Strolling through my WordPress categories the other day I came across “Beach Times” and reminisced about the summer of 2006 when John and I spent every weekend afternoon in the sand watching the waves roll in and enjoying each other’s company.
Last summer the weather wasn’t too cooperative and John had a gig that kept him working Saturday afternoons. However, with that behind us I’m officially re-opening the Beach Times category as we kick off what will be a truly Bollwitt Beach Summer (in Vancouver, around BC, and North America).
If you plan to stay in town to check out any of Vancouver’s eight ocean beaches, which will hopefully remain safe thanks to our new Baywatch-like squad – the VPD Beach Patrol. As you breathe in that fresh salty ocean air, also enjoy the smell of their ATV exhaust.
Those not planning on coming downtown should check out the ocean beaches over at Ambleside, White Rock and Belcarra in Port Moody. There’s also Crescent Beach in South Surrey (or the Naturist Beach nearby), Iona Beach, and Cates Park in Deep Cove – just to name a few.
Final note, please remember that sunscreen is your friend – happy beaching!
Does anyone remember last summer when the sun decided not to show up and city workers were on strike for months so park facilities, rec centres and pools were all closed? Well banish those sore memories from your minds and get ready for this weekend which is official kick off to outdoor recreation in the City of Vancouver.
Focusing on Outdoor Pools in Vancouver, here’s the rundown:
New Brighton Pool (#13 on the map – Opening May 17th, 2008
I forgot about this park entirely until we started taking the McGill exit off the #1 to get downtown recently. Tucked away behind the PNE, New Brighton park has lovely mountain views and is the only park in East Vancouver that has ocean beach access.
Second Beach Pool (#14 on the map) – Opening May 17th, 2008
Just like how the “First Narrows” is another name for the Lions Gate Bridge and “Second Narrows” is the Ironworkers Memorial, what we know as English Bay beach is actually “First Beach”. As you head toward Stanley Park the numbers go up, hence Second and Third Beaches. The pool is near a concession stand, has fun slides for the kiddies and since it’s pretty much located smack-dab in the middle of the sea wall, it is conducive to pre or post swimming strolls through the park.
Kitsilano Pool (#10 on the map) – Opening May 17th, 2008
Located at 2305 Cornwall Avenue Kits pool offers the best view of the city and also has beach access. It’s the “only salt water pool in Vancouver and one of the few in the world.” I also like to call it the “meat market” cause if you’re a single summer college student think Granville Street clubbing… but on a beach.
Mount Pleasant Pool (#11 on the map) – Opening June 21st, 2008
I admit, I’ve never been to the Mount Pleasant pool, but from the looks of it there’s plenty to do. Diving towers, slides, and it’s adjacent to the Mount Pleasant Community Centre.
Maple Grove Pool (#12 on the map) – Opening June 21st, 2008
I had to look up information on this park until I realized I’ve been to this pool many times in my childhood years. This is a large heated wading pool (max 3.5 feet in depth) in a park complete with a playground for the kiddies. When I was little “wading pool” usually meant mom would tell me I could go in up to my ankles – next thing you know on the drive home I’m wrapped in a towel and my shorts are spread out on the dashboard catching sun in hope of drying out before we get back.
Aquatic Centre at Hillcrest Park (*New – Just added for 2011) Enjoy this new outdoor and indoor pool combo right new Nat Bailey Stadium. Complete with an outdoor waterpark, 70-person hot tub, change rooms, and a fitness centre inside.
Swimming lessons are also offered at all of the outdoor pools (listed above) and the first sessions start July 17th, 2008 (click for PDF schedule). Drop-in rates for the pools range from $2.50 to about $5.00 although you can get in with you Vancouver recreation pass or Flexi pass, which is good for most rec centre/community centre activities. You can also purchase books of tickets for 10 visits to save a bit on the cost – more info is available on the Parks n’ Rec website.
The event was the 604 Records showcase – no relation although my ears did perk up whenever someone thanked ‘604’.
We arrived in time to catch Jessie Farrell on stage and Lisa Bettany in the crowd, snapping some shots of her performance. Although country music never has been my thing, you can tell these artists are very talented and from the reaction of the audience they have a huge fan-base.
The next set was performed by Aaron Pritchett and his band. He’s a very talented up-and-coming Canadian country star and as Duane started to get in the country groove he related to such lyrics as, “hold my beer while I kiss your girlfriend.”
Before Armchair Cynics took the stage we discovered something unsettling; Ianiv was being hassled at the bar because they wanted him to pay for a glass of water. Apparently the Red Room has a policy that tap water is only free if you order it alongside a purchased alcoholic beverage. Being the designated driver for the evening he was not about to order a rum and coke so he disputed the charge they were enforcing for a single glass of H20. It put a bit of a damper on the evening but the music kept our spirits up.
With a bitter taste left in our parched mouths, we sat through two songs of the set by Armchair Cynics and had to take off. For a girl who never has never been a super fan of country music, the first half of the night was the most enjoyable by far.
Next week’s Third Tuesday is once again sponsored by Miss604.com in the form of blog coverage and prize offerings.
What:Third Tuesday with guest speaker Darren Barefoot Where: Century House, 432 Richards Street When: Tuesday May 20th, 2008 @ 7:00pm (yes, I know I say 21st in the video)
While I was picking up my passes for New Music West I decided to have a little look around the offices and scoop some swag. One item that caught my eye was a CD case:
The paper we print on is either recycled or is made from wood that has been logged responsibly. 100% recycled paper stock has been an MMS manufacturing option for many years. And now, almost all of our standard products (booklets, tray cards, DigiPaks, posters) are printed on Forest Stewardship Council certified papers… [MusicManufacturing]
The folks over at Music Manufacturing Services have gone full steam ahead in revolutionizing the music industry. They currently offer the “green CD” packaging including the paper case, potato starch foam tray, vegetable-based inks for printing, biodegradable overwrap, and the entire company is committed to reducing its carbon emissions.
Holding this cardboard and potato-made case in my hands it’s just as light as a plastic jewel case, it has a slot on the side for any additional artist info and the entire cover and back are printable. The only draw back is that MMS is in Ontario, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, so there’s no location in BC that can supply these cases for local artists. However, I think fans should truly appreciate an artist who has gone out of their way to provide a more sustainable method of getting their music to the masses in this manner.
I have hundreds of jewel cases around the house just collecting dust as the actual CDs themselves ended up in books for under the seat in the car over the years. The MMS cases would definitely take up less room in the home and on shelves. I think it’s great to see an innovation like this, and I’m always a fan of discovering a product is made of potato (is there anything it can’t do?).
English Bay
