This year is the 31st anniversary of BC Rivers Day, Canada’s largest river appreciation event. The day aims to raise awareness about our province’s waterways through event partnerships with recreational clubs, conservation organizations, community groups, schools, and more.
TD Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup Where False Creek East (Science World), Port Moody When Saturday, September 24, 2011 from 12:00pm to 2:00pm Partner Organization Fraser Riverkeeper
Britannia Beach Community Festival Where Britannia Beach When Sunday, September 25, 2011 from 11:00am to 3:00pm Partner OrganizationSquamish River Watershed Society
Langley Community Rivers Day Celebration Where Williams Park, Township of Langley When Sunday, September 25, 2011 from 11:00am to 4:00pm Partner Organization Langley Environmental Partners Society
River District Vancouver Celebration Where River District Centre 8683 Kerr St, Vancouver When Sunday, September 25, 2011 from 12:00pm to 4:00pm Partner Organization River District Vancouver
You can search the complete list of events around the Lower Mainland & Sunshine Coast, Vancouver Island, Thompson/Okanagan, Caribou, Kootenays, and the Northern BC, regions.
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by Rebecca BollwittDisclosure: Review — Our tour with Wild West Badlands Tours was covered by Tourism Alberta. The regular cost of the tour we enjoyed is $40 per adult for the day. Please review the Policy & Disclosure section for further information.
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I’m in Alberta for the next week on an excursion in the Badlands followed by a travel media conference in Edmonton. Yesterday our small group was picked up at the Calgary airport by Pat “The Bandlands Guy” Mulgrew of Wild West Badlands Tours and we began a whirlwind visit of this unique region.
Wild West Badlands Tours Alberta
In just under two hours, heading north east of Calgary, we found our way to Drumheller (aka Dinosaur Valley) as passengers in Pat’s tour van.
“It’s the dinosaur capital of the world… as proclaimed by us!” chuckled Pat who has lived in Drumheller since the 1970s. The ride was smooth as the Rocky Mountains shrunk behind us and the plains opened up. We rolled over hills flanked by fields of wheat or canola and spotted the occasional oil field pumper on the horizon.
Our first stop was Horseshoe Canyon where I got my first taste of the badlands’ wind. Pushing my hair across my face and whipping up soil, the wind didn’t howl as much as it sounded an incessant, eerie, low-pitched whistle.
After we settled into our inn rooms in Drumheller, we set out once more along the Dinosaur Trail. The first stop on this leg was the Passion Play amphitheater where they mainly put on biblical-themed productions but have also hosted the symphony in the 3,000 seat venue.
From there we made it up to a viewpoint where locals say they have their own “Mini Grand Canyon”. We walked along dirt paths past wild berry bushes and admired the impressive views of the river valley below.
It seemed like every few kilometers the rolling prairie would part and a canyon would appear. Our van coasted down to the valley and we made it over the river on a small cable ferry.
On the other side we ended up at Horse Thief Canyon, across from our last viewpoint. You can walk out along the top of the coulees where trails wind down and there are no railings to fence you in.
All along our winding route, Pat provided information that spanned thousands (even millions) of years. He could fire off the name of pretty much all 40 species of dinosaur found in Drumheller then tell you about the coal mining days. He could talk about fossils, natural sandstone, shale, and sage then follow that up by telling you which Hollywood Western was most recently filmed in town, bringing in the likes of Clint Eastwood and Steven Spielberg. He even found a potential fossil of his own that he’ll be bringing into the Royal Tyrrell Museum.
We visited next with a bison in a pasture and others in corrals just down the road. Facing into the unrelenting wind, the bison huddle together as a few explored grassy mounds or rolled in the dust. Pat said that facing the wind is normal for bison while cattle tend to face away.
As the sun began to coast downward in the Alberta sky, we passed old mine sites and slag heaps, and ended up at the Alberta Star Mine suspension bridge. We made the quick round-trip crossing over the white-capped currents on the Red Deer River below.
The hoodoo rock formations were up next where the government recently put in a walkway to protect the eroding stone columns of this popular attraction.
I will forgive Pat for occasionally cranking the Canadian country music in the van since his stories and sense of humour were so great. The tour was quick, we covered an incredible amount of ground, and it was really fascinating. I liked that Pat knew personal tales from locals, history, and so much about the Drumheller community. It didn’t feel like a tour guide was reading a script – it felt like a genuine and friendly local was proudly showing us his backyard, which was pretty much the case.
Our last stop was in the mouth of the 85-foot dinosaur (which is in fact the world’s largest). Located in the visitor info centre you can donate $3 to make the trek up 106 steps to look out over the town. This tyrannosaurus is four times larger than the actual size of a t-rex.
After a quick detour to a “fossil shop” we returned to our inn to get ready for dinner and wind down after a long day.
