This post has been contributed by Kathleen Stormont, Communications Specialist with the Stanley Park Ecology Society (“SPES”). I have been following SPES since I moved into the West End over a decade ago and I have been a member for four years. I wanted to offer the team an opportunity to share their news, events, and work so I have created “SPES Saturday” where they contribute and share stories with my audience once a month.

Sharing the Knowledge
First Nations Plant Walks in Stanley Park

Before Lost Lagoon was artificially blocked off from Coal Harbour in 1916, Stanley Park was an island. Tides washed into the lagoon from Coal Harbour and a stream ran from its western end to English Bay. The lagoon, an intertidal mudflat at low tide (hence its “lost” reference), provided rich clamming grounds for local First Nations, some of whom dwelled in villages dotting the island. The largest village site, Xway Xway (also known as Whoi Whoi), hosted potlatches for up to 2000 people where present-day Lumberman’s Arch is located.

Lauraleigh Paul (Yuxweluptun’aat) touches
the “tree of life”, a western red cedar in Stanley Park.

On the traditional territory of these Coast Salish peoples, the Stanley Park Ecology Society (“SPES”) is proud to present a series of authentic indigenous walks with experienced First Nations guides this late summer. Walking in their ancestors’ footsteps, guides like Lauraleigh Paul, a Coast Salish, Interior Salish, and Carrier First Nations woman, is bringing the traditional knowledge of local medicinal and edible plants alive for tour participants. “The wealth of knowledge that has been carried for thousands of years through our oral tradition is now blessing us through this tour,” says Lauraleigh, known also by her indigenous name, Yuxweluptun’ aat.

According to Lauraleigh, Stanley Park is still rich in many species of useful plants. “Unlike other parks around Vancouver, Stanley Park has retained many of the plant species that we used traditionally and continue to collect today.” The trailing blackberry, for example, with a smaller and sweeter berry than the invasive Himalayan blackberry, grows in the Park. The more common plantain, which Lauraleigh refers to as “frog leaf” for its leaf shape and vein pattern, is a multifunctional medicine. “It grows everywhere, along cracks in sidewalks…and it’s a great after-bite remedy for mosquito bites or as a poultice for wounds.”

Trailing blackberry (By Leslie Seaton) & Common plantain (By SriMesh)

SPES stresses, however, that harvesting these plants is illegal in city parks, including Stanley Park. “We are blessed with wilderness stretching in all directions from Vancouver,” Lauraleigh observes. “Plenty of opportunities for harvesting are out there, but we want to show you how to do it sustainably to allow for re-growth and abundance.”

After participating in one of Lauraleigh’s tours, Vancouver Park Board Environmental Planner Alan Duncan tried Lauraleigh’s traditional collecting techniques on wild huckleberries near his family cabin. To his delight, what used to take him two days of collecting, took two hours. In gratitude, Alan presented Lauraleigh with the fruits of his labours: a scrumptious huckleberry pie. Alan’s gift could be observed by some as emblematic of the spirit of reconciliation between First Nations and Canadians. “We’re sharing the knowledge …. It’s an exciting time to be here,” says Lauraleigh.

Lauraleigh shares her wild huckleberry pie with SPES staff.

To join SPES’ “Indigenous Plant Use” walks, visit the Events Calendar webpage or call SPES at 604-257-8544. Walks run throughout August and, owing to their popularity, may be available to schools and other groups this September.

Update: Walks are available on Saturdays in September.

Attention local yogis! Gear up for fun, teamwork and a whole lot of stretching all in the name of a good cause, as the Big Sisters of BC Lower Mainland is set to launch its inaugural Big Yoga for Big Sisters on September 10, 2016 at Jonathan Rogers Park in Vancouver.

Big Yoga for Big Sisters

Where: Jonathan Rogers Park in Vancouver
Register: Online registration is now open
When: Saturday, September 10, 2016 8:15am (register) 9:00am (start) 7:00pm (end)

This inaugural event is a team based 10 hour relay consisting of 10 one-hour yoga sessions. The goal is to have a member of each team “on the mat” for the whole 10 hour event – relay style!

Open to all ages and all levels, Big Yoga for Big Sisters will include a variety of yoga styles and classes as well as a salad bar, kids events, music, self-care and much more. Proceeds will go to the Big Sisters of BC Lower Mainland, supporting mentorship programs that allow girls to gain the skills, tools and confidence they need to grow into their full potential as adults.

Looking to create a lasting positive impact, Big Yoga for Big Sisters is set to take place every year, expanding from a Vancouver based event into many of the communities Big Sisters of the BC Lower Mainland serves. Hoping to attract hundreds of people, registration is quickly filling up and can be done through the Big Sisters website. Upon registering, participants are welcome to sign up with a preexisting team, of up to 10 people, or as an individual to be placed on a team; after all making good matches is what Big Sisters does best.

