Doors Open Richmond This Weekend

Add a Comment by Rebecca Bollwitt

The City of Richmond is encouraging locals and visitors alike to explore their city this weekend, offering up over 40 free attractions to enjoy as a part of Doors Open Richmond 2010.

Richmond Community Area MapMany participating partners will organize guided tours, displays and activities to enrich your experience. Whether you live in Richmond or you’re a welcome visitor, don’t miss this fascinating chance to discover many special parts of Richmond and its rich history.

Places of Worship, Arts Galleries, Studios & Public Art, Green Space, and Family Friendly venues are all welcoming guests from 10:00am until 4:00pm May 1st and 2nd. You can visit any of the following spots of interest, free of charge.

City Centre
In Richmond’s City Centre area you may visit the Richmond Arts Centre, Richmond Museum, Richmond Cultural Centre or the Richmond Art Gallery for an exhibit tour. There is also the Pathway’s Aboriginal Centre, Gateway Theatre, Richmond Chinese Community Society and Minoru Place Activity Centre who will open their doors this weekend.

Thompson Area
Discover the Pam Holl hunt Fine Art Home Studio or the Richmond Artists Guild, take a stroll through Terra Nova Rural Park or visit the John M.S. Lecky UBC Boathouse.


Photo credit: miss barabanov on Flickr

West Richmond
Head to the Vancouver International Airport without having to go through Arrivals or Departures (I recommend exploring the Observation Area). There are also several home studios to visit in this area including Browning Stained Glass.

Steveston
The Gulf of Georgia Cannery National Historic Site is a must-see as well as the Steveston Museum, the Interurban Tram, London Heritage Farm and the Britannia Heritage Shipyard National Historic Site.


Photo credit © piscesdreamer on Flickr

South Arm
Grandpa’s Old Cars is a destination for car-lovers, located at Rosewood Manor. The Lingyen Mountain Temple is a beautiful Buddhist monastery that will be open for guided tours and lunch on the weekend.

East Richmond
Were you aware of the winery in Richmond? Stop by Sanduz Estate Wines for a complimentary wine tasting on the weekend. Nearby there is also the Richmond Nature Park as well as guided tours of either the Richmond Jani’a Mosque or Nanaksar Gursikh Temple.

Brochures and maps for participating attractions, places of worship, parks and trails are available online.

Would You Touch the Stanley Cup?

Comments 28 by Rebecca Bollwitt

During the Olympics I had the chance to have a little visit with the Stanley Cup at the BC International Media Centre. Phil Pritchard was present with his white gloves as media and security staff lined up to find and point out where their favourite player or team’s name was engraved.

The Holy Grail of Hockey

I walked up to the cup, found the Vancouver Millionaires, and posed beside it for a photo as a feeling of total hockey fan bliss washed over me. Everyone in the room urged me to hug it, so I put my hands on either side and posed for more photos.

My friends John Biehler and Robert Scales did the same while others even gave it a smooch. It was surreal.

After uploading my photos and sharing them online I received some grief instantly saying that it’s bad luck to touch the Cup. From what I understand, you cannot lift the Cup if you have not won it nor should a player touch it if they haven’t earned it. It’s also bad luck for the captain of a team to touch or lift the conference cup ahead of the Stanley Cup final series. I really don’t know the official protocol for fans.

With Phil and Craig — the keepers of the cup — looking on from 5 feet away, I touched it as did everyone before and after me.

[poll id=”52″]

Update I have contacted the Hockey Hall of Fame to see if there is an official position on this.

Update From Kelly Masse, Director, Corporate and Media Relations for the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto:

Whether seeing the Stanley Cup while it’s on the road, as you did during the Olympics, or visiting it at the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto, guests can touch it, hug it, kiss and get their picture taken with it. What is only reserved for players who have won it is hoisting over your head. So unless your name is on it, you can’t lift it.

There is a superstition that you shouldn’t touch it unless you have won it. In fact, if I’m touring a current player or coach around the Hockey Hall of Fame, I will let them know that we are about to go into the Great Hall, which is the room that houses all the NHL trophies, including the Stanley Cup. I’ve seen players stand on the peripheral of the room, I’ve seen them walk in the room, but not near the Cup, and I’ve seen them circle the Cup, but I’ve never seen a player touch it that hasn’t won it. In fact, I’ve seen mascots of NHL teams do the same thing.

