AccessEco BC

Waters muddy between river and ocean at Fraser River Park

2012-01-21T11:27:00.000-08:00

Fraser River with Mount Baker in background

The Fraser River starts as a trickle of glacial water near the peak of Mount Robson and rumbles speedily downward towards the Pacific Ocean. One of the fastest flowing rivers in the world, the Fraser takes an average of one week to travel 1375 km from its pure mountain source to its swift flowing salty and silty end, and is home to some of the largest species of sturgeon and the world's largest population of wild Pacific salmon.

Boardwalk over tidal marsh

As the Fraser meets the Pacific Ocean tide, the fast moving currents deposit silt and sediment it has gathered from its long journey to form ever expanding marsh lands with a very unique and rare ecology. Islands are constantly being created or expanded only to give way to the high tide and frequent dredging necessary to maintain safe shipping lanes on this major waterway.

In the early 1980s a study showed that due to pollution caused from agriculture and industry, the Fraser was on its way to being depleted and would eventually be unable to sustain much of its marine ecology. The Crown responded by restricting further development and acquiring land along the riverbanks so that much of the remaining land became parkway and protected habitat.

Creation of the City of Vancouver's Fraser River Trail is ongoing. Once completed, the trail will extend from the City of Burnaby's Fraser River Trailways system to the University of British Columbia's Pacific Spirit Park. Previous AccessEco blogs have covered other parts east of Fraser River Park.

Fishing from the shore

Ocean's beginning

Great views

Fraser River Park is best accessed by car or taxi but can be reached by transit. See www.translink.ca. The main entrance at West 75 Ave and Angus Drive is a mix of industrial park and housing and there is no sidewalk or crossways along this area of West 75th. There are designated parking spots in the parking lot with ramp access to the the trails. The trails are wide, flat and firm. There is also a great wooden boardwalk plenty big enough for chair scooters and walkers. Expect a few stairs at some lookout points along the boardwalk. This is a natural area with views of the river , Richmond's south shore and Sea Island, a designated bird sanctuary. There are many grassy fields but no children's play area. There are many benches and picnic tables adapted for wheelchairs and numerous plaques and information kiosks featuring interesting history and nature facts.Washrooms are only open in the summer months and are big enough to accommodate a wheelchair or scooter but not wheelchair accessible. There is a public telephone at the park's main entrance.

Wheelchair accessible information kiosk in Fraser River Park

For more information on the park check out the City of Vancouver Parks Board website at www.vancouverparks.org. While you're there you can download the Parks Board's new I phone app, a fantastic guide to city parks. Sadly us Android users will have to wait.

Next time: we enter the Year of the Dragon and get a do over for any of those broken resolutions. Gun Hay Fat Choy! Happy Chinese New Year!

Vancouver Aquarium rolls with the tide

2012-01-06T09:50:00.000-08:00

English Bay

Vancouver's first privately owned aquarium opened at English Bay in 1939. The exhibit was small and featured an Oscar the octupus. In 1956 it closed and Oscar moved to Stanley Park's newsest attraction, the Vancouver Aquarium. At the time it was Canada's first publicly owned aquarium. The idea that humanity was but a cog in the intricate dealings of the universe had not even occurred to mainstream culture. Performing dolphins attracted crowds, and in1964 the exhibit grew to include its first captured "killer whale". It was a hit and by 1967 the aquarium was three times its original size featuring two orcas, Scana and Hyak, that performed for the crowds at what remains as one of North Americas five largest aquariums.

In 1990 the beluga whale pool was added but in 1996 the Stanley Park zoo was closed and in 2001 the orcas were fazed out largley due to public pressure and changing attitudes about animals in captivity.

Almost 450 thousand gallon tank still a tight fit

Today activists continue to agitate for the release of the belugas and dolphins. Whatever you may think about the capture and containment of large mammals, you cannot deny the aquarium's stellar record when it comes to innovations. Shows where trained animals jump through hoops have been replaced by animal-centered training sessions run by professional biologists and training specialists.

That doesn't mean the animals don't bust out a move or two for the camera, but these interactions are part of short general check ups. The aquarium has a very large rescue program that saves hundreds of abandoned seals and sea lions each year and returns many of them to the wild.

