Recently the Vancouver International Airport (YVR) completed its new, free, and public Observation Area. I was invited to come and check it out a while back but since I’ve been traveling so much, I’ve been at YVR for many other reasons lately. I was finally able to take the Canada Line out yesterday and explore the renovated and Olympic-ified Domestic Terminal.
Located on level four of the Domestic terminal, you can get to the Observation Area by heading straight back to the food court and up the escalators located near the windows. From there you can explore their mini aviation interpretive centre including oodles of information about YVR, the history of flight in BC, Sea Island, the Musqueam people (as Sea Island is their land), and of course all you wanted to know about airplanes and airports.
The first thing I did was push some buttons on the scale model of Sea Island. Each button lights up little bulbs that highlight a runway, terminal, roadway or area of interest on the map.
Three touch-screen video podiums guide you through quizzes and videos such as a look at the First Nations art around the airport — most of which is behind security lines so this is a good chance to check it out. Other videos include the history of flight in BC, job shadowing with people such as the wildlife manager, air traffic control, and various ground crew workers. The biggest hit so far is the video “Follow My Bag” that gives you a suitcase’s view of its trip through the belly of the YVR luggage handling system.
Along the windows which face the Strait of Georgia and Vancouver Island, there are information boards that guide you through things like RADAR, types of airplanes, and what all those short vehicles are doing as they whiz past, following the painted lines on the concrete. There are also eight telescopes at various height levels so that you can spot bags being loaded, view passengers through windows, or actually peer into the cockpit of an arriving plane.
I also spotted some solar panels on the roof of the domestic terminal and was told they are used to heat water in the terminals. These have actually been there since 2003 and heat 800-gallons of hot water every hour. Another thing I discovered was that what my family used to call the “golf ball” out between runways is actually something called the golf ball. It is a crucial component to the RADAR system, communicating information up to the air traffic control tower.
Back over at the video kiosk, I could click on WebTrak and see a live map graphic of planes currently in the air over the region. With a 10 minute delay you can actually see which flights are where, a system that is helpful when it comes to noise concerns. If a big jet flies over your house and wakes everyone up, you can go on WebTrak, see the flight path and make your report to YVR.
YVR also scored the “BC Explorer“, a flight simulator that has made the rounds across the globe to showcase our province. With the joystick you can “fly” over the province and “land” in various communities where interactive and informational videos will play, to educate you a bit about the region you chose.
The 500 square-meter Observation Area is an extension of the food court so you can shop, grab a bite to eat, sit on one of the 150 seats, and hang out while awaiting a flight or just as an afternoon outing. There’s also free wifi everywhere in YVR so you can sit by the windows, watch plans come and go, and get some work done on your laptop. There are a lot of history components in the displays, which instantly draw me in, but I couldn’t help imagining the sunsets you must be able to catch from that towering view.
I profiled Flight Path Park back in 2007 because it was a favourite of my niece and nephews but now they have another place to get their fill of free airplane fun, indoors. With those floor to ceiling windows that face directly West, you can have lunch or simply some fun playtime while towering over the tarmac — watching as planes touch the ground and reach the sky.
Stop by the Observation Area within the next few weeks and you can enter to win a behind the scenes tour of YVR for you and 3 friends or family members. The tour will take you down on the tarmac and around baggage loops with an all-access guide. You can also download the entry form online but it will need to be dropped off in person.
Google has just launched their “Favourite Places on Google Maps” for the first time in Canada and they have profiled spots around Vancouver. The favourites are all marked on the maps with little maple leaf pins and have been hand-picked by local experts.
View Rebecca Bollwitt’s Favorite Places in a larger map
This includes venues and destinations submitted by: Premier Gordon Campbell, Olympic Gold Medallist Ross Rebagliati, Olympic Gold & Silver Medallist Simon Whitfield, Iron Chef Champion Rob Feenie, Singer-songwriter & breast cancer survivor Bif Naked, Children’s book writer Kit Pearson, Monte Clark of the Monte Clark Gallery, Public Policy Entrepreneur David Eaves, and yours truly – Rebecca Bollwitt of Miss604.com.
John Lee from Lonely Planet also provided some recommended destinations last October.
The Google Maps “Local Experts” mashups can all be searched and found on their Favourite Places site. The global database includes Tony Hawk’s favourite places in Manhattan, Kevin Rose’s top spots in San Francisco, and Mockmoon’s best venues in Tokyo.
I was honored to be asked by Google to be a part of this project. We have had a great relationship over the last year or so and they certainly know my site’s reach better than I do. They have also referred to me as the “Best Blogger” in Vancouver, which is either a reference to my Georgia Straight Best of Vancouver award or a name they have given me. Either way, I am humbled by the opportunity to be among such a great group of people and especially to have the chance to showcase some of my favourite local places.
