Post ideas enter my inbox every morning, like lines of commuters ascending SkyTrain station escalators during rush hour. Sometimes there’s an event listing, charity campaign, or concert listing. However on occasion, an email contains a short, sweet, touching human interest story — in this case, it’s about a tractor in a Kootenay region town.
Parental warning, there’s a quick word of strong language at the start.
The Flood is a two-minute short documentary that has been posted online to pay tribute to the city of Rossland’s beloved 1972 Ford 3000 tractor. Yes, a tractor. Its job for the last 40 years has been to resurface the local ice rink, serving as a Zamboni. Over the course of its 80,000 scrapes, it became a fixture of the community. Quirky and unique, it was the subject of many fan photographs and childhood memories.
Upon hearing that the machine was set to retire, filmmaker Scott Carlson decided to shoot The Flood to pay homage to the tractor he’d observed on the rink since he was young.
When the video was posted, it went viral. I’m told that Scott received hundreds of personal responses while the view counter online reached 37,000 in just a few days. Farmers, car enthusiasts, plant workers, and more were contacting Scott to thank him for the inspiration. As a result, this star was not retired after all. It takes longer, it’s not as shiny and new, but it gets the job done. When it comes to hockey in this country we get nostalgic over the strangest things, but that’s just what Canadians do.
As a side note, I recognized the score of the clip right away. It’s from Field of Dreams — a movie, and another sport, very close to my heart.
McBarge, the famous floating McDonald’s restaurant from Expo86, is set to reopen. The vessel has been moored in Burrard Inlet for about the last twenty years but following an approval from Mission City Council, it’s getting a new lease on life.
The Sturgeons On the Fraser project, which has an estimated value of $10 million, would use the barge to create a floating restaurant, pub and café at the foot of Horne Street adjacent to the former Meeker Cedar Mill site.
Developer Howard Meakin said he was “shell-shocked” when the council approved the third reading of a foreshore rezoning application related to the project…
…Meakin said that more than half a million people live within a 30-minute drive of the site so he expects the restaurant/ barge will become popular with local residents as well as being a draw for people further away because of its history.
[Source: Vancouver Sun]
According to the Vancouver Sun article, the project will take about 18 months to complete, pending further approval for parking access, and will include a marina, offices for fishing and eco-tour operators, as well as a float-plane terminus.
Those who have spent time along the shores of Burrard Inlet, like at Cates Park or Barnet Marine Park, may have spotted this idle giant over the years. My last post McBarge was in 2009 and every so often someone will post a Twitpic from their window on the West Coast Express.
My own photo from Expo86
It’s Expo86 nostalgia factor is huge and the river-front areas of our region are picking up in terms of public access, community development, parks, and dining. I’d love to know — will you check out the McBarge as Sturgeons on the Fraser River in Mission?
This Valentine’s Day you can send a candygram to your sweetheart and support a great cause at the same time. A Loving Spoonful is offering up a candygram service for just $10 that includes a card, your message, two chocolates from Purdy’s, a “Yelpstic” lipbalm, and “Perfect Kiss” mints and a $15 gift card from Shamin Jewellers.
Order your candygrams online and send them anywhere in the country. February 6th is the deadline for deliveries in Eastern Canada and February 9th is the Western Canada deadline — so sign up now! Follow A Loving Spoonful on Facebook and Twitter (tag: #candygram) for more information.
A Loving Spoonful is a volunteer-driven, non-partisan society that provides free, nutritious meals to people living with HIV/AIDS in Greater Vancouver. Every week, all year round for over 19 years, our volunteers deliver approximately 1200 frozen meals and over 250 snack packs to men, women and children who are primarily homebound with AIDS.
While at the BC Sports Hall of Fame I came across the inductee information for Trev Deeley (1920-2000), a name associated with the award-winning Harley-Davidson dealership. When I happened to drive by the Deeley Motorcycle Exhibition on Boundary Road not even 24 hours later I took it as a sign — this was a story to cover.
Fred and Trev Deeley
Fred Deeley Sr. opened a 12-foot-wide store at 1075 Granville in 1914. In 1916, he acquired a Harley-Davidson franchise in Vancouver, becoming the brand’s second oldest dealership [source]. By 1925, the company expanded to two shops, bicycles and motorcycles, and Fred Jr. took over the motorcycle shop. They were now located on Broadway. At the age 15 Fred Jr.’s son, Fred Sr.’s grandson, Trevor started working for his father at the motorcycle shop [source].
From 1947 to 1958, [Trev] Deeley competed, won, and set a series of track records in numerous races and was a three time competitor in the 200 mile road race in Daytona Beach, Florida riding a Harley-Davidson.
In 1957, Deeley retired from racing and became more involved in the motorcycle industry and community. His commitment to promoting and distributing motorcycles had helped revolutionize the industry in Canada. In 1972 Deeley was given inclusive rights for the distribution of Harley-Davidson products, and was the first Canadian appointed to the Board of Director for Harley-Davidson.
He was a Canadian Motor Sports Hall of Fame Inductee in 1995, and was the only Canadian winner of the American Motorcyclists Association Dud Perkins Award. Deeley became an Inductee to the Worldwide American Motorcycle Heritage Association Hall of Fame in June, 1999. [source]
In 1998, “Team Deeley” set a new landspeed record (of 150mph) at the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah with a 1998 Buell S1 White Lightning. Trev Deeley, Peter Sellers, Mike Rowland and Terry Rea were part of driver Shane Kenneally’s crew.
Deeley Motorcycle Exhibition
The exhibition, adjacent to the dealership and a conference space, is open to the public 7 days a week. There you can browse a private collection of 250 antique, vintage, and modern models spanning over 114 years along with the “Made in America” exhibit.
Terry and I took turns on the photo-op bike
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It was February 2, 1966 that the Grouse Mountain SkyRide officially opened to skiers. It was dedicated later that year, on December 15th, by Premier W.A.C. Bennett.
Photo credit:
mountainhiker on Flickr – Submitted to the Miss604 Flickr Pool
Photo credit: Pat Z on Flickr – Submitted to the Miss604 Flickr Pool & John Bollwitt on Flickr
Photo credit: Pat Z on Flickr – Submitted to the Miss604 Flickr Pool
Photo credit: The Vancouver Guy on Flickr – Submitted to the Miss604 Flickr Pool
The Skyride operates everyday from 9:00am until 10:00pm with trips up the mountain every 15 minutes. Grouse will be open for 24 hours straight next weekend during the City and Slope festival.
