Tulips are a lovely sight to see at this time of year, from the millions of bulbs in the Fraser Valley, to gardens and groves in the heart of the city. They have a very special meaning here in Canada, and their story is told through the 800 Liberation Tulips now blooming outside the Seaforth Armoury on Burrard Street.
Liberation Tulips. Photo by Josh Muir CD SHOC Regimental Association President
800 Liberation Tulips Now Blooming
On May 1st, over 40 local members and Regimental Family of the Seaforth Highlanders of Canada, Vancouver’s Infantry Regiment, were planning to fly to Holland to mark and celebrate the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Holland during World War II.
Members of the Seaforth Highlanders of Canada were responsible for liberating Amsterdam and several other Dutch towns and cities during the war so plans were for Seaforths to attend official veteran ceremonies at War Cemeteries, tour the liberation route of the Seaforth Highlanders, visit battles sites and to recreate the May 8, 1945 march into Amsterdam.
Like so many other events, plans changed overnight with COVID-19 and the only marker of this milestone is the 800 Liberation Tulips planted outside the Seaforth Armoury on Burrard Street. For the Liberation Tulip campaign, goal was to plant 1.1-million across the country, to commemorate the 1.1-million Canadians who served for their country during the Second World War.
In the fall of 2019, Canadians were encouraged to plant the red “Triumph” tulip, which would be blooming right now. Brian Minter wrote in the Vancouver Sun:
As a symbol, this tulip was to be a recognition of liberation, an expression of deep appreciation and a means to create awareness among the younger generations of the role Canadians played. The goal of planting one million tulips in schools, parks and home gardens was set. The Dutch Canadian 2020 Liberation Society decided that this should be a not-for-profit campaign here in B.C. with the net proceeds going to the Royal Canadian Legion, B.C. and Yukon Command.
As a thank-you for Canadian’s efforts in World War II, the Dutch Royal Family has been giving Canada 100,000 tulip bulbs each year since the war to be planted in the Ottawa region, but this year they will be donating ‘Liberation 75’ bulbs to 1,100 schools across the country, as well as 750 bulbs to provincial capitals. The National Capital Commission, the official gardener of the Capital, has also agreed to match this donation by planting 100,000 ‘Liberation 75’ tulips around our Capital.
You can see the Liberation Tulips at Burrard and First Ave. If you snap a photo during a morning constitutional, tag the Seaforth Highlanders on social media and #Liberation75 #LiberationTulips to share the beauty of these flowers, and their meaning.
This morning the Vancouver Park Board announced that VanDusen Botanical Garden will be opening on May 1, 2020 along with two city-run golf courses, Fraserview and McCleery. The sites will operate with new physical distancing procedures for users and staff to ensure a safe experience.
VanDusen Botanical Garden Opening
Vancouver Park Board Image
VanDusen Botanical Garden provides hundreds of acres of green space for the community. The Park Board assures that the site will be highly supervised, attendance is managed, and that facilities allow for new physical distancing protocols.
Visitors and Vancouver Botanical Gardens Association (“VBGA”) members will be required to book an entry time slot in advance.
Hours of operation will be modified to provide the safest visitor experience. The Garden will open to the public Monday to Friday, 10:00am to 7:00pm, and from 9:00am to 7:00pm on weekends. VBGA members will have morning access from 9:00am to 10:00am, Monday to Friday.
A maximum of 30 visitors will be permitted in each time slot (every half hour).
Select facility features will be closed (such as the gift shop and cafe), some pathways will be marked as one-way, and guided tours will not be available.
Visitors will be required to maintain a two-metre distance from others at all times.
Enhanced and rigorous cleaning protocols will be implemented at all shared services (washrooms etc.).
One individual/household will be permitted in the maze at a time; the maze will be staffed to ensure compliance with this restriction.
Measures have also been introduced to keep VanDusen Botanical Garden and golf course maintenance staff safe. Schedules have been adapted and on-site procedures adopted to distance staff. Personal Protection Equipment has also been provided and will be in use for maintenance staff.
Langara Golf Course will remain closed for play, as the clubhouse is currently being used to prepare meals for residents of the Downtown Eastside. Pitch and putts in Stanley, Rupert, and Queen Elizabeth parks will also remain closed.
Mo Amir describes himself as “just a guy who loves his city”, and I feel that, being a gal who just loves her city too. When he asked me to be on the This is VANCOLOUR Podcast, I was honoured. He’s done some incredibly entertaining interviews with local and national personalities over the last two years, and I often see his audio clips go by on Twitter. It took a little while but we finally synced up our calendars this weekend and recorded one of his Colourful Calls segments.
We discussed the upcoming summer in Vancouver after the cancellation of all public gatherings, including the city’s hallmark events, due to the COVID-19 crisis.
I’m really glad podcasting is still around. John had a podcast from 2004-2009 and we did a group Canucks podcast with some awesome bloggers and fellow podcasters until about 2012.