These are just a few of my top picks as I tried to expand the scope a little bit and go off the beaten tourist path. Stanley Park will always be the key to my heart but I love many other parks and beaches in the region. If you could make up a Google Map of all your favourite places in the Lower Mainland (or if you already have) what would they be?
For the seventh year the Hope in Shadows calendar campaign is supporting residents of the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver. Rising above it all in what is seen as Canada’s most downtrodden neighbourhood, residents sign up to become licensed sellers of the calendars once a year which feature local photography of their community.
In the summer of 2009 a photography contest was held for residents of the Downtown Eastside. Run by the Pivot Legal Society, Hope in Shadows distributed disposable cameras to 200 residents so they could snap images of the community from their perspective and not be depicted only as addicts or victims. The winning photos have been printed in the calendar that is being sold by residents out on the streets of Vancouver this winter.
The calendars are $20 and $10 of that goes directly to the licensed seller. The rest of the proceeds go towards operating costs and Hope in Shadows programs.
I bought mine from Catherine this afternoon outside of Waterfront SkyTrain station. She told me that she suffers from depression and severe anxiety and that getting out to sell the calendars is a highlight for her. This is her second year selling Hope in Shadows and she said it’s helped her immensely to get out into the community like this and has grown as an individual.
Big support this year once again came from Vancity who has made several of its branches depots for the calendars so that sellers don’t have to lug them around all day. They have also been a core sponsor since the beginning of this project seven years ago.
For 2010, 16,000 calendars have been printed (which is up from 13,000 sold out last year and 9,000 which sold out the year before that). The calendars have some of the most compelling and authentic images of our city and to top it off they are all 100% carbon neutral.
You can view the winning photos themselves over at the Vancouver Public Library’s main branch in the Moat Gallery throughout the month of December. There will also be a book reading tomorrow night (Thursday, December 10th, 2009) of the award-winning Hope in Shadows book. This is a part of the Robson Reading series and will take place at the UBC Bookstore in Robson Square (800 Robson Street) at 7:00pm.
Spot a DTES resident around town this winter, purchase a Hope in Shadows calendar from them for $20, and help make a difference in someone’s life.
You can also find Hope in Shadows on Flickr, Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter if you would like more information.
Grace Gallery on Main street will open its doors to a one-of-a-kind art sale next Wednesday for the Art of Giving showcase.
The Art of Giving is about support and celebration. Featuring some of Vancouver’s top artists who’ve graciously agreed to sell for a price point of $400 or less in our first ever Cash & Carry original artwork sale.
All proceeds from the event will support Our Social Fabric. This non-profit in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside specializes in textile collection, recycling & re-manufacturing. It also provides employment & social reintegration opportunities for DTES residents.
Local artists who are donating their work for the sale include: Raif Adelberg, Ronan Boyle, Bienvenido Cruz, Andy Dixon, Michael Doehle, Christopher Fadden, Angela Fama, Indigo, Kris Krug, Malcolm Levy, Bobby Mathieson, Jennifer Mawby, Chad Murray, Neal Nolan, Terri Potratz, Stacy Sakai, Philippe Sokazo.
I’ve been a big fan of many of these people for years and it’s so great to see them offering up their pieces for this exceptional cause. The event takes place December 16th from 7:00pm until 11:00pm at Grace Gallery, 1898 Main Street in Vancouver. Food for the event is being sponsored and supplied by Nuba Lebanese Cuisine as well as ABSOLUT Vodka and Jameson Irish Whiskey.
Attendees are asked to bring scarves to the event for donation as well. You can RSVP by emailing [email protected].
The Sutton Place Hotel is presenting its 4th annual “Home for the Holidays” gallery of Christmas trees benefiting Canuck Place. Stop by the lobby of the Hotel anytime between now and January 1st to vote on your favourite tree and support the work of Canuck Place Childrens Hospice.
Each tree has been trimmed by local Vancouver home decorators, designers and stagers.
When you stop by the view the trees, cast your vote along with a $5 donation to Canuck Place and you’ll be entered to win one of many prizes including a ski getaway to Big White, an autographed Vancouver Canucks Ryan Kesler jersey, one of two weekend getaways at the Sutton Place Hotel, a Vancouver Island getaway or a trip for two on the amazing Rocky Mountaineer to Whistler… and more.
It’s easy to include a trip to the Christmas trees at Sutton Place when you’re out and about doing some shopping or enjoying a holiday evening on the town with the family. Stop on by, warm your toes, look at the lovely tree decorations and consider contributing $5 to help make a difference with Canuck Place.
Today is also the Canuck Place Day of Giving Radiothon, which also has some great prizes up for grabs when you donate to this worthy community organization.
