Growing up in Surrey, our beach options were abundant. We could head to one of Vancouver’s beaches, a Stanley Park beach, a lake beach at White Pine or Buntzen, Belcarra, or stay closer to home at Crescent Beach or White Rock. Crescent Beach or White Rock often won out. Strolls along the promenade, fish and chips, ice cream, sandcastles, and observing crabbers dipping their cages off the far end of the pier.
Built with Federal Funds in 1914 at 628 feet long, the White Rock Pier officially re-opened on this day in 1915 after 983 feet were added.1 It’s one of the area’s most-photographed landmarks and it’s today’s Metro Vancouver Icon.
“Its primary function was, then as it is now, to serve as a tourist facility for pleasure boats, for a promenade, and for fishing and swimming. Since its construction it has acted as the focus for White Rock’s summer tourist activities.”2
Other Vancouver Icons posts include: The Main Post Office, Planetarium Building, Lord Stanley Statue, Vancouver Library Central Branch, Victory Square, Digital Orca, The Crab Sculpture, Girl in Wetsuit, The Sun Tower, The Hotel Vancouver, The Gassy Jack Statue, The Marine Building, and The Angel of Victory. Should you have a suggestion for the Vancouver Icons series please feel free to leave a note in the comments. It should be a thing, statue, or place that is very visible and recognizable to the public.
1 Chuck Davis’ Vancouver History
2 Surrey History
The BC Day long weekend is coming up and local attractions are getting in the spirit of celebrating our province. Here are just few things you can do for free from August 3rd to August 6th, 2012:
Wooden Coaster at Playland
PNE Playland announced that they will be offered free rides on their iconic wooden roller coaster from 6:00am to 9:00am on Friday, August 3rd. Public can enter through Gate 12 near Pacific Adventure Golf. Continue reading this post ⟩⟩
Our local Slow Food chapter, part of an international organization that has built a network of small-scale sustainable farmers, recently hosted a cycle tour of participating farms in Agassiz, BC. Slow Food (as opposed to fast food) is farm-to-table, supporting local growers.
We had spent the night at the Harrison Hot Springs Resort, about 90 minutes East of Vancouver, and we don’t own bikes so we headed over to the Glencoe Motel to rent some. They’re the only place in Harrison you’ll find a bike rental although it seems like a very popular activity — given the proximity to the farms in Agassiz as well.
The route we took, from hotel to start, and around a loop.
Meeting at the Agassiz Fair and Exhibition Grounds, cyclists could register and head our on their own tours between 9:00am and 4:00pm. We arrived around 11:00am to sign up, pick up our map, and plot our route. Many arrived by car or van, unloading their bikes and heading out for the day. Since we had come from Harrison, we already had 9km of cycling under our belt and were all warmed up and ready to go.
The Slow Food snail logo is placed all along the flat, winding route between farms and the locations are clearly laid out on the map. Hundreds of families with little ones in tow were out and about as the farms welcomed the mobs of cyclists with open arms, and plates full of treats. Riders were also given a ‘fresh sheet’ listing what the farms have specifically prepared for the cyclists that day.
A slice of pie at Blackberry Lane B&B was $2.50, a Ploughman’s Lunch at Farmhouse Natural Cheeses was $5.00, a hazelnut sweet roll at Poplar Grove Arbour was $3 and the declicious Minty Lime Juice at Tasty Chicken Farm was $2.00 — among other special menu offerings.
Aside from the free samples and fresh sheet menu items at each farm, you could also purchase their regular products, from garlic at Limbert Mountain Farm (home of the Garlic Festival August 18th) to the couple bags of cheese curds we picked up at Farmhouse Natural Cheeses. If cyclists made purchases along the tour, they could conveniently send their packages, bags, and parcels back to the registration area by shuttle, for pick-up when they’re done.
The route was relatively flat as it curved past corn fields and orchards; roosters crowed and bike bells rang out in the distance. The tour was such a great way to meet farmers, pick up the freshest ingredients, and support area producers. It was also the perfect family outing with fresh country air and picnic ingredients readily available at each stop. The farmers put out hay bales, picnic tables, chairs, and more to welcome the hungry group of cyclists.
