We’d head out to Derby Reach as a family on a Sunday afternoons cruising past farms on back country roads, in those years before Walnut Grove had a space station movie theatre.
Derby Reach is tucked away along the Fraser River between Walnut Grove (Langley) and Fort Langley, which makes it accessible and a great addition to my Park Series.
Metrics: 297 hectares / 733 acres with 9.5 km of walking trails, 4 km of horseback riding trails, and 4.5 km of cycling paths. The picnic shelter seats 60 and there are 38 unserviced campsites.
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How to Get There: From Highway 1 take the 200th North exit, and travel north to 96th Ave where you’ll turn and head East to 208th. Turn East on Allard Crescent and follow the signs to enter the park.
Features: The park circles around wetland, tree-covered trails, the Langley Bog (currently not accessible to the public) and cranberry fields. Aside from the trail network, there is also fishing along the Edgewater Bar, picnicking, camping, and leash-optional areas for dogs. It is also the site of the first (original) Fort Langley.
History: The 4km Fort-to Fort Trail begins at Derby Reach and runs from the original site of the Fort Langley trading post (1827) to the current National Historic Site (1839) next to the village [source]. The first fort at Derby Reach was the first permanent settlement and cultivation of land in the Lower Fraser Valley. The site was traditional hunting and fishing grounds for the Katzie and Kwantlen First Nations.
Notes: There’s a lot to see and explore in this park and what it lacks in shiny playground equipment or wading pools, it makes up for in its natural beauty and varied landscapes alongside the river with Golden Ears as a backdrop.
A few weeks ago at the Surrey Fusion Festival I cam across this advertisement for the Cloverdale Blueberry Festival and was immediately captivated by the sight of a giant blueberry riding a hot rod.
Turns out the image serves a dual purpose as the event next weekend will also include the Pacific Highway Show & Shine. On top of that, there will be a Blueberry Arts Festival at the Surrey Museum in Cloverdale, pancake breakfast, BMX stunt showcase, mini golf, talent search, and the obligatory bouncy castle.
Of course there will also be blueberries — in jams, in scones, by the handful, and in pie eating contests. Things kick off on Friday August 7th with the Party in the Parking lot at Lucas’ Place (in the Starbucks Mall) with a BBQ and performance by the Trailer Park Playboys.
Saturday morning at 9am the Pacific Highway Show & Shine begins as well as the rest of the festival at Cloverdale Village Square. The Blueberry Arts Festival at the Surrey Museum is from 10:00am until 4:00pm.
On Sunday August 9th it’s the Party on the Hill at Hillcrest Mall and throughout the entire weekend there will be a trolley service available between events and locations.
The West End Cultural Festival is taking place Saturday August 8th over at Gordon Neighbourhood House. Back in 2007 Keira and I went to the West End Block Party and had a really fun afternoon of exploring, playing games, eating snacks, and checking out garage sales. This year the community celebration is expanding.
The event for all ages will include a youth corner, childrens carnival, and seniors corner. The goal will be to gather the multi-ethnic population of the community and engage them in a cultural celebration alongside some of BC’s best athletes. The 2010 Olympic mascots will be around as well as activities to entertain and share the spirit of the Games. Festivities begin at 11:00am and will run until 3:00pm.
Gordon Neighbourhood House also organizes monthly multicutural lunches with food and community members from around the globe. The House is a non-profit, community service organization.
I had no idea what to expect when I heard we would be traveling to the Dominican Republic. I had never been anywhere tropical, nowhere south of San Diego, and had never been to a completely all-inclusive resort. To say that I was in for a treat is a severe understatement.
Our trip to Punta Cana was a working holiday (as John was on the clock) but having just that slice of Caribbean heaven for 4 days and 3 nights was enough to make me want to return, and constantly pine for that white sand between my toes. Continue reading this post ⟩⟩
The following guest post was contributed by Amanda Coolidge.
This summer the heat is on (literally!) in the arts world of Vancouver and to add to the ever-growing repertoire of fabulous artistic events in the city, are The Miss Guides – a Vancouver-based artist collective.
April Smith & Peter Davies of AHA MEDIA on behalf of W2 Community Media Arts
Featuring Natalie Doonan, Katherine Somody, and Sean George, The Miss Guides lead performative urban walks, uniquely blending historical tour with performance art. Their current hour-long walk, Walking the Ruins: Fragments of Vancouver, is “rooted in the idea of Ruins as ‘fragmentary remains,’ and attempts to piece together conflicting visions of the city by making unexpected connections between four diverse and surprising sites of past- and present-day ruin. From breath-taking attractions, such as Harbour Centre’s The Lookout, to contentious projects like the new Canada Line, The Miss Guides turn their lens on a city gearing up for international pageantry.”
This alternative sightseeing experience is not to be missed by both locals and tourists, and provides an opportunity to rediscover the city through a creative approach to urban space.
Although all performances/walks are sold out, The Miss Guides are offering private walks for the same price. Gather 6 – 8 friends for $20 each (includes the $13 admission to Harbour Centre) and enjoy an evening of walking through the city through narrative and performance art. You never know what you may discover in the Vancouver urban space!
For more information you can visit themissguides.com, follow them on Twitter @TheMissGuides, or join their Facebook group.
Amanda Coolidge is an Educational Technologist at BCIT and freelance writer/photographer based in Vancouver.
