How to get there by transit: Umm, you can’t. However, you can take your bicycle on the 98 to Airport Station. From there cycle west on Miller Road toward Russ Baker Way (i.e. the Airport) and turn right onto Templeton Street heading North, then keep going as it becomes Ferguson Road. The distance from the Airport Station to the park is about 8km.
Features and selling points: This is a quiet park, apart from the birds! Approximately 300 species of birds call it home and the park is one of the best places in North America to study shore birds. Unsurprisingly dogs must be kept on a leash. The 4km jetty takes you way out into the sea! In addition to fantastic birding, you will be rewarded with amazing skies, beautiful sunsets as well as the old jet to watch landing at YVR – the walkers and cyclists have their own paths. The beach has the biggest collection of drift wood anywhere which means there’s always a place to sit. This is a classic piece of the Pacific North West, you can ponder your thoughts by sand dune habitats, saline dune meadowns, wetlands and riverbank not to forget the beach of course.
History: The park was opened in 1990 by the then BC Premier, William N. Vander Zalm and later developed as a part of the YVR Habitat Compensation Program after the second runway was built in 1992. 400 metres of tidal channels were created for herons and fish as well as the planting of around 1500 native trees and shrubs.
Notes: For Leftantler and I this is a great place to take photographs. In a sometimes hectic city this is a fantastic escape and a perfect place to recharge!
How to get there by transit: 250 Horseshoe Bay from Downtown or 250 from Horseshoe bay to Vancouver (non-express).
Size: 75 hectares/185 acres
Features and selling points: The perfect mini-hike for an afternoon is following the 5km network of pathways at Lighthouse Park to experience the beauty and majesty of its old growth forest which reveal one of the most spectacular views around.
History: “Charted and named by Captain George Vancouver in 1792, Point Atkinson was an ideal geographic aid to shipping as colonial activity in the area increased. Late in the 19th century, the Government of Canada set aside 75 hectares as a lighthouse reserve, preserving the area for the park we enjoy today. The park is maintained by the Municipality, which leases it from the Department of National Defence. The park derives its name from Point Atkinson, one of Canada’s first manned lightstations. While a lighthouse has been on Point Atkinson since 1874, the current lighthouse was built in 1912, the year West Vancouver became a separate municipality. The lighthouse is a municipal landmark and can be seen from several viewpoints in the park. Old military buildings can be found near the lighthouse, remnants of the site’s military importance during World War II.” – [West Vancouver Parks]
Notes: As John and I have yet to make it past the parking lot of Lighthouse Park, these are some photos snapped by some other local bloggers. It’s definitely at the top of the list for our next day trip around the region. This forest and view are not to be missed.
It’s widely-known that I love my husband, however it’s a lesser-known fact that during a part of our wedding ceremony a song by Ben Folds was played. This is not that song, but it is still one that we both enjoy and sit here lip syncing to while on our laptops – totally geeking out.
It was an official Bollwitt meetup this evening. In this face-paced life filled with day jobs, meetups, conferences, blogging (which is our choice), family time and time for friends, sometimes we need to remember that there’s also an entirely seperate unit known as “John and Rebecca Bollwitt” that needs just as much attention as all of these other elements in our lives.
I wrote this post by request (although it was my pleasure) for the happy frog and EPIC expo blogs
The man behind the crusade for the honest homeowner is Mike Holmes, and he’ll be on the main stage at the EPIC Sustainable Living Expo this Saturday.
For the last seven seasons I’ve tuned into HGTV‘s Holmes on Holmes to watch home renovation disasters be dismantled, torn apart, and re-done the right way.
“I was constantly being hired to do renovations a second time. I had to constantly fix bad work done by other so-called contractors. I hated doing things the second time and I hated the toll bad renovations took on families. Sometimes families spent their life savings trying to create their dream home and instead ended up with no occupancy permit…or a home full of mould…or a dirt foundation…or ice dams on the roof…or crumbling stucco. You name it, I saw all sorts of screw-ups.” [Holmes on Holmes]
The ultimate goal of Holmes on Holmes was to teach people to hire a reputable contractor to complete their projects. I admit, there’s no phrase uttered in Canadian television today that gets me more excited than, “we’re going to gut it!” Sledgehammers and crowbars in hand, the Holmes crew take their time, and bring in the right guys for the job. Showing up fully prepared for a challenge, full of Tim Horton’s coffee, some of the contractors and specialists who arrive on scene donate their own free time to help out the cause of the day.
“Trades people are absolutely critical to society but don’t always get the respect they deserve.” – Mike Holmes
Despite the amazing contributions by the Holmes on Holmes crew – arming homeowners with the knowledge they need to avoid devastating damages, financial woes and even court appearances with shoddy contractors – Mike felt that this was still too ‘small scale’. Kicking things off with the “Lien on Me” project in 2006, the Holmes Foundation was born.
The mission of The Holmes Foundation is to ensure that all residential renovation and construction in Canada is done right–the first time.
The Holmes Foundation will do this by partnering with schools, businesses and governments to raise the profile and reputation of all skilled trades in Canada, using Mike Holmes’ reputation to encourage young people to pursue careers in the skilled trades and to encourage employers to hire them. [Holmes Foundation]
Not only does Holmes ensure the job is done right, he also uses innovative energy efficient and sustainable methods in his homebuilding. His environmentally conscious efforts and unsurpassed expertise make him an innovator in his field. Also, it looks totally cool on TV when they’re applying that enviro-friendly spray foam insulation.
I was asked by Rebecca on Twitter the other day if I would like to write about a park in Vancouver that I visit regularly as a guest blogger. As I’m familiar with a few in my area in Yaletown, I decided I would write about George Wainborn Park.
How to get there by Transit: The C21 community shuttle (Yaletown/Burrard), any bus going over the Granville Bridge (04, 07, 10, 16, 17) followed by a short walk.
Size: 2.49 hectares
History: The park was opened in early fall of September 2004 in honor of George Wainborn, who was Vancouver’s longest running parks commissioner serving up to 1990 for 33 years.
Among his many accomplishments, Wainborn was a leader in the creation of Stanley Park’s Miniature Railway, played a key role in starting the Carol Ships program, and initiated lighting of the magnificent grove of elm trees on Beach Avenue at Bidwell each Christmas season. A recipient of the Freedom of the City in 1991 and Order of Canada in 1999, he died in September 2003.
Costing $5.1 million to complete, the 2.5 hectare park is located at the south end of Richards Street and south of Pacific Boulevard featuring a children’s play area, a water fountain and pond, and a great grass area.
Notes: Most evenings you will find people gathering around the mid park area with their dogs, including Junior and I. Though this is not a “leashless park”, most owners let their dogs run and play with other dogs (just be careful of ticket officers, who will ticket if your dog isn’t on a leash or if their license is not up-to-date).
The great green grass area is used by many to sun bathe in the summer and some will play Frisbee or fly kites with their kids. Though during last years Civil Strike, the park was hurt by the neglect and is slowly returning back to its former glory.
