This year I finally got John out on the water to try kayaking and since he did so well, I decided to sign us up for the annual Kayak for a Cure happening August 29th.
Kayak for a Cure is a North America-wide campaign that gets folks out on the water in support of the American or Canadian Cancer Societies. The Vancouver event will of course support the Canadian Cancer Society as participants fund-raise for their own campaigns.
The route will take participants from Jericho Beach to Stanley Park where there will be a beach BBQ following the paddle. Space is limited but I believe there is still room to signup for the Vancouver event.
Aboriginal Tourism BC presents Klahowya Village in Stanley Park until September 12, 2010.
Occupying the space around the miniature railway and children’s farmyard, Klahowya Village involves artisans (wood carving, weaving, bark biting), interpretive tours, activities, food, crafts, entertainment, and the Spirit Catcher Train.
One of the artisans on site is Todd DeVries who does cedar bark weaving. His pieces are for sale and you’ll see him working on elaborate hats and baskets at behind his display. Along another path you can spot birch bark biting by Pat Bruderer. This is an ancient and now rare technique of creating art and telling stories by biting designs into thing strips of birch bark.
If you head to the village before August 24th (when the piece is being installed in the lagoon) you can catch Master Carver Richard Krentz working on a raven carving. Decorated with giant mussel shells, and abalone shells yet to be added, this piece represents transformation. Later this month it will be installed permanently in the lagoon near the children’s farmyard for all to enjoy.
For kids there’s a storytelling circle, crafts, and of course the miniature railway that has been transformed into the Spirit Catch Train. Train rides (that last just under 15 minutes and have a narration) are $7.50 for adults and $5 for kids and seniors.
Kids can also grab a “passport” at the entrance to the village so that they can visit locations throughout and collect stamps.
Cultural tours run on the hour from 11:00am until 5:00pm and there are dance performances every day at 12:00pm, 2:00pm and 4:00pm. Mike led my tour this morning and he was so friendly and helpful. He shared stories and explained the significance of common natural elements in the park — from ferns to giant cedars.
All of the wood used in the village is from the storm of 2006 that wiped out tens of thousands of trees in Stanley Park. The fallen trees and debris has been re-purposed as material for carvings, artwork, and display/way-finding signage.
Admission to the village is entirely free but you’ll want to bring some cash to purchase treats from the Feast House including bannock (savory or sweet), buffalo chili, and aboriginal tacos (bannock with buffalo chili). I had some bannock this morning and it was delightfully tasty. The aroma wafted from the Feast House, across the village, and mixed with that of fresh cedar carvings.
It’s such a great way to spend an afternoon in Stanley Park — learning about local and natural history from a culture that is over 800 generations strong. Klahowya Village is open daily from 10:00am until 6:00pm until September.
Contest
If you would like to win tickets to ride the Spirit Catcher Train please leave a comment on this post. I’ll draw one winner Wednesday August 18th, and another Wednesday August 25th. Each will receive a family pack (which is 4 tickets).
Update The winner August 18th is Janet. I’ll draw another from all entries next week.
Update The second winner is cindy quach.
Update The completed raven statue is being unveiled Friday August 27th at 12:30pm.
Update May, 2011: The village and Spirit Catcher Train have returned for 2011.
May 16 to September 11, 2011
Open daily from 10am to 6pm
Village Admission:
Adults $5
Senior/Child $3 per person
Free for Children under 2 years of age
Combo Price (Village & Train):
Adults $14 ($1 discount)
Senior/Child $10 ($1 discount)
Free for children under 2 years of age
Family Pack for 4 or more:
20% overall discount on the above options
The Chinatown Festival this weekend will be celebrating the 125th anniversary of Vancouver’s Chinatown. Given that the City of Vancouver is only 124, it’s important to get to know this historic community.