Follow Big Sisters of BC Lower Mainland on Facebook and Twitter for more information. As a leading child and youth mentoring charity, Big Sisters of BC Lower Mainland facilitates life-changing relationships that inspire and empower girls to reach their potential, both as individuals and citizens.

lululemon athletica’s SeaWheeze half marathon and sunset festival take place on Saturday, August 13th with over 10,000 runners participating in the challenge. Following the run, the Sunset Festival at Brockton Fields will draw 15,000 revellers to Stanley Park.

lululemon SeaWheeze Road Closures

The half marathon starts and finishes in Coal Harbour, with road closures impacting various communities in the city. Detailed road closures and times listed here.

» Chinatown Closures
» Coal Harbour Closures
» False Creek Closures
» Kitsilano Closures
» Stanley Park Closures
» West End Closures

The run gets underway at 7:00am on Hastings Street between Burrard Street & Thurlow Street and finishes on the seawall at Harbor Green Park in Coal Harbour near the Vancouver Convention Centre. The Burrard Bridge will be closed to vehicle traffic from 6:30am to 11:30am.

Some sections of the Seawall will be closed with detours in place for pedestrians, cyclists, and in-line skaters between 7:00am and 12:00pm. This closure is in place to ensure the safety of the public and event participants along this narrow section of the Seawall. Expect general delays along other parts of the Seawall.

The SeaWheeze half marathon and Sunset Festival is lululemon’s way of celebrating and sharing its hometown of Vancouver, BC with the global running community. In just its fourth year, the sell-out event is redefining the half marathon experience, becoming a destination run and the perfect weekend for Vancouverites to celebrate summer in the city. Follow SeaWheeze on Facebook for more info.

Wines of Chile is hosting two tasting events in Vancouver at the end of the week, showcasing their diverse wine growing region and exceptional selection.

Wines of Chile Tasting Events

Where: BC Liquor Store (Cambie & 39th Avenue)
When: Friday, August 12, 2016 4:00pm to 6:00pm

Where: Marquis Wine Cellars (1034 Davie St)
When: Saturday, August 13, 2016 12:00pm to 4:00pm

Together with Wines of Chile, BC Liquor Store and Marquis Wine Cellars are pleased to present exclusive tastings of Chilean wines. Learn about Chile’s unique grape varieties and the wide selection of sustainable wines available. Take part in this fun consumer tasting by trying an exceptional selection of Chilean wines paired with authentic Latin appetizers.

I had the chance to get to know Wines of Chile when I was their blogger for TED in Vancouver earlier this year, and I fell in love with Carmenere. If you can, head down to one of these tasting events to get to know this unique wine region.

Wines available for sampling August 12th include: Cono Sur Vineyards & Winery’s Organic Pinot Noir and Reserva Especial Sauvignon Blanc; Palo Alto Winery’s Palo Alto Reserva; Concha y Toro’s Casillero del Diablo Devil’s Collection Red; Oops Wines Oops Carmenere; Santa Carolina’s Reserva Sauvignon Blanc.

Wines available for sampling August 13th include: Cono Sur Vineyards & Winery’s Bicicleta Viognier; Emiliana Organic Vineyards’ Eco Balance Reserva Chardonnay; Emiliana’s Eco Balance Reserva Carmenere; Santa Rita Wines’ 120 Dark Cellar; Luis Felipe Edwards Winery’s Reesrva Pinot Noir; Viña Santa Ema’s Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon; Santa Ema’s Reserve Pinot Noir; La Joya’s Gran Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon; Viña Lapostolle, Colchagua’s Canto de Apalta.

Follow Wines of Chile on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram for more information.

Improv Anywhere presents the annual Vancouver Zombiewalk on September 10th, departing from the Vancouver Art Gallery. This event is fun way to show off your costume skills, and get some exercise with your fellow undead as you lumber your way through Downtown Vancouver.

Vancouver Zombiewalk

Where: Meet at the Robson side of the Vancouver Art Gallery
When: 3:00pm assembly, walk at 4:00pm
Tickets: Free. A donation of $2+ is encouraged to help recover the costs of the event.

On the day, between 12:30pm and 3:30pm, makeup artists from Blanche MacDonald will be on site to transform participants into their ghoulish alter ago. They’ll be setup near the south steps of the Art Gallery. First come, first served, and the cost for zombie makeup will be $20-$40.

The zombiewalk will go down Robson, to Denman, then continue on to English Bay. It is family-friendly and participants are asked not to vandalize any property, respect children participating (or passing by), ham it up for the camera, and have some good, clean fun being undead.

Spread the word, and infect others, by following the tag #ZombiewalkYVR along with Improv Anywhere on Facebook and Twitter.