The aquarium is expanding once more as it reclaims some of the land left from the zoo. A larger rescue habitat and improvements to the recently restored salmon streams are in the works. As far as accessibility goes the aquarium is excellent. It has reserved viewing areas, automatic doors, hearing assist devices, ramps, elevators, accessible washrooms and tables in the cafeteria section designed for chairs. They also have a limited supply of loaner chairs and honour the Access2entertainment card enabling half price single admission or free attendant fare.

under our local waters

Tropical

For an extensive look at the aquarium and its programs go to http://www.vanaqua.org/

Shedding light on the origins of the season

2011-12-16T14:03:00.001-08:00

Before Christmas the common celebration was solstice

Want to go back to origins of the season? The ancient celebration of solstice preceded the Christian celebration. Don't get me wrong. The sharing, goodwill and peace that Christmas honours are great. But as I get older I can't help but wonder why the holiday changed from celebrating abundance to encouraging over consumption. Solstice celebrations remain largely non-commercial, and, for a growing segment of the population, deeply spiritual.

Red berries were considerd magical

We celebrate nature's abundance just after the harvest season as the earth travels its furthest distance from the sun and and land in the northern hemisphere falls fallow.

Many fixtures of our Christmas celebration, such as greens and berries, had their origins in pagan festivals such as those of the Druids in Northern Europe. Traditions like feasting were born from practical considerations. Herds were culled to accommodate the lack of food winter brings. At the same time the new ale and other spirits from the grain and fruit harvest were ready. Thus the season of feasting was born.

It is true that Druidism has long been removed from mainstream culture. The last recorder of the BC Druids, John Hugh Roberts, was laid to rest in Vancouver's Mountainview Cemetary in 1917 (see post "Moutainview cemetery; a look at our past"). For more on Roberts see www.azatlan.com/RobertsHeritage.php.

Thanks to The Secret Lantern Society you can take part in the 18th annual public solstice celebration marking the return of light on the longest day of the year, December 21. The event is very accessible. This year the Roundhouse, False Creek, Creekside and Britannia comunity centres, Granville Island's Performance Works and Chinatown's Dr Sun Yat Sen Gardens.will host festivities. All of these venues and procession routes are wheelchair accessible. For event details go to http://www.secretlantern.org/.

Next time we dive into the Vancouver Aquarium. Till then, peace.

Things Yule love to do this holiday season

2011-12-10T08:34:00.000-08:00

Here's a list of ways to light up the holidays.

The Vancouver Christmas Market returns for its second year to the Queen Elizabeth Theatre plaza. If you were put off by the many bumpy cable crossings last year, they have smoothed things out. To be fair last year's market was a Christmas miracle: just hours before the scheduled opening a propane tank exploded on the construction site. No one was hurt and the market was able to open eventually.

The market is situated where Georgia meets Hamilton

The market features daily entertainment, crafts, food, drink and entertainment in the German tradition. There are accessible washrooms but n.o attendant fare or PWD discount of any kind. It could use some more lower seating for chairs, strollers, etc. Christmas stollen to die for!

Across from the VPL and the CBC

Watch them, ride them or both. For carol ship routes and schedules go to carolships.org.

There's something Dickensian about

skimming the top of deep, dark

water. Remember Scooge's noctural

journey over land and sea?

Through English Bay, False Creek
and Burrard Inlet

The Van Dusen Gardens Festival of Lights continues to dazzle year after year. To see how Santa spends the summer, visit the tropical dome in Queen Elizabeth Park. Check out the City of Vancouver's Parks Board site for information on these and other seasonal offerings at www.vancouver.ca/parks.

Don't miss the famous Woodward's animated Christmas windows. For younger or newer Lower Mainland residents, the name Woodward may be associated with Christmas as the surname of the boy who got his tongue stuck to a frozen lamp pole in the nostalgic movie "A Christmas Story". Like the movie the Woodward's windows take you back to a simpler time when Lower Mainlanders made their Yuletide pilgrimmage to view these treasures. The windows are featured throughout Vancouver's downtown core this Christmas. For a map and details on a contest go to http://www.canadaplace.ca/.

The season is a time of plenty, so we'll be back soon with lots more ways to light up the holidays!

YVR Airport: Fly me to the moon (it's truly accessible)

2011-11-28T15:58:00.000-08:00

Welcome to YVR

The Vancouver International Airport's website says the airport " is ready to ensure that travellers of all physical capabilities have a positive experience" and they are right.

YVR has everything to assist PWDs, but more importantly it is designed to aid independent use. Throughout the airport, accessible washrooms, way finding, TTY and hearing assist phones, elevators, ramps, moving sidewalks, service dog relief areas and more are provided to ensure a frustration-free experience. The areas in the terminals are spacious and decorated with art work. There are even two outdoor parks. In fact this airport offers anything a small city would: chapel, banks, post office, medical and dental care, restaurants, shops, services and a hotel.

