Share your best isolation portrait from inside your home and be a part of a new community-based art project! The “Power of Portrait – We are all in this together, Vancouver” is a citizen-led initiative to reclaim boarded-up storefronts as canvases to share stories of resilience and reinforce community connection, through portraits of Vancouverites.
The Power of Portrait
The project was initiated by Andrea McLaren, a local clinical counsellor who was concerned about the psychological impact of social distancing and of the boarded-up businesses in our community during this time. She brought on Jai Djwa, a digital media artist, to help with the idea and build the website.
How it Works
Residents of Greater Vancouver are encouraged to submit either a self-portrait or a photo of a fellow self-isolator within their household to the website. Professional photographs are not required. As social distancing is critical at this time, participants are encouraged to take photos inside their homes and not out in the community. All ages are welcome to submit their portrait. Upload your photo on the website here.
The Power of Portrait project will curate a series of photo portraits submitted by Vancouverites, based on project guidelines. The photos will be shared on the project’s Facebook page and website.
In addition, up to 50 portraits will be selected to be printed in black and white and displayed in a location on Robson Street. The final installation, showing the displayed portraits, will also be shared through the project’s website and Facebook page.
The selection process will be conducted by a committee of local artists and business owners to ensure the photos meet project guidelines and are representative of the wonderful diversity that makes Vancouver such a great city.
McLaren and Djwa wanted to create something that might capture the hearts and minds of people who are socially distancing, to inspire togetherness, despite being apart.
“We are pleased to support an art project of this kind that celebrates our amazing city,” said Teri Smith, Executive Director of the Robson Street Business Association. “The initiative also provides a unique way for us to stay connected to one another during these challenging times.”
McLaren’s goal with the project is for the portraits to provide a reminder of our collective experience living in the era of COVID-19 in Vancouver, as well as help inject life and soul back into Vancouver’s quiet neighbourhood streets. McLaren and Djwa would like to acknowledge the artist JR and his Inside Out Project, which drew them to think about how art can bring people together.
In response to the call for increased action to address the COVID-19 pandemic, BC Parks is immediately closing the entire BC Parks system, including all parks, protected areas, conservancies, recreation areas, and ecological reserves. All camping (front and backcountry) is now banned until May 31st, 2020.
With the desire of the public to get outdoors, many parks have already experienced peak season levels of use that have resulted in overwhelmed parking lots, trails and trailheads, making physical distancing difficult, if not impossible in some locations. It has also resulted in damage to facilities and the environment.
Porpoise Bay Provincial Park
This closure is also necessary to ensure the continued health and safety of visitors, employees, park operators and their staff, volunteers, and park contractors. By taking this action, BC Parks aligns with federal and provincial directives for people to stay home to reduce COVID-19 transmission risk.
What is Closed
This temporary measure means public and vehicle access is prohibited until further notice.
All trails, roads, day-use areas, beaches, lakes, boat launches, and backcountry areas are closed to the public.
Park closures will be enforced through regular monitoring and patrols and anyone found in a closed park will be evicted and could face a $115 fine.
In addition to the full system closure, the campground closure has been extended to May 31st, 2020.
Coquihalla Canyon Provincial Park (Othello Tunnels)
Camping Refunds
Full refunds will continue to be provided to those with existing reservations during this time. The Discover Camping reservation system has been suspended for all new reservations. A public notice will be issued once facilities are reopened and the system is able to accept new reservations.
BC Parks continues to monitor the COVID-19 pandemic closely and is following the recommendations set out by the Provincial Health Officer and the Minister of Health for decisions related to closure and reopening of parks and facilities.
I have reached out to some of my friends around the globe who are originally from the “604” area to see how they’re doing during the COVID-19 pandemic. Here is the eighth in the Vancouverites in Isolation Elsewhere series:
Vancouverites in Isolation Elsewhere: Dave in Japan
Name: Dave Olson Hometown: Whalley (but have lived in most all of Vancouver’s extended suburbs and burroughs including: Lynn Valley, West End, North Burnaby, Newton, Maillardville etc etc) Current City: Okayama, Japan – a rather under-appreciated provincial capital between Osaka and Hiroshima
What is your city like right now?
Long answer: The virus first arrived in Japan in January with the quarantined cruise ship and soon after, some precautions were taken from stopping tour groups from China and closing the schools, cancelling sumo and baseball, closing attractions but not shops and restaurants. After the initial response, everything gradually returned to “sorta normal” (keeping in mind normal is Japan means people commonly wear masks, stores are generally very clean, and there is very little in the way of hand shaking and air kisses).
Photo: us in Nagasaki in the “early days” of the plague
We travelled to Nagasaki in early February (a lifetime ago) and already masking and taking precautions and thought we were through the worst of it but recently ramping back up 🙁 in the usual exponential manner – especially in big cities.
Our smaller city/area is growing in cases but still rather calm but anxious, fewer people out and about but certainly not a “ghost town” feeling like other places. There is no lockdown or official quarantine (the post-war constitution puts limits on what government can do) and clear recommendations have been scant.
We’ve also had to go to local “general” hospitals and city offices recently and well, no extra precautions were being taken so we left immediately. Note: Our birthing hospital is wonderfully very clean, prepared and we have a plan a, b, and c. We live out of town in a semi-rural environment so our situation is atypical of city dwellers (like Tokyo area with population of Canada).
After what was a rather lukewarm government response (mailing 2 masks per household wtf?), now that the Olympics are officially postponed, PM Abe and colleagues declared a state of emergency for Tokyo and few other large cities just recently (writing this on April 6, 2020) as the situation is getting rather intense with rapid cases developing.