Today we visit the Royal Tyrrell Museum and head out on a mine tour. We’ll be staying in the ghost town of Wayne tonight at the old Rosedeer Hotel (circa 1913).
I’m on the road until we meet up with other conference delegates in Edmonton on Sunday. I’m certain we’ll encounter more fossils, local lore and legend, and more of the haunting beauty of Alberta’s Badlands.
Like many Vancouverites, I’ve been following the BC Place construction project ever since the marshmallow top was deflated back in May of 2010. With just over two weeks to go until the first event (BC Lions vs Edmonton Eskimos) it’s time for the finishing touches.
“Our September 30th scheduled completion is also dependent on weather or other factors beyond our control,” said David Podmore, chair of the BC Pavilion Corporation (“PavCo”). “While we will do our level best to be ready on that date, we will, of course, always put the safety of our talented and dedicated workers ahead of any other consideration. Nonetheless, construction at BC Place is progressing so well, that we are now at a point where we can confidently set the re-opening date.” Podmore added, “by committing to completion by September 30th, the BC Lions, Vancouver Whitecaps FC, and their respective leagues are now able to finalize their plans for 2011.” [source: Press Release]
With split public opinion on the new stadium, there’s one person I know who has been incredibly excited this entire time. John has been able to tour the facility and has sat in on a few meetings with PavCo representatives. Here’s what he’s told me along with a few facts from the media handouts I’ve received:
The old BC Place was dark, dreary, and stagnant. The new BC Place has replaced stone with glass, darkness with light, and allows fresh air to flow through the roof and through the end zones.
The “ring of fire” is about twice the height of the one at Rogers Arena. This is the illuminated advertisement board that goes around the circumference of the stadium between seating levels.
The videoboard, suspended above the middle of the field by cables, can be lowered or raised based on the needs of the event.
The two large sideline video screens are the second largest centre-hung screens in North America (second only to the Dallas Cowboys’ stadium in Texas).
One thing that confused me was the roof. I thought for months that it was fully retractable but it’s actually not. Only the middle portion above the pitch has cloth “curtains” that can be drawn and re-opened for matches. Spectators will be covered at all times.
John also noticed the stadium is setup with WIFI antennas. There are 800 of them in fact.
The outside of BC Place will now light up as colour-coded light panels around the entire stadium could let you know exactly which team is playing and when they score.
Façade material (ETFE) also contains metal dots called “frits” to reflect light and create colour animations for events (same material used on Water Cube during 2008 Olympics in Beijing). 800 lights also adorn the outdoor cable system supporting the roof. [source: Media Release]
All the old blue seats have been removed and recycled. The new seats are 3 inches wider than the old ones. [source: Media Release]
Last spring the City of Vancouver expanding its street food offerings which sparked a boom in curbside dining. Food trucks have taken over the downtown core at lunchtime offering anything from dim sum and souvlaki to fried cheese and organic hot dogs. Tacofino is one of the latest editions and many are glad that the truck made its way here from Tofino on the West side of Vancouver Island.
Tacofino, recently featured on the Food Network series “Eat St”, can be found parked around the Vancouver Art Gallery (usually on Howe). The menu is brief but packs a punch as fresh-air diner can choose from fish tacos, the tuna ta-taco, the pork or black bean gringa, and the black bean burrito. For dessert, the legendary chocolate diablo cookie or a lime mint freshie.
I opted for two fish tacos ($4.50 a piece) although they were so chock full of flavour that I could have settled for one.
Wrapped in a quick-fired tortilla, the tacos had lightly battered pieces of ling cod topped with crunchy cabbage and chunky salsa (pico de gallo). The crunch from the cabbage gave the taco shape as the juicy salsa soaked through to the tender fish.
The overflowing tacos were a little messy but with some care (and some napkins) those on their lunch breaks can make it back to the office without dripping on their work clothes. It’s also important to note that the truck accepts debit and credit cards as well as cash.
I admit that I have under-patronized Vancouver’s food trucks and tasting the offerings from Tacofino just make me want to see what else is out there. You can find a big list on the Eat St app or the Vancouver Street Food Vendor app for your mobile phone.
The Vancouver International Writers Festival takes place October 18th to the 23rd as professionals and amateurs in the realm of fiction and non-fiction gather at Granville Island.
Anthony Doerr, Yiyun Li, Wells Tower, Marisa Silver, Paul Harding and moderator Jerry Wasserman on stage at American Splendor, on Saturday, October 23, 2010. Photo credit: Photo: Chris Cameron on Flickr
The Literati Gala will kick things off in style at the Fairmont Waterfront on October 17th. Tickets for workshops, speaker series, and special events are currently available online.
Follow @VIWF on Twitter, Facebook, or the festival blog for more information. A full list of authors from around the world who will be in attendance can be found online.
