You don’t need to be a long-time Vancouverite to spot the spectacular daily commute of tens of thousands of crows as they leave the city and head home to nest in Burnaby. The phenomenon has happened every day, without fail, since at least 1971. It’s so common that I finally wrote a post about it last year cited references of nuisance crows in Vancouver that stretch back to 1903.
If it’s something you haven’t yet seen or have only spotted while cruising along Highway 1 during your own commute, the Still Moon Arts Society is hosting an event to specifically take in this awesome sight.
“It’s so incredible,” [Sara] Ross gushed in a phone interview with the Straight. “It’s almost like the sky is a river of crows as they fly.” On Saturday (February 2), Ross is leading a twilight bike ride to this roost that serves as home during the fall and winter for what she estimates to be upwards of 20,000 crows.
“We’re connected to the natural world in so many ways and the crows as they fly over every night are a reminder to us of that connection,” she said. “Where the crows roost at Still Creek is another place where we’re reminded of nature. “Our ride is creative and we use play and laughter and curiosity to connect with the crows,” Ross added. The activity is part of Reflecting Still Creek, a program from the Still Moon Arts Society that aims to connect people with the creek.
If you’re interested in joining the bike ride it’s taking place on Saturday, February 2nd. You can meet up at one of two starting points that will end up on the banks of Still Creek in Burnaby. The first is at Lakewood Drive at the Central Valley Greenway at 4:00pm (4km ride) and the second is outside the Renfrew SkyTrain station at 4:15pm (2.5km ride). If the weather does not allow for a safe ride, then the event will be rescheduled for the following Saturday, February 9th.
Follow the Still Moon Arts Society on Facebook and Twitter for more information about their activities and events.
The St. Regis Hotel has stood on the corner of Dunsmuir and Seymour for the last 100 years and to mark the milestone they would like to hear from visitors, guests, and anyone who has spent time at the hotel in the last century.
1915 – VPL #20021 Dominion Photo Co.
The St. Regis Hotel turns 100 years old on March 15th, 2013 and after a century in Vancouver, the walls of the St. Regis Hotel have countless stories to tell. Like all hotels, though our walls have been sworn to secrecy, so we’re asking our past guests to tell share their memories and tell us their St. Regis Hotel stories.
We’re going to collect the stories between now and our 100th Anniversary and share the best ones through our social media. We’ll also choose the one St. Regis story and invite the storyteller to join us for a deluxe stay in the hotel including two nights in St. Regis Executive Suite and Dinner at Gotham Steakhouse.
Send in your stories, memories, anecdotes, tidbits and photos to info[at]stregishotel.com by March 15th for your chance to win.
The Vancouver Park Board has voted unanimously in favour of renaming Discovery Square at Burrard Station to Art Phillips Park, after the former Mayor from 1973 to 1977.
Many of the “livability” perks we have today in Vancouver are thanks to Phillips’ vision. Pete McMartin from the Vancouver Sun explains:
Phillips was the city’s first modern mayor, an early proponent of the livable cities concept, who among other things, I wrote [in 2011], succeeded in “bringing in social housing and parks, ending plans for a downtown expressway, establishing the Property Endowment Fund, expanding the planting of trees, beginning the redevelopment of Gastown and establishing a system to save heritage buildings.” He was the template for the mayors that followed him, including Gordon Campbell, who, before he became mayor, was Phillips’ executive assistant.
I had originally suggested Robson Square be renamed in Art Phillips’ honour, but the idea to rename Discovery Square came from Carole Taylor, Phillips’ wife, who soon after my column ran, emailed me that Phillips was really attached to Discovery Square.
Discovery Square, soon to be Art Phillips Park, is just 0.10 hectares, surrounding Burrard SkyTrain station. It’s a lunchtime hangout, a meeting place, and it fills to the brim with pink cherry blossoms every year in the spring. Plans for a formal dedication, plaque, or other type of installation have yet to be set. “Discovery” was the name of Captain Vancouver’s ship.
Have you ever tried to get your partner out to yoga with you? Or, are you and your partner both avid yogis? In either case, it just might be time to try Contact Partner Yoga at YYoga:
The vision for Partner Yoga comes from the literal translation of the word yoga, which means union in Sanskrit. If yoga is union, then the perfect expression of uniting through yoga is in practicing with a partner. It is an athletic practice that can involve impressive displays of balance, strength and flexibility. Partner Yoga can also be as simple as sitting on the mat with another person, and the relationship similarities will begin there.
Both partners can gain awareness of their willingness to trust, and the ability to literally and metaphorically carry someone else’s weight. Therefore it is important to switch roles and take turns in each position. There are enough pose variations to negate any height or weight differences that might otherwise provide an excuse not to experiment.
Chris Brandt and Teresa Campbell will be leading Partner Yoga workshops called “Yoga Date Night” on February 14th and 16th. From 7:00pm to 9:00pm at the South Granville YYoga location you can experience partner yoga along with Thai massage for $40 each before tax.
Chris has offered up two spots in the workshop on February 16th, here’s how you can win your way in:
Leave a comment here naming why you would like to go with your partner (1 entry)
Post the following on Twitter (1 entry)
RT to enter to win your way into #ContactPartnerYoga @YYoga from @TravelDiaries & @Miss604 http://ow.ly/hcyXa
I will draw one winner at random from all entries at 12:00pm next Monday, February 4, 2013. Learn more about YYoga’s variety of yoga classes and workshops by following them on Facebook and Twitter. Follow Contact Partner Yoga specifically on Facebook as well.
The We Create Change penny drive was launched last year to support clean water projects around the world. It is an initiative of Free the Children, the presenters of We Day which encourages school kids to get involved in their community, and also help their community assist others.
4 water jugs filled with pennies equals $500. That’s enough to provide clean water to 20 people for life.
Why Water? Every day, women around the world spend a cumulative total of 200 million hours collecting water for their families. 80 percent of illnesses in developing countries are linked to poor water and sanitation. This year, in recognition of the global water crisis and the effect that events like last year’s East African drought have on developing countries, Free The Children has set a goal of providing 100,000 people with clean water for life. Free The Children’s We Create Change campaign, made possible by RBC, is one of Canada’s largest penny drives. Coinciding with the penny going out of circulation, we are challenging Canadians to donate their pennies to an important cause: water. Officially launched in 2012, this campaign shows that pennies can create a lot of change.
In February, as the Royal Canadian Mint official begins to phase out the penny, the We Create Change program is hosting Penny Drop-Off Week across the country. From Monday, February 4th to Saturday, February 9th, join Free The Children and RBC in giving the penny a special send-off. During this week, Canadians are invited to bring in their pennies (in any amount, in any kind of container) to any RBC bank branch across the country.