The largest Vaisakhi celebrations outside of India were set to take place this month in Metro Vancouver but have been cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Spirit of Vaisakhi hasn’t been cancelled as BC Sikhs have come up with a unique way of celebrating with a Virtual Vaisakhi, raising money for good causes.
BC Sikh Groups Celebrate Virtual Vaisakhi with a Fundraiser
The concept is to raise funds and give back during COVID-19 pandemic and Sikh Heritage Month. A collective of local Sikh based community organizations are raising funds and working with existing community outreach and non-profits within British Columbia to help ease the related economic hardships faced by the communities in which we live and work.
With a little less than one week in combining efforts, the following initiatives are taking place:
Over 1500 daily meals were served
100+ grocery/prescription deliveries
Glove and mask coordination/delivery
Health care snack/meal delivery
“Every year there are many Vaisakhi Nagar Kiran events that bring thousands of people together to collectively celebrate Sikhi,” said Jessie Kaur Lehail of Kaur Project/Virtual Vaisakhi.
“This year, we are directly asking and inspiring Sikhs and non-Sikhs to collectively open their wallets and hearts to help invoke the Spirit of Vaiskahi to address the most pressing and emerging needs with organizations working with local food banks, seniors outreach, marginalized communities and domestic support services. Let’s celebrate Vaisakhi by helping others.”
Currently the collective includes Kaur Project, One Voice Canada, SAF, Khalsa Aid, Guru Nanak’s Free Kitchen, SAMHAA, SikhRi, Future is Partnership, Gurdwara Sahib Dasmesh Darbar, Gurdwara Sahib Sukh Sagar, Gurdwara Sahib Sukh Sagar, SEYVA, S.A.L.M.O.N Project and many others.
Guided by the Sikhi based value of Sarbat Da Bhala (service to all) while practicing Charhdi Kala (expansive resilience) and Joash (vibrant courage) and a spirit of giving, Virtual Vaisakhi is inviting one and all to invoke the Spirit of Vaisakhi to raise financial support.
Campaign operations will nimbly align philanthropic resources based on emerging needs, prioritizing food, medical and emergency assistance for seniors, marginalized and domestic support services. As needs are communicated, it will be of utmost importance for Virtual Vaisakhi/Spirit of Vaisakhi to provide funding to these organizations rapidly. The collective has committed to contributing 100% of money raised to community initiatives.
The Vancouver Park Board will be closing Stanley Park to all vehicles starting Wednesday, April 8, 2020 in an effort to reduce the number of people in the park and to enable physical distancing. It is the latest in a series of measures the Park Board has taken in recent weeks to reduce the risk of the COVID-19 pandemic to the public.
Park Board Will be Closing Stanley Park to Vehicles
Causeway Will Remain Open
The closure will be carried out Wednesday morning and will remain in place indefinitely. It will be implemented via physical barriers and signage at key access points to the park, supported by Park Rangers and the VPD. Digital traffic signs on Georgia St, English Bay, and the Stanley Park Causeway will alert motorists to the closure. The Causeway will remain open.
Reducing the Number of Visitors to the Park
Despite the closure of all parking lots in Stanley Park more than a week ago, visitors have still been observed travelling by car to the park, particularly on sunny days, and parking illegally on the road.
Closing Stanley Park’s roads will reduce the daily number of people in the park and open up space for cyclists and pedestrians from the neighbourhood.
Once the closure is implemented, the Park Board will be encouraging cyclists to keep a safe physical distance from pedestrians by moving off the seawall and using the adjacent Stanley Park Drive, which will be free of traffic.
Access Available to Emergency Services, #19 Bus, and Staff
Emergency services, the #19 bus, and Park Board and City service vehicles will still be able to access the park.
There will also be limited access for key tenants and leaseholders via checkpoints at the Georgia St roundabout, facilitated by Rangers and Park Board staff.
Access will be provided to staff of the Rowing Club, Yacht Club, HMCS Discovery, Prospect Point, and Stanley Park Ecological Society.
Protect Yourself and Others
Vancouver is among cities with the densest neighbourhood populations in Canada, and residents rely on park spaces for fresh air, much like a backyard. It is paramount that everyone shares the spaces and uses them safely.
Always maintain a safe physical distance of a least two metres
Use parks and beaches for a short break to exercise, not to socialize
Visit during less busy times (mornings, late evenings, or when it’s cloudy or damp outside)
Access neighbourhood or community parks and do not drive to destination parks and beaches
Keep dogs on leash when walking, unless using an official off-leash park
Refrain from touching shared surfaces and be vigilant about hand-washing
Consider wearing a cloth (non-medical) face mask when exercising vigorously or accessing public spaces
Stay home if you’re sick, especially if feeling cold or flu-like symptoms
UPDATE May 22, 2020: Starting this morning, Vancouver Park Board staff will begin reopening the majority of parking lots at parks and beaches, with the aim of having lots open by Sunday, May 24.
Parking lots were closed in mid-March as part of the Park Board’s overall effort to:
Support physical distancing
Reduce crowding at destination parks and beaches
Encourage use of neighbourhood parks
The reopening over the next two days of public parking includes 7,000 stalls at beaches and parks across the city, including the roadways at Queen Elizabeth Park. The reopening follows careful planning and consideration by the Park Board and is in alignment with the BC Restart Plan. Parking at beaches and parks is also vital to ensure there is equity of access to these spaces, particularly for residents with mobility challenges.
Pay parking and enforcement will be in effect at the pay lots and visitors are urged to keep a safe distance from others of at least two metres while exiting their vehicles and visiting beaches and parks.
