Turn off the dusty gravel road to a tree-lined drive way and park under the shade of a chestnut tree. “You’re just 45 minutes from Downtown Vancouver but you’re a world away,” says Joanne Braithwaite of Glen Valley Stables. She and her husband, along with a crew of experienced guides, host horseback trail riding experiences in Langley’s Campbell Valley Park.

Before checking in, Joanne will direct you to the hand washing station where you’ll soap up and pump some rushing water. When you’re ready to go you’ll be handed a sterilized helmet and walk over to meet your horse.

In 2020 we have seen more of our living room walls than we have trees in the forest, more of our lamps than our friends and family. It sounds rather grim but as the province has opened up, we have more options for adventure and quite simply, getting out of the house.

If you’ve been longing for some scenic snapshots of our beautiful city, here’s a collection that will ease that craving and perhaps inspire your next physically distanced stroll.

Vancouver Photos of the Week: Summer in the City

It’s where history comes to life as you stroll through the open air museum town and get a glimpse of life in our region a hundred years ago. The Burnaby Village Museum is open again and they are ready to welcome you back to enjoy this experience.

Burnaby Village Museum is Open Again

• Where: Burnaby Village Museum (6501 Deer Lake Ave, Burnaby)
• When: Now until September 6, 2020
  • Wednesdays to Sundays only, 11:00am to 4:30pm
• Admission: Free!
  • No advance reservations required. It is recommended to give yourself some time upon arrival as a limited number of people will be admitted at a time in order to adhere to gathering limits set out by the Provincial Health Officer. 

While the carousel and gift shop will remain closed, here’s what you can enjoy when you visit:

Chat with the schoolteacher at Seaforth School then wander over to the Tram Barn to view the Interurban Tram Car #1223.

Visit the General Store or stop by the Blacksmith Shop to watch the skilled farriers demonstrate their craft.

Don’t miss the feature exhibit, Across the Pacific, which shines a spotlight on the history of  Chinese-Canadians in Burnaby. There you can learn about Chinese-Canadians’ contributions to Burnaby and the challenges they had to overcome while immigrating and settling in Canada.

It’s a wonderful blend of nature, history, arts and culture – and it’s free! Plan your visit to Burnaby Village Museum and follow along on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for the latest news, updates, and inspiration.

Introducing the #CHVCatchUp, a new monthly series featuring the latest updates and news from Covenant House Vancouver team. Miss604 is proud to be the Official Blog Partner of CHV.

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning, gender non-binary and two spirited youth are overrepresented in the homeless community.  Covenant House Vancouver strongly believes all youth deserve unconditional love and absolute respect and LGBTQ2S+ youth are of course no exception.

Did You Know?

• 25-40% of homeless youth are LGBTQ2S+
• Family rejection is the most common cause of LGBTQ2S+ youth homelessness
• LGBTQ2S+ youth are much more likely to struggle with mental health concerns, including suicide
• Covenant House Vancouver takes a trauma-informed, resilience-focused approach to accompanying the youth in their care
• Staff participate in specialized training to ensure they have the necessary knowledge and awareness to create a welcoming space for LGBTQ2S+ youth

Andrew Finally Felt at Home

Andrew came to Covenant House Vancouver’s Crisis Program because his parents were not accepting of his gender identity. Before coming to Covenant House, Andrew had never lived anywhere other than his parents’ house. It was clear from his timid interactions with staff and other residents, that Andrew was not comfortable living at Covenant House in the beginning.

Covenant House Vancouver strives to be a safe and inclusive space for all youth and young people self-identify which Crisis Program is right for them. When Andrew told his parents he was a guy, they told him that he would only ever be a girl to them. Read about Andrew’s journey and how Covenant House Vancouver was a support to him.

Resources for LGBTQ2S+ Youth

Covenant House Vancouver’s Drop-In Center holds an event for LGBTQ2S+ youth on the 2nd Tuesday of each month from 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm.

There are 59 beds in their short-term Residential Crisis Program:

• 24 beds for female-identified, trans, and non-binary youth
• 35 beds for male-identified, trans, and non-binary youth

Trans, gender queer, non-binary and two-spirit youth may request to stay in which ever space they feel most comfortable in.

If you are youth in need of support or have questions, please contact Covenant House Vancouver toll free, at 1-877-685-7474 or click here.

Follow Covenant House on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for more info.

The Vancouver Pride Parade is going virtual for 2020 due to COVID-19, bringing its incredible spirit and community directly to you through a series of a live stream #VanVirtualPride events on Sunday.

Vancouver Pride Parade

When: Sunday, August 2, 2020 from 12:00pm to 4:00pm
Where: Live streamed on Facebook, Youtube, and Twitch

#VanVirtualPride parade day will consists of the following events:

40+ Years of Pride – 12:00pm
Travel through 40 years of Pride history in Vancouver in a documentary produced just for Van Pride 2020 with footage from years of Vancouver Pride Parades and exclusive interviews with community members. Hosted by Joan-E and Kendall Gender.

Virtual Pride Parade – 1:00pm
Pride can’t be cancelled – only re-imagined! Tune into the Vancouver Virtual Pride Parade, produced by Daily Hive Vancouver and hosted by Joan-E, for an hour of creative submissions and music.

Sunset Beach Main Stage Show – 2:00pm
Dance in your living room or at your socially distanced patio party to the Sunset Beach Main Stage Show, featuring an all QTBIPOC line-up of performers. Headlined by Amythyst Kiah and Jamila Woods. Performers include: Amythyst Kiah, Jamila Woods, NIMKISH, DJ Abasi, SNAP, Shanique, Ebbie Akbar, Shawnee, Virago Nation, Jaylene Tyme, Kendall Gender, Shay Dior, and Owen.

Pride is More Than a Parade or Festival

From the organizers: “Pride is more than a parade or a festival – every year members of our communities reach out to tell us this. Pride is the first time they felt truly able to be their full selves. Pride is the day they felt unafraid in public. Pride is where they feel able to fully exist in a world that isn’t designed for them. Pride is holding hands and sharing a kiss free of fear, it is first dates and family members coming around, it is political, it is dancing till down, it is unabashedly taking up space.”

Follow the Vancouver Pride Society on Facebook for more info.