Control Tower

The large park on Sea Island is fair distance from the terminal.and best accessed by car. If you are renting a car from one of the many airport rental operators, most companies can accommodate requests for modified vehicles if you reserve ahead of time. The park is a good place to spot planes or watch birds and other wildlife. The trails are packed gravel and there are benches and accessible washrooms. For more information on the Iona Beach Regional Park go to: www.metrovancouver.org/SERVICES/PARKS_LSCR/REGIONALPARKS/Pages/ionaBeach.aspx

Iona Beach is a great place as you can planely see

The smaller Chester Johnson Park is located just outside the international arrivals terminal on level 2. The attractive little area is home to some of the airport's many totem poles.

If the weather is inclement there is lots to do and see indoors. The public observation area in the domestic terminal is a fun place to sip coffee and watch the flights come and go.The platform offers telescopes set at at various heights to accomodate folks of various sizes. All of YVR is a free Wi-Fi zone.

From the indoor public observation area

The domestic terminal is very accommodating to PWDs but you will notice the more recently constructed USA and international terminals are slightly better; they offer audio way finding in the elevators, more spacious walkways, etc. The Fairmont Airport Hotel, located in this section of the airport, gets high marks on our Lodgings page.

The day spa can be used for under $20

Take the Canada Line to YVR

You can take a self guided tour, check your flight or plan a day or an hour all by going to http://www.yvr.ca/ . For Canada Line information go to http://www.translink.ca/.

Next time: Christmas is coming and so is our holiday access guide to fun in the lower mainland.

Waterfront Station and Canada Place: getting there

2011-11-19T11:00:00.000-08:00

Cool architecture

1920's style

Root beer served
in old chilled mugs

Enter at the east door

If you think of the Port of Metro Vancouver as as a single ship, then this area of waterfront in downtown Vancouver is the bridge. The port sprawls across 600 km of shoreline, 16 municipalities and includes the Fraser River, the Pitt River and Pitt Lake. Goods are sent all over the world from Canada's busiest port, but this downtown Vancouver section is mainly concerned with passenger service. Passenger service in the area began with the construction of Waterfront Station by the CPR in 1914 to service its transcontinental railway. Next came the 1927 construction of the pier where Canada Place sits today to accommodate the CPR's steamship service. The buildings are linked by underground walkways that are not accessible. More on that later.

Old school

Waterfront Station is a major transit hub for Translink, the public transit provider. Trolley and bus service, SeaBus, West Coast Express commuter trains and all of the SkyTrain routes converge here. There's paid parking on the east side, curb cuts and wide fully automatic doors. The front entrance has one small over used semi-automatic door. The west entrance leads to a stairway. The building is a Public WIFI hot spot and offers a mix of office space, services and restaurants. The old station has kept its facade throughout modifications and upgrades over the years. We can get an interesting perspective on the status of of PWDs and inclusion in our society over the decades simply by looking more closely at some of these changes. Obviously the 1920's building was erected without thought of accommodation. In 1970's it was modified to include a SeaBus terminal. An elevator was installed. A washroom was built at the SeaBus terminal that remains inaccessible. The elevator is slow, small and dangerously isolated from the main traffic.

In 1985 there was another major modification including an additional elevator installation for the SkyTrain. This newer elevator is still slow but a little bigger and closer to mainstream traffic for safety. It's difficult to access as you need to cross the heavy pedestrian traffic flow emerging from an escalator. In addition, this one elevator at the east end of the platform does not allow access to the Canada Place underground corridor at the train platform's west exit.

In the 1990's better elevators and accessible washrooms were added to the West Coast Express rail station. The completion of the Canada Line in 2009 saw the addition of two elevators that are are quick, large, out of direct traffic flow and safely transparent with multiple located call buttons for easy access, and auditory and other way finding. The track platform has a tactile strip to indicate danger. There is access to both the Waterfront Station and Granville Street exits. All the elevators are still used today; however, the older elevators have since been outfitted with audio way finding and all train lines have been fitted with tactile warning strips.

Lack of access to Canada Place at the west exit of the Expo Millennium Line platform means hiking up the street, but don't let that deter you. This area is a popular spot for Vancouver's emerging street food scene and a caravan of carts drop anchor here rain or shine. For transit info visit http://www.translink.can/. If you want to access the food court area in the underground corridor between Canada Place and Waterfront Station, use the elevator in the Fairmont Waterfront Hotel lobby.

Five sails light nightly

Canada Place is across the street from the Waterfront Fairmont Hotel. Much more than a busy cruise ship terminal, it's also home to the the Vancouver Convention Centre East, the Pan Pacific Hotel and more. Activities and events happen all year long. On Canada Day hundreds of new citizens are sworn in and events and parties go into the night climaxing with fireworks. Between November 24 and 27, 2011, Canada Place will host numerous free and paid parties during the Grey Cup and Vanier Cup festivities. After that Canada Place will undergo its annual transformation into a holiday wonderland just in time for the Christmas season. For a look at the events schedule and other info go to www.canadaplace.ca.