Masse also brought up the superstition about the touching Lucky Loonie that was buried under the ice during the 2002 Olympics. Thanks to everyone for chiming in on this!

YWCA Women of Distinction Awards: Connecting the Community

Add a Comment by Rebecca Bollwitt

The YWCA Women of Distinction Awards take place in Vancouver June 1st, 2010. The list of nominees has just been announced along with a new people’s choice category, Connecting the Community.

Women from around Metro Vancouver have been nominated for their dedication to various community programs, businesses, leadership, and outreach.

The categories are Arts, Culture & Design, Business & The Professions, Community Building, Education, Training & Development, Entrepreneurship & Innovation, Health & Active Living, Non-Profit & Public Service, Technology, Science & Industry, and Young Women of Distinction.

YWCA Women of Distinction AwardsNominees include Heather Redfern (Executive Director, The Cultch), Sylvia Corning (Program Head, International Business Management, BCIT), Sxwelhchaliya Julie Baker (Squamish Nation Chief and Council, Squamish Nation), Seana Wade (CEO, Survivor Bootcamp Inc.), Rita Thodos (Regional Manager, Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation), and many more deserving women.

Every nominee in every category is eligible for the Connecting the Community Award. Simply head over to the YWCA of Vancouver’s website to cast your vote online. You can spread the word about your favourite nominee online by sharing the link http://ywcavan.org/vote on Twitter.

The winners will be announced at the awards ceremony June 1st at the Westin Bayshore. As the Social Media Sponsor, I will be on location live-tweeting and blogging the event.

BC Youth Week 2010

Comments 1 by Rebecca Bollwitt

BC Youth Week is back the first week of May celebrating the enthusiasm, skills, and accomplishments of the youth in our province. There are dozens of activities and events scheduled across BC including several in Metro Vancouver.

VSBC 2010 Youth Week Poster at the Plaza

  • Create a team and join the Amazing Youth Race 2010 in Coquitlam at Town Centre Park on Friday April 30th. Challenging clues to solve, prizes, rain or shine, BBQ included.
  • As part of BC Youth Week, May 1 – 7, 2010 – the Vancouver Skateboard Coalition, in conjunction with the City of Vancouver and Douglas Park, Riley Park, and the Roundhouse Community Centres is putting on a youth-focused, family-friendly skateboard event Saturday, May 1st at the downtown Skate Plaza. Follow the Vancouver Skateboard Coalition on Twitter or Facebook.
  • A Road Hockey Rumble in the Abbotsfrod Canadian Tire Parking lot.
  • And there’s a just plain ol’ fun Popsicle giveaway in North Vancouver on May 4th for Tsleil-Waututh School Students and Windsor Secondary Students.
  • More skateboarding at Skate Jam in Langley May 4th.
  • Youth can sign up for a free photography workshop at the North Vancouver Library May 4th to 7th.
  • The youth of North Vancouver present CityFest 2010 on Saturday, May 8th from 12:00pm to 4:00pm in the parking lot and skate park at Centennial Theatre. This includes a skateboard competition, a youth art display, dance and drama performances, a live band showcase, a free photo booth and a free BBQ.
  • There are many more events in other communities, including some on Vancouver Island, so if you have a youth in your life you can probably find something they’re interested in checking out. You can follow BC Youth Week on Twitter or Facebook for news and updates.

    Canadian Video Game Awards

    Comments 2 by Rebecca Bollwitt

    The first annual Canadian Video Game Awards will be held in Vancouver May 5th. While there have been other iterations of a video game awards ceremony in the past, this generation has teamed up with DigiBC to celebrate the best in Canadian gaming.


    Photo credit: mtsofan on Flickr

    Categories include: Game of the Year, Best Console, Best Handheld Game, Best Downloadable Game, Best Audio, Best Game Design, Best Technology, Best Visual Arts, Best Writing, In-Game Cinematic, Most Promising Game. The Downloadable Games category includes those for iPhones and iPod touches.

    The nominated games and finalists all needed to be works completed in Canada by December 31st, 2009. Nominations have now ended and the finalists have been announced. The public has the chance to vote for their favourite in the Game of the Year category.

    Tickets for the awards ceremony at the Vancouver Convention Centre May 5th are currently on sale for $35. The Canadian Videogame Awards will take place the evening before the second annual Game Developers Conference (GDC) Canada so GDC pass-holders will get a discount on admission to the event.

    You can follow the awards on Twitter or Facebook for more information.