The Slow Food Cycle Farm Tour continues today in Chilliwack (Sunday, July 29, 2012), starting from Tourism Chilliwack Visitor Centre off Highway 1 Exit #116, in front of Heritage Park (the big red barns) at 44150 Luckakuck Way. Show up and do your tour anytime between 9:00am and 4:00pm. If you didn’t do yesterday’s tour in Agassiz, the cost will be $15 (it was $20 for Agassiz, $15 for Chilliwack or $30 for both days) and children 12 and under are free.
Follow Slow Food Vancouver on Twitter for more information about events like this.
Some of the stops on the tour are also regularly a part of the self-guided Circle Farm Tour that you can do in Harrison Mills & Agassiz, Langley, Pitt Meadows & Maple Ridge, Chilliwack, and Abbotsford, with or without your bike. My posts from the Circle Farm Tours in Langley, Harrison, and Agassiz can be found under the “Circle-Farm-Tour” tag.
The Honda Celebration of Light fireworks in English Bay kick off their 2012 season this Saturday, July 28th with a display from Vietnam. I headed out on the annual media tour of the barges this morning, something I have been fortunate enough to experience for the last few years (2010, 2011), to learn more about the setup for an event of this magnitude.
2012 Barges from Seaspan:
Compared to the 2011 Barges:
One major difference, or should I say two major differences, this year are the barges. They’re all-new thanks to Seaspan and have much more room to navigate on deck. They are also attached to pilings that have been drilled down into the water as opposed to being anchored. “It’s a step up for us,” said Pyrotechnic Producer Patrick Brault who told our group that this allows them to more in place and offers a wider view of the show for the audience — without all that swaying and shifting with the waves.
“It’s a better sandbox to play in,” he added playing on the fact that we were surrounded by 350 tonnes of sand into which the pyrotechnics get loaded.
A lot of work goes into producing the world’s largest offshore fireworks competition and the team from Vietnam has been on the barges since Wednesday. When they’re all done, the “Night Crew” comes in and resets the entire barge for the next participating country. Patrick said the crew waits about 30 minutes after the fireworks have ended to make sure there are no sparks leftover. Then, they’ll check every mortar, clear everything out of the sand, and make a “clean slate” for the next crew.
This will be Vietnam’s first year competing in the Honda Celebration of Light in Vancouver and they’re first fireworks competition in North America. Organizers decided to go with 3 countries that represent 3 continents this year — with Brazil August 1st and Italy August 4th. We’ve seen a lot from Canada, Spain, and China over the years so producers thought they would branch out and Patrick said they hope to have 9 different countries participate over the next 3 years at least.
Download the Honda Celebration of Light iPhone and Android mobile app for schedules, accompanying music (no connection needed to sync up), and to vote for your favourite country. The fireworks start promptly at 10:00pm each night.
Remember to tag any photos you are posting (to Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest or Flickr) with #Fireworks604 to enter my contest to win a $25 gift card from Cactus Club Cafe or the grand prize, Keg Lounge tickets for Italy on August 4th valued at $400.
Promoting the upcoming Burnaby Blues & Roots Festival, Jimmy D. Lane has been commissioned to #TweettheBlues this week and today is your last day to have your heartache and sorrow shared with the world through song, over Twitter.
Post an update on Twitter (even directly through the TweetTheBlues website) with your worries and troubles, and Jimmy will record and Tweet back a customized blues tune just for you that you can watch him perform online.
The 13th annual Burnaby Blues & Roots Festival will take place August 11, 2012 at Deer Lake Park and feature Indigo Girls, Jimmie Vaughan, Amadou & Mariam, Meshell Ndegeocello, Kelly Joe Phelps, The Deep Dark Woods, The Washboard Union, and No Sinner on the Lake and Garden stages. Advanced tickets are currently available for $70 for the whole day and children under 12 years old are free.
Be on the lookout for branded guitar cases around town and help yourself to a Burnaby Blues & Roots pick if you spot one. Send your message to Jimmy (@BurnabyBluesMan) today when you #TweettheBlues and help get the word out about this outdoor musical event.
To get you in the mood even more, I have a Fender Bullet Strat Squier (value $199) to give away thanks to Burnaby Blues & Roots. Here’s how you can enter to win this guitar:
- Post the comment naming your favourite blues song or artist (1 entry)
- Post the following on Twitter (1 entry)
I will draw one winner at random from all entries at 10:30am on Wednesday, August 1, 2012. Follow Burnaby Blues & Roots on Twitter and Facebook for more information.
Update The winner is Natalie!
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