Ship on the dock

Beautiful views

Pan Pacific Hotel

Pier looking toward downtown

Check out the port exhibit and try your hand at operating the crane on the cargo loading simulator. There are numerous accessible washrooms throughout the facility. For information on the port including sailing scheduales go to www.portmetrovancouver.com.

Memorial South Park and other places of remembrance

2011-11-08T17:26:00.000-08:00

Old Wilson Road

With November 11 just a few days away, it seemed appropriate to check out Vancouver's first cenotaph. Originally located at South Vancouver Municipal Hall, the cenotaph was moved to its present location in Memorial Park in 1939. The park's history precedes the area's amalgamation with Vancouver in 1929. It was originally farmland that the South Vancouver municipality appropriated and opened in 1926 as a park in honour of those who perished in World War I. The park became a popular spot for sport and picnics and whippet dog racing. Today this 13.59 hectare area is also largely used for sports. It has an accessible pathway and many open grass fields. The washrooms are not accessible. There is a soft fabric running/walking/rolling track for exercise, an accessible artificial turf field, and a ball hockey rink that would be a great spot to use the city's newly acquired sledge boards. These sledge boards are like the ones used in Paralympic hockey can be used in an arena with ice or outfitted with wheels for paved area play. For details on sledges and the park check out www.vancouver.ca/parks. There are many benches but the children's play area poses many barriers. The neighborhood has great signage and way finding and is serviced by numerous transit routes.

Accessible picnic tables
and coal barbeques near the duck pond

Duck pond

There is limited parking so take transit http://www.translink.ca/

The cenotaph itself is very humble and frequently used as a turnaround along Old Wilson Road. Enter off the 5900 block of East 41 Ave.

No wheelchair access

I set off to some of the other Metro Vancouver Area war memorials. The custom of war memorials is as old as war itself and most memorials have cenotaphs. The word cenotaph is Greek in origin meaning "kenos taphos" or empty tomb. Although we honour the dead, I think it's important to honour those who lives have been changed forever by returning from battle with a disability. In today's world helicopters, modern medicine, and other life saving technology increase the likelihood of sustaining a life altering trauma rather than being killed in combat. Many of the rights and freedoms Canadians enjoy today were made possible by the advocacy activities of returning war vets with disabilities. Cold comfort but true.

Tribute to fallen Chinese Canadians

This tribute to fallen Chinese Canadian soldiers can be found across from the Columbia St exit of the Dr Sun Yat Sen Gardens (see post "Vancouver's Downtown Eastside Parks: calm in the eye of the storm").

Vancouver's main cenotaph can be found neaby in Victory Square at 200 West Hastings St. The site was used to recruit soldiers for World War I in 1914. When these soldiers returned home from the war they used this location to speak out against conditions in the trenches. It was opened as Victory Square in 1922 and the cenotaph was added in 1924. Victory Park was extensively renovated in 2004 and is used as a gathering place in the Downtown Eastside all year long. Sadly the renovations did nothing to improve the inaccessible washrooms, but there are paved pathways and plenty of seating. For more info on this park go to the Parks Board link. While you're there be sure to see the list of Remembrance Day ceremonies taking place in Vancouver this week.

Serves as a public green space

Erected in 1924

Outside Waterfront Station

Korean War Monument thanking Canadians
can be found in Burnaby's Central Park

Japanese Memorial Stanley Park

Japanese Garden commemorates
Hastings Park's history as an internment camp

This Stanley Park monument honouring Japanese Canadians, who suffered high casuality rates in World War I, was erected in 1920. But on January 14, 1942 the War Measures Act was invoked and Japanese Canadians were considered the enemy so the light of the monument was extinguished. The monument was relit in 1985 by Masumi Mitsui, a decorated veteran from the infamous battle for Vimy Ridge. In 1942 Masumi had thrown his medal in disgust at the internment intake officer when he and his friends and family were taken into custody. He was 96 at the relighting.

We owe it to our future to remember

"The soldier above all others prays for peace,

for it is the soldier who must suffer and bear

the deepest wounds and scars of war."

Douglas MacArthur

This week, take time to remember this week. If you are among the men and women who serve or have served please accept my humble thanks. Until next time.

On point for accessible fun: Vanier and Hadden Parks year round destination

2011-11-04T15:28:00.000-07:00

Lots of things to do

Lots of open space

Ocean vista

Great photo ops

This combined 20 hectare area offers something for every mood. Classical music recitals, laser rock shows, Shakespearean theatre and fantastic voyages. Whether you seek a trip back in time at the Vancouver Museum or a journey into space and far off constellations at the Space Centre, don't miss a visit to this busy Kitsalino hub. Be sure to check out our new "Attractions" page for information on the above indoor activities.