Through his podcast, Mo brings together prominent Vancouver personalities in long-form, in-depth, and sometimes even emotional discussions. Past guests include Jody Wilson-Raybould, Tamara Taggart, David Eby, Ivan Decker, and Brad West. Although the focus of discussion is usually Vancouver-centric, This is VANCOLOUR consistently charts on iTunes as one of the most listened-to Canadian, independent politics and culture podcasts.
Follow Mo on Twitter to hear some of the soundbites from his interviews.
Thanks to a news story, a well-timed email, some simple-to-use technology, and people with very big hearts, I reached 10x my goal. Here’s how:
The first email I read this morning was from my contact at the Greater Vancouver Food Bank: “Not sure if you saw already but Ryan Reynolds just donated to your virtual food drive!” No. I had not seen that. I put down my phone, walked over to my computer and there was the notification email. I’m pretty sure my eyeballs hit the laptop screen and my jaw dropped like a Looney Tunes cartoon.
The Virtual Food Drive is a simple, fun and secure way to fundraise online with your colleagues, friends and family. Invite them to donate or have a virtual shopping experience to support the work of the Greater Vancouver Food Bank.
I signed up right away and the GVFB emailed me to say I was the first person to use the new platform. Upon launch, I received a handful of very helpful contributions from friends and blog readers however, my food drive has sat dormant since the week set it was up. Every few days I promote it on my Twitter account and today was the day that it hit the radar of the benevolent couple.
I sent Ryan a note to thank him for the donation, and to ask permission to share the news about it. He said that he and Blake were happy to help out and spread awareness, and he also made a point to mention how easy it was to make the donation.
It’s incredible to see this chain reaction, and I wonder how many others were inspired by their initial gift of support mid-March. If you would like to keep the momentum going, here’s how you can setup your own Virtual Food Drive — it really is easy!
Create a Virtual Food Drive for the Vancouver Food Bank
Customize your profile photo, banner image, add a paragraph about your fundraiser (they have templates too) and set your fundraising goal.
The Virtual Food Drive is also a fantastic team builder within organizations, driving friendly competition and the desire to do some good. The GVFB said that often companies may match their employees’ donations to instantly double their impact.
When you donate, you can virtually shop for food items
Every single donation is appreciated and can make a huge impact. Remember that for every $1 raised, the GVFB can purchase $3 of local, fresh and healthy food. 100% of the funds raised will be used towards purchasing healthy food to those in need.
If you need any guidance, the team is available to help you out so that your fundraiser can be successful. Follow the Greater Vancouver Food Bank on Facebook and Twitter for more information and community updates.
A HUGE thank you to Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively! And thank you to all who support my charitable initiatives, from simply reading my articles or sharing my posts, to your donations and words of encouragement.
Six Vancouver Farmers Markets are set to open for summer 2020. Deemed an essential service during the COVID-19 pandemic, the 25th season of the markets will open with Trout Lake on Saturday, May 2nd.
Vancouver Farmers Markets Open for Summer 2020
“We had originally planned a series of special events for our 25th anniversary,” says VFM’s interim executive director Laura Smit, who has been with the organization since 2011. “Now the focus is on providing an essential service to the community and helping our farms stay in business.”
The markets will look very different to the community gatherings they were previous to COVID-19. In accordance with BC Public Health Officer Bonnie Henry’s orders, VFM will be food-only for the time being, with no craft, flowers, or non-food nursery items available for purchase; full physical distancing and safety measures will be in place, including limiting shopper capacity inside the markets. There will be no live music or eating on site, and shoppers will be asked to follow the “Shop, don’t stop” protocol in effect at grocery stores and other businesses.
Keeping farmers afloat – and providing the public with the fresh, healthy food it needs during the pandemic – is top of mind for Smit and her team this summer. As restaurants and other food-related businesses remain closed, farmers markets have become the only source of revenue for many growers and small scale food producers.
“The markets are essential right now,” says Chris Billion, a farmer from Lillooet, BC who sells at the Riley Park and Main St. Station markets. “They make up the majority of my annual sales. Without them, I don’t have a business.”
Recent shopper attendance at VFM’s Riley Park winter market attests to the fact that farmers markets are essential to eaters too. Smit, who’s been onsite at the market over the last few weeks, has been heartened by the support of the community.
Photo via Vancouver Farmers Markets on Facebook
“We know Vancouverites love their farmers markets, but I’ve been impressed with the numbers coming out during the pandemic,” she says. “Some folks have told me that the markets are the only place they shop. That’s inspiring us to keep going right now.”
Along with the weekly markets, shoppers can access food from VFM vendors through its new online platform, VFM Online Orders. While VFM is working on implementing centralized pick-up and delivery in the coming weeks, a variety of these options are available through individual vendors on the platform.
“There’s no shortage of local food right now, so we need people to come and shop,” says Smit. “But we ask that people send only one member per household and keep interactions to a minimum while at the markets. We hope to get back to being a place for community connection soon, but for now, it’s all about the food.”
