening the up the woman who just can’t seem to find what she’s looking for.
The businesses along Burnaby Heights celebrated Hats Off Day on Saturday, June 1st by serving up some of their signature dishes, hosting face painting and activities, and offering special deals to the tens of thousands of participants that took to Hastings for the festivities.
From Boundary Road to Gamma, the street was car-free but filled with families, dogs and their owners, bouncy castles, live music (from bands and Staccato Studio students), and the signature show and shine. Restaurants served up samples indoors and out, with some lines were at least 50 people deep (like at Rocky’s Meats, Cioffis, or Fortuna Bakery).
A few new shops were open this year, with recent developments being completed, and new tenants like Netherworld, Burnaby Height’s own horror shop. There also seemed to be more indoor activations this year (like dance demos from Dance Addicts) — I’m guessing since there was a downpour last year — but the festivities seemed to stretch further along Hastings, with crowds fairly thick from end to end of the ten block stretch.
While Hats Off Day is only once a year, we always find ourselves saying “we have to come back and try this place” – especially if the long lines, delicious aromas, and crowds of happy customers sitting on the sidewalk digging into their samples are any indication. Mark the first Saturday in June in your calendar for next year to check out this free community event and check out Burnaby Heights at any time of year when you have the chance. You can view the rest of John’s photos in his set on Flickr.
Today I’ll be at the BC Children’s Hospital (“BCCHF”) Miracle Weekend broadcast as this annual two-day celebration showcases patients, their families, caregivers and supporters who come from every corner of BC. The Miracle Weekend has been raising funds to support the urgent needs of the BCCHF since 1988 but I thought I would share a little bit more about the hospital’s history:
Timeline of Child Care
1923: The Women’s Institute, a province-wide group of community-minded women, sparked the idea of creating a Crippled Children’s Hospital in Vancouver.
[Vancouver History]
1931: The City of Vancouver granted the Crippled Children’s Hospital Society 3.4 acres of land between 59th and 60th Avenues and Manitoba and Columbia Streets.
[Vancouver History]
Crippled Children’s Hospital (archives #Bu N526.5) & hydrotherapy pool (archives# Bu N526.3).
In 1933, the Crippled Children’s Hospital on West 29th Avenue and Heather opened with 25 beds for children from birth to 14 years of age.
May 13, 1934: Acting Premier A. Wells Gray cut the ribbon on a 25-bed children’s hospital, opened in 1933 at 250 West 59th Avenue. The official opening ceremony had been delayed for months by a scarlet fever outbreak.
[Vancouver History]
The West Wing was finished in 1944 and boasted an additional 20 beds, another operating room, laboratory and dental and social service departments. The East Wing was finished in 1947 and boasted an additional 28 beds, moving the hospital beyond orthopedic care into general medical facility. In the 1940s a nursery and a therapeutic hydro pool were added and in 1947 the name was changed to Children’s Hospital.
The first car used by the Children’s Travelling Clinic was introduced in 1948. This vehicle was used to transport nurses and doctors throughout the province to provide specialist follow-up care and diagnose new patients for referral to the hospital and also to assist local doctors. This is a tradition continuing today in dozens of disciplines at BC Children’s Hospital.
Children’s Hospital began to develop care and treatment plans that kept kids out of hospital or allowed children to heal faster and return home sooner. New clinical and surgical advancements reduced the need for acute care beds in other hospitals, and allowed BC Children’s Hospital to centralize and focus on advanced care. Because of this change in pediatric health care, the province recognized that a new hospital building — with more room for clinical care and research, and to accommodate advancements in technology — was necessary.
The sod was turned at the BCCHF’s current site on Oak and 28th avenue in 1977 and the new hospital opened in 1982.
1985: BC Children’s Hospital. Archives item# CVA 784-277.
An addition included the Children’s Variety Research Centre, which opened in 1985. However, while this new hospital building was a vast improvement from the old, cuts in the construction budget reduced the size and the flexibility of building design needed to continue to adapt to change. Further construction was needed almost as soon as the doors opened. Miracle Weekend began in 1988.
Construction began on the Ambulatory Care building in 2001, and it opened in 2003 providing room for outpatient clinics such as audiology, dentistry, and Spina bifida and cystic fibrosis clinics. The construction of a Mental Health building began in 2005 and it opened in 2006, serving children and adolescents with serious mental health challenges from across the province.
Looking Ahead
Today, the BC Children’s Hospital needs more space. A new state-of-the-art health facility is the 7-floor Acute Care Centre that will include Children’s Inpatient Units, an Emergency Department, Medical Imaging, a Surgical Suite, Hematology/Oncology and Intensive Care. It will also include an Assessment Room, a High-Risk Labour and Delivery Suite, and a Neo-Natal Intensive Care Unit for BC Women’s Hospital. Some of the existing buildings on the Oak Street campus will be renovated to support the move of the Sunny Hill Health Centre for Children to the site, and BC Women’s Hospital programs will be expanded. You can read more on the redevelopment project website.
Supporting Miracle Weekend
You can support my campaign online for the BC Children’s Hospital foundation and tune in to Global BC today until 5:30pm to hear about their work, their stories, and the lives they have touched.
Last year, Miracle Weekend raised over $17 million for the BC Children’s Hospital, setting a new record. In total, these events have raised over $188 million for the hospital since 1988. Donations are used to support the purchase of life-saving equipment, research into the treatment, prevention and cure of childhood diseases, recruitment and educational programs for caregivers, and programs in communities throughout the province.
Follow BCCHF on Facebook and Twitter for updates throughout the day today and anytime to learn more about BCCHF in the community.
Summer will begin on June 21st and the month is already full of events, performances, and festivals that will get you out and about around town. The following events have been submitted by readers over the last few weeks and as usual, this list will be updated several times each week so be sure to check back often!
The SONGFIRE Festival most of the month (until June 26th) and other events that run for longer than three days in a row are highlighted in green below.
Singer-songwriter Barney Bentall is reuniting with The Legendary Hearts (Colin Nairne, Jack Guppy, Michael Crozier, David Reimer) his roots/blues/rock band that has won Juno Awards, gone platinum with their records, and provided the soundtrack for many Canadian dates, dance parties, and good times over the years. They band has played together on occasion but this concert will celebrate an impressive milestone in Canadian music.
Tickets are now on sale for the Barney Bentall & The Legendary Hearts 25th anniversary show, with special guests Odds, on Saturday, June 8th, 2013. Thanks to Paul Mercs Concerts and Live Nation, I have a pair to give away as well. Here’s how you can enter to win:
Leave a comment on this post (1 entry)
Post the following on Twitter (1 entry)
RT to enter to win tix to @BarneyBentall + The Legendary Hearts from @LiveNationWest @PMConcerts @Miss604 http://ow.ly/lB9yT
The show is 19+. I will draw one winner at random from all entries on Wednesday, June 5, 2013 at 12:00pm.