Who ever said space is the final frontier did not have a disability

Christmas carol ships, newly born baby eaglets and other wild life, sensational summer sunsets and colourful fall foliage are the backdrop of this well used space. Kits Point begins under the Burrard Bridge and ends at Kits Beach (see post "Down town at the beach"). There's plenty of paid and marked accessible parking throughout the area. The section of seawall that serves as the trail is very wide, well packed gravel. There are accessible public washrooms near the Burrard bridge at the beginning of Hadden Park and at Kits Beach. There are many benches and a beautiful view.
If you live in the Vancouver area and have not been to Kits Point in a while you will be happy to find several upgrades to curb cuts, way finding and cross walks in the area. Take transit http://www.translink.ca/ and avoid heavy traffic and parking fees.

The winding trail along the ocean from beginning to end it is about 2.5 km one way. Bring your kite: the ocean breezes and wide open fields make this a favourite spot for kite enthusiasts.
For more information on these and other City of Vancouver Parks check out www.vancouver.ca/parks.
While you are on the site, be sure and view the array of recreational disability services the Parks Board offers by clicking the "Access Services" link.

Next time:

A look at memorial park and other cenotaphs

Mountainview cemetary: a look at our past

2011-10-10T09:50:00.000-07:00

Shhh! Do you hear it? That tap tap tap in the wind? You can hear it more clearly when the Pacific gales blow early around this time of year. If you hear it near October 25 take heed for that's when the taps turn to screams in the howl of the tempest... When power lines and trees topple... When all hell breaks loose.

"You talk to me, so I know you are coming," beckons the hideous invitation from the grave of David Robinson. Mr. Robinson, a wireless operator on the Princess Sophia, was one of 75 crew and 268 passengers to perish off the Alaskan coast when the the CPR steamer travelling southward ran aground after losing its way in a sudden snow squall. Early reports over the wireless said the ship had struck a reef hard but firm and passengers were in no immediate danger. But over the next 40 hours the squall turned into a gale severe enough to block several rescue attempts. The wireless messages grew more urgent: "For God's sake hurry, the water is spilling into my room!" Radio rooms were located at the top of the ship next to the bridge. A ship nearby radioed the Princess Sophia instructing Robinson to save his batteries. The operator was the first and the last hear Robinson's final words: "You talk to me, so I know you are coming."

You might dispute what I hear in the wind when it blows early, hard and cold, but the sinking of the steamer and the last words of the radio man are all a matter of record which you can find for yourself at Vancouver's oldest cemetery: Mountainview. If you think I am being a little macabre skulking around cemeteries remember that before there were parks, cemeteries were often the only outdoor green space accessible to workers in an urban setting. Thus it was common for families to use these hallowed grounds as recreation areas for picnicing and so on. In many parts of the world this is still a common practice.
Mountainview cemetery has several graves of interest to see and frequently offers historical walking tours such as the upcoming Sunday, October 30 walk featuring the sinking of the Princess Sophia. The tour is organized in part by the Vancouver Maritime Museum . It's free and meets at Celebration Hall in the cemetery at 4pm. The cemetery is flat and there is paved pathway throughout. Getting to some graves means a slog over uneven grass. There are no benches except in the Masonic burial area and no public washrooms. Celebration Hall has accessible washrooms. Enter through the main gate near Fraser and East 35 Avenue as there are steps at many other entranceways along East 41 Ave to the south and on the North end along East 33 Ave. You can also take self guided tours by using maps and brochures available in the main office at Celebration Hall. The cemetery is open from 7am to 7pm 365 days a year. Check out the web if you want to download walking tour maps and to get more information vancouver.ca/commsvcs/NONMARKETOPERATIONS/MOUNTAINVIEW/.

Aerial photo of Mountainview Cemetary
courtesy City of Vancouver

If you want more information on the October 30th walk event go to www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=173563199391477.

Next time we'll feature more ways to celebrate Halloween and get your spook on in the Lower Mainland.

Thanks eh!

