You can celebrate Earth Day in Stanley Park on Saturday, April 23 with the Stanley Park Ecology Society (“SPES”). Learn about the wildlife of Stanley Park and pitch in to help support the park’s ecosystems.
Heron at Lost Lagoon. Miss604/Rebecca Bollwitt photo
Earth Day in Stanley Park
When: Saturday, April 23, 2022 from 10:30am to 3:30pm
Where: Beside Stanley Park Brewpub (8901 Stanley Park Dr, Vancouver)
Admission: Free
Stanley Park is a fragment of wilderness in the heart of Canada’s third largest city. The Park hosts a variety of ecosystems including wetlands which act as nurseries, buffets and shelter to a diversity of wildlife: Tree Swallows, Great Blue Herons, Pacific tree frogs, Northwestern salamanders, and small mammals like beavers and otters. Earth Day offers Vancouver residents an opportunity to pitch in and support local ecosystems while learning how SPES staff and volunteers help the city manage this 405 hectare (1000 acre) green space.
SPES staff will be on hand to lead visitors on guided walks of the Great Blue Heron colony and park wetlands, or on easy hikes through the forest. Flex your muscles to help remove invasive plants from wildlife habitat and have fun with some family-friendly eco games and heron ornament crafts. After all that activity, whet your whistle with some free samples of Stanley Park Brewing’s new line of non-alcoholic beers.
Become a SPES member that day or sign up for membership on the SPES websiteto participate in a special tour through Stanley Park’s forest with Talaysay Tours. Members will join an Indigenous guide and cultural ambassador to learn about local plants harvested by First Nations, and hear stories of the land, people and Indigenous ways of living. Please note: This tour is first come, first served on the day. No registration. Max 20 people.
Candace Campo of Talaysay Tours
You can find a full schedule for the day online as well.
10:30am – 11:00am Indigenous Welcome with Talaysay Toursby a member of Skwxu7mesh Uxwumixw – Coast Salish people
10:30am – 1:00pm Invasive Plant Removal(drop in session sponsored by One Tree Planted)
11:00am – 12:30pm “Talking Trees Tour” with Talaysay Tours (SPES Members only): Learn about local plants harvested by Skwxu7mesh Uxwumixw – Coast Salish people, and hear stories of the land, people and Indigenous ways of living.
11:30am – noon Heron Walk: Look up and learn about the Great Blue Heron nesting colony. How many big blue eggs are up there right now?
1:00pm – 2:00pmConservation Projects Tour: Find out what SPES does to support wildlife and habitats in Stanley Park
2:00pm – 2:45pmForest Walk: Learn about the amazing plants and wildlife in Stanley Park
11:30pm – 1:00pm Wonders of Wetlands Tour: Explore Lost Lagoon and the important wetland habitat it provides for urban wildlife.
All dayCraft Table and Eco Games: Learn and play as you build your own hanging heron ornament or play some fun earth-focused games
Join SPES for a day of earth-friendly action and awareness and follow along on Facebook for the latest updates.
The #CHVCatchUp is a monthly series featuring the latest updates and news from Covenant House Vancouver (“CHV”). Miss604 is proud to be the Official Blog Partner of CHV. This month’s post has been written by Jason Bosher.
What Is Sleep Out: Home Edition?
It started as a response to COVID: “How can we keep our supporters safe, but still advocate for the most vulnerable in our society?”
What Covenant House Vancouver discovered was that Sleep Out: Home Edition was an exciting new way to engage supporters, advocate for youth, and enable sleepers to include family and friends, in the safety of their own environment.
Sleep Out: Home Edition is a chance for you to sleep out in solidarity with young people facing homelessness, and it’s a great opportunity to engage family and friends around the subject of the most vulnerable young people in our city.
As part of your Sleep Out experience, there will be amazing online content that includes moving stories from Covenant House youth. You will be able to engage and ask questions with members of our team who work directly with our youth.
Connect with your network and ask them to support you
Get your sleeping bag, cardboard, and warm clothes ready
Log on and join the event on April 29th
Want to be involved, but can’t join the event? You can donate to a participant, team, or to the event and show youth that you stand in solidarity with them.
Why the Sleep Out Campaign is so Important
Every day, an average of 100 youth find support at Covenant House Vancouver.
“Today, I’m most proud of my own life coaching business. I get to use the tools I’ve learned at Covenant House to give back.” – Keyosha, CHV alumna
Sleep Out is not about trying to replicate what it might be like to live on the street, it’s about bringing people together to show youth that they are important and valued. Sleep Out represents an inclusive community that strives for a hope-filled future for all.
Take a moment and watch this clip from a recent virtual Sleep Out event that illustrates the impact that you have when you decide to participate in this unique experience.
Join the Sleep Out movement and join Covenant House Vancouver for an evening that you will never forget.
Since 1997, Covenant House Vancouver has been providing love and hope to youth experiencing homelessness. They are the premiere service provider of residential and outreach services for homeless and at-risk youth ages 16 to 24 in Vancouver. Follow Covenant House on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for more info.
One of the busiest lists of weekend events in Vancouver I’ve put together in almost two years! From April 8-10 you can look forward to everything from theatre and early Easter events, to food trucks, rollerskating, symphony, magic, movies, art and cherry blossoms!
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by Rebecca BollwittDisclosure: Sponsored Post — Sponsored by Point Blank Entertainment Please review the Policy & Disclosure section for further information.
The River Rock Show Theatre is going to be one hoppin’ place when they bring back live music in style with The Rocket Man and The Piano Man next month!