500 block of Carrall near Pender. 1900s. Archives item# CVA 677-580
Background and history:
“Vancouver’s Chinatown is a community with a long history. The first Chinese immigrants to British Columbia arrived in 1858 from California where they had worked for more than a decade. From California, they followed the stream of fortune seekers that came to BC searching for gold. When the gold rush ended many of those that had traveled up the coast found work stringing telegraph wires or working in canneries. The building of the Canadian Pacific Railway sparked the next large influx of immigrants as 17,000 Chinese came to Canada between 1881 and 1885.” – City of Vancouver
“Between 1890-1920, early Chinese immigrants settled in what was known as Shanghai Alley and Canton Alley. By 1890, Shanghai Alley was home to more than 1,000 Chinese residents. Much of the community’s activities and entertainment evolved around a 500 seat Chinese theatre built in 1898. Canton Alley was created in 1904 as a Chinese style courtyard surrounded by two parallel rows of buildings running South from Pender Street. The Alleys were the convergence of vibrant nightlife, opera music, shopping, political and cultural activities.” – Vancouver’s Chinatown
VJ Day parade down Pender in Chinatown. August 14, 1945. Archives item# CVA 586-3965
Tidbits from VancouverHistory.ca:
In 1889, the oldest building in Chinatown (the Wing Sang Company building at 51-67 East Pender) was built
In 1960, Donna Yee was named Miss Chinatown in the first beauty contest ever held in a Canadian Chinese community
In 1971, Gastown and Chinatown neighborhoods were designated historic sites
In 1980, the first phase of the Chinese Cultural Centre in Vancouver’s Chinatown opened
1986, the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Chinese Garden opened
Located at 8 West Pender, the Sam Kee Building is the narrowest commercial building in the world
Vancouver’s Chinatown is ranked within the “cleanest” Chinatowns in the world
It has also been ranked one of the world’s 8 “most colourful” Chinatowns
If you’re able to make it down to Chinatown this weekend for the festival, for the summer night market, or any other time during the year it’s definitely worth exploring.
The 11th annual Vancouver Chinatown Festival is this coming weekend with cultural dance, music, food, and activities all day Saturday and Sunday.
This event will also celebrate the 125th anniversary of Vancouver’s Chinatown, and will be a historic photograph exhibition in honor of this milestone.
Special event: StreetFest
August 14, 6:00pm to 10:00pm
Dancing, music, games, and entertainment in the streets of Chinatown
Special event: Youth Talent Showdown
August 15, 3:30pm to 6:00pm
Dance competition for youth with big prizes up for grabs
Both days will also feature folk art demonstrations, the Multicultural Stage with martial arts demos, hip hop, singing, and anything from Irish dancing to samba. There will also be a special activity zone for kids and Chinatown Heritage and Food Tasting Tours between 1:00pm and 4:00pm. You can register at one of the walking tour booths on-site.
The festival is free to the public who can also vote on a name for the new Chinatown Mascot, “Muse”. Head down to Chinatown from 12:00pm Saturday to check out all of the activities and events.
The Stanley Park Ecology Society promotes and educates visitors and locals alike when it comes to the natural elements that make the park what it is. Within the borders of the paved roads and past the parking spaces there is a delicate ecosystem that the SPES can help you explore.
Here are just a few of their upcoming events:
Insects: Our Friends & Foes!
Sunday August 15th from 1:30pm to 3:30pm
Insect expert Andrew Scott will lead a talk on how insects have acted to limit the human population and why the mosquito is the most dangerous animal in Africa.
Twenty Million Years of Rock Discovery Walk
Sunday August 22nd from 1:30pm to 3:30pm
Geologist David Cook will lead a walk along the seawall and explore how 50 to 70 million year old rivers laid the foundation for the Stanley Park we know today. This walks meets and leaves from the Third Beach Concession Kiosk.
State of the Park: Ecological Integrity Discovery Walk
Sunday August 29th from 1:30pm to 3:30pm
Join Sonya, the SPES Environmental Educator, for a tour of areas and concerns highlighted in the SPES Conservation Programs report on the condition of various habitats of Stanley Park.
Birds of a Feather
The last Sunday of every month at 9:00am
Naturalist and expert bird watcher Cathy Aitchison hosts a two-hour walk exploring Stanley Park’s varied and beautiful bird life. Admission by donation.
You can also stop by the Stanley Park Nature House from 9:30am on Saturdays to learn about some of the wildlife and history of the park. It’s adjacent to Lost Lagoon in the old boat house.
Follow @StanleyPkEcoSoc on Twitter for park updates and events. They can also be booked to host Coyote Walks in neighbourhoods around Vancouver to educate your community about co-existing with the animals.