2011-10-04T16:33:00.000-07:00

Roast brussels sprouts and beets
glazed with honey, garlic and dill and topped with roasted walnuts
(recipe at the bottom of page)

Pilgrims, Indians, turkey and pie. These iconic American images spring to mind this week as Canadians prepare to celebrate Thanksgiving. However. the settler tradition of Thanksgiving first came to what are now Canadian shores by way of Newfoundland, long before the the pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock in 1621. Martin Frobisher celebrated a safe but fruitless trip through the Northwest Passage in search of a route to the orient. His was the first British expedition to return from the attempt, so he celebrated and gave thanks. The holiday became a more permanent event thanks to our French heritage as Samuel de Champlain and his compatriots formed the Order Of Good Cheer in 1606. The idea was to feast and party as way of lightening what was sure to be the hard winter ahead. The first celebration held November 14, 1606 included their First Nations neighbours in Nova Scotia's Annapolis County then known as Point Royal in New France. Of course the First Nations had many harvest celebrations long before the 1500s. The American influences came largely in the 1700s as Empire Loyalists left their revoluntary brethren and headed north of the 49th parallel bringing the Mayflower pilgrim theme to the celebration. The first Thanksgiving to be mandated by Canadian Parliament in 1879 was celebrated on November 11. After World War I it was combined with Armistice Day until the veterans got their own day in 1957, and Thanksgiving has since been celebrated on the second Monday in October.

Pick and eat

In BC celebrating our relationship with the earth and water that feeds us is easy, simply because there is so much bounty.

Dip and eat

Mother nature?

Farm fresh

Sausage

Ocean fresh

Community gardens

Great local cheese

All living things eat

The typical Canadian version of the holiday has continued to mimic that of our friends to the south who celebrate "turkey day" in late November. The CFL has football, turkeys fly from the freezers and butcher shops, pies are made and eaten. All good stuff. Whatever your plans, here a a few suggestions for accessible fun to stuff into your horns of plenty

If you want to see how the the harvest was celebrated in BC in the mid 1800s head to Fort Langley. This historic national site was the home of the Hudson's Bay fur trading company. The fort hosts the harvest festival on October 8 with food, games and pioneer cooking demonstrations and recipe sharing. If you don't feel like cooking, check out the pioneer style Barrell Cafe for a special one day pioneer feast of turkey, heritage vegetables, homemade pie, cranberry bannock and the rest of the trimmings. The grounds and facilities are largely accessible. For information on both or to pre-purchase your tickets for the feast, go to http://www.pc.gc.ca/ and follow the links.

If you want your celebration to be a little more current, head to Richmond's London Heritage Farm and explore the grounds or take high tea at the farmhouse. Most of the grounds and bottom level of the farm house (where tea is served) are advertised as accessible. For more info go to www.venturevancouver.com/london-heritage-farm-richmond-bc

To tour some modern farms try the self guided Circle Farm tours around part of the Lower Mainland's farm belt. You can find artisan cheeses, organic free range turkeys and decent selections of wine, fresh vegetables and more in this celebration of all things harvest around Abbottsford, Agassi, Chilliwack, Langley and Maple Ridge. Accessibility varies between venues but the guide will steer you in the right direction. For the guide and information go to http://www.circlefarmtour.com/

Farm folk City Folk are hosting the Sustenance: Feasting on Art and Culture Festival at the Roundhouse Community Centre in Yaletown from October 8-19 (see post "Yaletown on the right track"). The event name says it all. For details go to farmfolkcityfolk.ca/events/sustenance.html

I live in Vancouver's Champlain Heights, which was named after the French founder of the feast himself. I get a lot of good cheer walking my dog through the neighborhood's Everett Crowley Park (see post "Paradise recycled") to view the cranberry harvest in Richmond's Fraser River delta pictured below.

Cranberries float in the background ready for harvesting

I am grateful for my readers, friends and family who help make this blog happen. As a gift to you I would like to share my recipe for braised beets and brussels sprouts. Make lots for a main course if you are a vegetarian. My recipe serves 6-8 as a side to the rest of many trimmings. Play with the flavours by adding fresh squeezed orange juice or a cinnamon stick. Have fun, it's a celebration. I like to try different honeys. Buckwheat honey makes the dish a little darker, wild flower honey is great, and for a special treat try honey infused with black truffles.

Ingredients:

one lb fresh beets cooked, cooled, skinned and cut thinly or 16 oz canned thinly sliced
3/4 lb fresh cooked brussels sprouts
small can or 4 oz sliced water chestnuts
4 oz walnuts
3 oz butter ( add more to your hips parell)
3 oz honey
3 oz freshly chopped dill
1 clove chopped garlic
salt pepper to taste

Coat a 9 inch pie plate lightly with oil. Place beet slices around the sides and bottom of the pan. Add cooked brussels sprouts (sliced in half if large) and a drained can of sliced water chestnuts, Combine the remaining beet pieces with chopped butter that has been mixed with dill, garlic and 2oz honey in the pan. Add walnuts, salt and pepper and top with remainder of the honey. Place in a preheated 350 degree oven and bake until throughly heated, (about 35 min).

Happy Thanksgiving!