The Rocket Man and The Piano Man at the River Rock
When: Friday, May 6, 2022 at 8:00pm
Where: River Rock Show Theatre (8811 River Rd #8831, Richmond)
Moon Coin Productions presents The Rocket Man A Tribute to Elton John, starring Ryan Langevin features a full live band while Langevin sings all of Elton’s biggest hits including Crocodile Rock, Benny and The Jets, Tiny Dancer, Sad Songs, Your Song, Saturday Night’s Alright, Philadelphia Freedom, Candle In The Wind and so many more.
The Rocket Man has sold out shows across the country, played Canada Day performances for thousands, entertained the PNE and theatres from New West to Saskatoon and everywhere in between.
Getting the night started on all the right notes, Langevin will open the show as The Piano Man, a genuine and powerful tribute to the music and legacy of Billy Joel. An accomplished vocalist, pianist and performer along with his live band Langevin will have you dancing and singing along to all of Billy’s biggest hits including It’s Still Rock n Roll To Me, The Piano Man, My Life, Just The Way You Are, You May Be Right, Only The Good Die Young, Uptown Girl, Tell Her About It, River Of Dreams and more.
Make it a night to remember; book a stay at the River Rock Casino Resort by contacting the reservations team at 1-866-748-3718 or booking online.
Win Tickets
I have a pair of tickets to give away to this lively night of entertainment. Here’s how you can enter to win:
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by Steffani CameronDisclosure: Review — Media rate was supplied by the YWCA Hotel, views and opinions are those of the author Please review the Policy & Disclosure section for further information.
People travel in all kinds of ways, for all kinds of reasons. Like me, I was a nomad for a few years and made my way through 25 countries on a slow roll. I’m mostly about experiences and exploring, so I’m comfortable with modest stays – provided the bed is good and the space is clean and attractive.
Some people, they’re all about posh and chill. It’s a getaway, they want it luxe and distraction-free. Hey, I get it! But, like many people, I’ve got to pick one or the other on my budget, and posh gets pricy.
For those like me, who look for a budget-friendly but comfortable way to stretch their budget, the YWCA Hotel is a fantastic option in Downtown Vancouver. It’s a clean, comfortable, newly renovated place to stay in the heart of the city, and where to stay when you’d rather blow your wad on adventures, dining, seeing the sights, or even shopping up a storm. It’s also ideal when swooping into town for a concert you’ve splurged on and just want a place to lay your head.
When I come to Vancouver, it’s a whirlwind of catching up with friends and gettin’ business done. It’s hec-tic (but fun). My room is for crashing in, mostly. I’m out for hours at a time, possibly multiple times a day, because I spent 40 years of my life in Vancity and now live across the pond in Victoria. I got people to see, things to do, and I need great sleeps to get it all done with.
This time, Miss 604 arranged for me to try the YWCA Hotel. I’d been there before, in the older rooms, back about 8-9 years ago. These days, a new tower has been added with contemporary, clean, simple rooms.
Importantly, I slept well. And as someone with a bad back who walks an average of 10 kilometres a day during her frantic visits home, that my back felt good after a night of sleep is a big thumbs up, and a rarity in budget-friendly stays.
While I love being in the West End for lazy visits, it adds as much as a half-hour for even the most basic bus commutes. It makes those hec-tic gettin’-business-done visits much more taxing. The YWCA sits at under one kilometre from so much in Downtown. Pacific Centre? Gastown? Yaletown? Chinatown? Coal Harbour? All a short walk.
It’s also smack dab between two skytrain lines – the Canada Line (City Centre and Yaletown are both nearly equidistant from the YWCA, about eight minutes each) and the Expo Line at Stadium is just four minutes away.
It’s across from BC Place and around the corner from Rogers Arena for Canucks games. Science World is a 20-minute walk and the foot ferries at Plaza of Nations are only 600 metres. (There are two foot-ferry companies and they can take you to Granville Island, the Maritime Museum, Science World, and so many other locations. It’s a particularly fun and beautiful way to see Vancouver. Get a day pass but be sure the company goes to all the stops you want.)
There’s really no better location for getting around the city.
If you’re looking to cycle around for your stay, bringing your bikes should be quite safe. While I stayed, my friend came down to visit with his $5,000 e-bike, which they allowed us to store in the secure bike parking. To use it, my key card had to be specially encoded to access not only the underground parking, but specifically the unmarked bike room. My friend’s bike was just dandy.
Now, let’s answer the question everyone feels silly about asking:
Can only “young women” stay at the YWCA Hotel? No! Everyone can. But the hotel runs as a social enterprise to deliver needed programs for at-risk and other communities across all ages and the 2SLGBTQIA+ community in Vancouver, benefitting women, children, and families. Most of the YWCA’s income to support these programs is generated through their hotel and fitness centres, both of which were hit hard under COVID.
In short, your stay helps people who really need a break.
YWCA Hotel Room. Photo by Steffani Cameron
The YWCA staff are there to help you. They’re friendly and professional. The hotel is clean, stylish, and comfortable. A variety of room types make stays affordable for all kinds of folks. I stayed in one of the rare double rooms with a balcony and private bathroom.
Some rooms have budget-friendly options like shared bathrooms, hostel-style, for those who don’t mind such scenarios. There are fitness facilities and two general-use full kitchens for food prep (fourth and tenth floors), as well as kitchenettes on each floor, so you can be like the French couple I saw having a posh breakfast out then grabbing some groceries for a charcuterie-ish lunch after their nap. I had a mini-fridge in my room, which would make using kitchens even more practical, but ensure your suite has a fridge, if that’s important to you.
Let’s face it, Vancouver is a wonderful city to explore, but it’s pricy, and having options for safe, friendly clean lodgings that make other people’s lives better, well, how great is that?
Whether you choose to catch up on specialty shopping, run errands, attend events, see the sights, eat your way through the city, or just wander and see where the day takes you, the YWCA Hotel will help you stay on budget and reduce the time you waste just getting around. And it’ll do a little good in the world too.
