If you’ve lived in Vancouver long enough there are a few things that become a part of your everyday routine. At noon the O! Canada horns will sound at Canada Place, at 9:00pm the Nine O’Clock Gun will fire, and at around 5:30pm tens of thousands of crows will retreat to Burnaby from Vancouver.
I call it the “crow commute”. It’s as though 10,000 of the black birds pack their lunches every day and set out from the Willingdon area and head downtown, to Stanley Park, and surrounding beaches. A silent whistle blows at the end of the day and they all return home in one steady, ominous stream of black spots across the sky.
The Burnaby roost has been in use since about 1971. Prior to that, crows left the city for the evening. One roost was on Bowyer Island in Howe Sound. Crows from across the North Shore, UBC, and Stanley Park would make the late afternoon commute to the forested hills of Bowyer. A much smaller roost was somewhere up Indian Arm. Other roosts were in Richmond near the former dump along Highway 99. [Vancouver Sun, 2010]
When it comes to birds in the city, we have our share of french fry-stealing sea gulls and sidewalk-crowding pigeons along with photo-op worthy herons, owls, and bald eagles. Crows are low on the ‘nuisance’ meter for me but other West End residents didn’t always think so.
I was browsing the Vancouver Archives this week and discovered that on this day in 1903 crows were considered such a pain that the city decided to turn a blind eye to the firearm by-law in Stanley Park and allow sportsmen to shoot crows.
From Chuck Davis’ History of Metropolitan Vancouver: Crows made the news with a plan to allow sportsmen into Stanley Park “to exterminate the pest.” A bounty of “five cents per head up to 5,000 head” was offered and the park was closed to the public. Although a by-law banned the discharge of firearms within the park, officials said they would look the other way.
This wasn’t the first time that the people of Vancouver were fed up with crows. Chuck Davis also posted a piece from The Province from August 1900 where a letter to the editor states: “There are few residents in the city and particularly in the West End who are not disturbed in their slumbers from 5 a.m. by the fearful and nerve-killing noises made by the crows. A vote should be taken as to whether the people want crows or not.”
Over 100 years later, the immeasurable group flies over our heads every day, like clock work, perhaps to remind us of our past attempts to exterminate them. It seems like West End residents have finally learned to live peacefully with the crows or perhaps it’s the crows that have now accepted us.
The Peak Performance Project, a professional development program to help new and emerging BC artists create careers in the music industry, has just announced their Top 5 finalists for the 2012 competition.
Mike Edel placed 5th and receiving $5,000 and JP Maurice placed 4th receiving $10,000. The Top 3 (listed below in no particular order) will now perform in the Peak Performance Project’s finale showcase:
There was an excellent pack of talent in this year’s competition and you can check out songs from each of the Top 20 artists which are available for free download along with Love and Bravery – songs that were written and recorded at the Peak Performance Bootcamp this summer.
The finale showcase event at the Commodore Ballroom on Thursday, November 22, 2012. There will be $102,700 awarded that night and each of the Top 3 artists will play a quick set for the crown. Tickets are available now for $13.27.
Happening November 23rd to November 25th, 2012 at Spirit Ridge Vineyard and Resort, Champagne & Stockings will feature fabulous wines, mouth-watering meals from Chef Dave Ryan, a fashion show, a dance party, plenty of shopping, and a silent auction benefitting the South Okanagan Children’s Charity.
The South Okanagan Children’s Charity has assisted families of children with health problems for the past four decades. The Children’s Charity also provides equipment to health-related agencies and awards grants to other organizations that provide health-related services to the region’s children. One hundred percent of the money collected is used to help local children and their families.
Suite packages can be booked at Spirit Ridge for one or two nights starting at $179. Packages include accommodation, dinner, brunch, access to the Champagne & Stockings events and more proving that winter in wine country can be incredibly fun!
Spirit Ridge is located adjacent to Nk Mip Cellars up on the Eastern slope of Osoyoos, overlooking the lake and Nk Mip’s beautiful vineyards. My sister and I stayed there for O! Osoyoos Celebrates and loved the amenities, free WIFI, spacious bathroom, full kitchen, and fireplace in the living room. You can also walk right down to the resort’s ballroom and meeting space from your suite so there’s no need to worry about a ride home from the event’s festivities.
If you would like to win your way into all of the weekend’s events, along with a stay at Spirit Ridge, I have a fantastic prize package to give away. Here’s how you can enter to win:
Leave a comment on this post naming who you would take with you on this ultimate girls getaway weekend (1 entry)
Post the following on Twitter (1 entry)
RT to enter to win a #ChampStock weekend in Osoyoos from @Spirit_Ridge @NKMIPCellars & @Miss604 http://ow.ly/eWYXL
I will draw one winner at random from all entries on Thursday, November 8, 2012 at 12:00pm. Prize includes access to all Champagne & Stockings events for two people and two nights accommodation at Spirit Ridge (valid at the time of the event only). Must be 19+ to enter and attend.
These events have been submitted through my contact form or researched on my own. Please feel free to contact me if you would like your event listed. This list is updated throughout the month.
For more events around Metro Vancouver check out the On the Go Kids iPhone application and blogs like Fraser Valley Pulse and TheV3H (for events in the Tri-Cities).
The Surrey Tree Lighting Festival is set for Saturday, November 24, 2012 and it will be filled with activities and entertainment to ring in the holiday season.
This free family festival will run from 12:00pm to 8:00pm at the Central City Plaza where the tree be lit at 6:15pm. Come throughout the day to catch some of the fantastic local and internationally-acclaimed talent on six stages.
Main Stage in the Christmas Plaza
Dragonette at Surrey Canada Day 2010
12:15pm Circus West
1:00pm Santa’s Arrival
1:15pm Carnival Band
2:00pm Ronnie “Elvis” Scott
3:00pm Revolver “The World’s Best Beatles Show”
4:10pm Surrey Celebration Dance Team
4:30pm Langley Ukulele Ensemble
5:30pm Dear Rouge
6:15pm Tree Lighting Ceremony
7:00pm Dragonette
The Tree Stage in the Christmas Plaza will have choir performances and the BC Hydro Kids Stage will be in Santa’s Workshop with Circus West, choir performances, and story-time.
Inside at the SFU Theatre there will be holiday movie screenings and near Winners ‘Winterland at Central City’ will be setup with choir performances as well — with a quick visit from Elvis.
Photos with Santa will be at the North Pole (near Tim Hortons in the shopping centre) starting at 2:00pm.
The City of Surrey always does an amazing job at not only including everyone in their festivals, entertainment, and activities but also making sure that events are free and accessible for all (thanks to Coast Capital Savings and other generous sponsors).
Miss604.com is proud to once again be a media partner of the Surrey Tree Lighting Festival.
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