Port Moody a beautiful retreat

2011-09-17T14:21:00.000-07:00

In and out through the back way
of the Burrard Inlet

Port Moody first came to be in 1858 after the completion of a trail now known as the North Road. The North Road was constructed as a supply route and a means to escape "northward" in case of a frontal assault from America shortly after NewWestminster was named the capital of the new colony of British Columbia. See post "NewWestminster: the empire strikes back". Tents turned into a town and in 1886 the prospering port grew to it's greatest prominence as the original Pacific terminus of Canada's first national railway. In 1913 the town incorporated into a city. Port Moody's strategic location on the east end of the Burrrard Inlet plus the addition of a railway made it a popular spot for many industries that have come and gone over the years.

Canadian Pacific Railroad terminus now a museum\in Rocky Point Park

Today, steeped in history as it is, Port Moddy calls itself the city of the arts . I didn't visit any galleries but I did check out sections of the Trans Canada and Shoreline Trail that takes you around Moody Inlet. This beautiful trail connects three main parks: Rocky Point Park, Inlet Park and Old Mill Park. In total it is 3 km; however, if you're driving don't forget the turn around. There are plenty of opportunities to cut it short or join later in if you take transit. www.translink.ca . If you are driving you can also find parking around around Murray Street 1 km along the hike.

The city of Port Moody's website www.cityofportmoody.com hails this trail as "universally accessible". This is a lofty and laudable idea but the term universal is a little hard to quantify. Finding a definition of the term is even hard to do, but at the heart of all variations of the theme, is the willingness to make whatever it is barrier free for all citizens. Barrier free does have a strict definition in accessible terminology. So to put it bluntly, the city's heart is in the right place and with some more work these trails and parks can achieve a barrier free title . Does this mean PWDs should stay away? If you do you'll miss a mighty fine place to visit. Rocky Point Park is worth the trip alone.

Railway overpass to to Rocky Point Park

This park is very close to being barrier-free and has it all: recreation pier, outdoor pool, water park, skate board/bike park, boat slips, restaurants, museums, art exhibits and entertainment.

Wheelchair access to the high tide mark
pier in the background

Breathtaking views

At the park's entrance there is bus service and paid parking with numerous reserved spots. Changerooms for the pool and water park are large, and washrooms are also accessible to a high but not barrier free standard. For example barrier free design would include automatic doors. I am not nitpicking simply making a point.

Boat docks for recreation
a little old school for barrier free designation

The boat docks are fun walk. If the tide is high you can access the boat slips below and there is also a large boat launch to the water. Boat docks modelled after the ones along Vancouver's False Creek would be a step toward the designation "barrier free".

Have a warm by the fire

The park is well thought out with community in mind. For example the fire pit above belongs to he Boat House restaurant a chain of middle to high end eateries. The fireplace can be enjoyed for free in a public section of the park with benches and views over looking the inlet. The children's waterpark is barrier free and amazing. The children's non-water play areas have barriers.

Cool spot on a hot summer day

The trail heading around the inlet is marked for walking and cycling safety. The bike path is cement and pretty smooth sailing in this section. You can also take a walking trail for a closer look at the inlet, but you will want to find a connector trail to the bike path at about the 3/4 km mark as it gets steep along the dirt trail.

Be bear and barrier aware

Beautiful views of salt mud tidal flats
and many species of bird and marine life

When you get to Murray Street via the trail you may want to turn around because at that point the trail begins to pose challenges. If you want to bus back to other areas of Metro Vancouver, this is a good spot to do it. Neaby parks in this downtown core area are worth checking out. Pioneer Park in downtown Port Moody is small but very nice.

The labyrinth in the children's healing
garden in pioneer park

Inlet Park

Even in my big off road wheelchair, I couldn't find a safe path to the boardwalk along the shore of Inlet Park. I did see a few trails that could be converted. The bike path at the 2 km mark (as you turn off Murray St.) begins it's inevitable up and down climb along the mountain ridge. Even though the trail is paved and hugs sea level as much as possible, there are a few steep climbs and drops ahead.

Old trout hatchery trail

While you explore tthe rails in a chair or other such device you will experience some turn rounds and some gorgeous scenery. Eventually at 3 km the trial ends at Old Orchard Park. This park has accessible washrooms, but little else about it is accessible. The slopes are very steep and the trails very rugged. DO NOT attempt to catch the accessible community shuttle along Ioco Road at the park's entrance. Turn back along the trail to the downtown area. This busy truck route has no curb cuts, no accessible cross ways, no accessible bus stops, and is treacherous to any pedestrian.

The beach at Old Orchard Park
looking across to Rocky Point Park

The community hosts Ghost Town Days on the first weekend of October to kick off the many Hallowe'en festivities across the Lower Mainland. AccessEco BC will be letting you know about various events soon. Check out the Port Moody website link above for more on this one.

Well we won't be posting for a couple of weeks, but we are on the job checking out new places to explore or outdoor fun to enjoy so check back in October for more.

Flew the coop

Dog tales

2011-09-13T09:40:00.000-07:00

My dog's name is Jimmy. When I first met him as a three month old puppy his licking and nuzzling into my neck stole my heart. In fact over the last year Jimmy has stolen my slippers, glasses, wallet, several papers and anything else he can chew to bits. We even had to replace our box spring under the mattress as Jimmy burrowed himself a little den in the old one. Thankfully he is a little over a year old and his puppy ways are slowly leaving him. But for all the chewing, peeing and pooping, I could not think of a day without his big brown eyes looking up as he lets loose what sounds like a cross between a growl and an excited yelp telling me to get off the computer and take him for a walk. And on those walks I have met many dog lovers as his instinctual social behavior seeks out and connects with others inevitably drawing me and other human dog companions into conversations as the dogs frolic together. Sometimes large groups gather in what results in a doggy free for all.

Jimmy

Not only are dogs great and faithful companions, but for PWDs they are often a lifeline performing a variety of tasks. Early on in humanity's relationship with dogs it became clear that these intelligent animals were not only social but could be trained to assist with hunting, guarding, herding and a variety of tasks. The first dogs used for PWDs were "seeing eye dogs". Literature about such dogs dates back to the early 1800s but they were not recognized under American law until the early 1920s. By the 1970s hearing assistance dogs were used and protected under the same legislation. In BC three categories of canine helpers are recognized under the Guide Animal Act. For more on the Act and it's implications go to www.bccpd.bc.ca/gada.htm.

The Pacific Association of Assistance Dogs (PADS) is an excellent organization that provides assistive dogs and hearing dogs. They offer a variety of programs along with amazing dogs that perform remarkable tasks. Disabled or not, if you love dogs check out these canines and their trainers. http://www.pads.ca/.

For guide dog information visit the BC and Alberta Guide Dog Services website at www.bcguidedog.com/. If you have a licensed guide dog and receive income assistance from the BC Ministry of Social Development don't forget to ask your worker for the allowance.

Hitching a ride

Buddy and his dog ZZ Top (or is it the other way around)

Big fetch

If you're thinking of getting a dog as a pet my unfortunately titled list of Doggy Doos is guaranteed to keep you out of the deep stuff.

Remember: it's a lifetime commitment. A puppy from 3-6 months requires constant attention. From 6 months to a year it should not be left alone for more than 4 hours. No dog should be left alone for more than 10 hours and many say that is too long. So what's your plan to meet this demand? It's an essential question.
Research the breed. From lap dogs to Great Danes, dogs are bred with inherent traits. It's important to understand the breed's purpose (e.g. retrieving game during hunting), energy level, exercise needs and temperament. All dogs have distinct personalities but understanding the traits will go a long way in helping you choose the right dog.
Get a health plan or start saving. Vet bills are inevitable and can be costly. You owe it to your dog to plan for them.
Have it spayed or neutered before it becomes sexually mature, which is usually around 6 months or as soon as it has lost all its first set of teeth. Waiting can be frustrating. When I was a boy my family had a dog called Hucka named after the cartoon character Huckleberry Hound. We did not have Hucka spayed and experienced much heartache as a result because poor Hucka kept "going missing" from the house to fill her need to breed. All the male dogs within smelling distance did the same, leading us to reconsider her name as the Happy Hucka after the author Xaviera Hollander.
Get a licence. It's the best chance of identifying the dog as yours if it's lost or stolen.
Adopt when possible, and if you do buy a dog, never buy from a puppy mill. Ensure your dog has come from a credible licenced breeder who breeds from outside the pack.
Enjoy it and give it lots of exercise. To that end here some good places to let Jimmy, ZZ Top or Rover off leash in the city.

Hundreds of laminated dog greeting cards (not the kind the dogs make by themselves)
adorn the trees during Yuletide

Everett Crowley is my favorite (see post "Paradise recycled"). Not only am I lucky enough to have this park in my backyard, the comunity of dog walkers is a strong one. Looking out for each other and our dogs is the norm and during the Yuletide season owners take time to decorate trees and post laminated greetings from thier beloved pets. For a good doggy swim, nothing beats Trout Lake which is very accessible for dogs and chairs (see post "Hendry Park and Trout Lake").

Last one in smells nice

Labs

For a complete list of Vancouver's off leash parks go to www.vancouver.ca/parks or look to your local civic government website.

Adventure on the low seas

2011-09-08T18:37:00.000-07:00

Steamer, tug and sailboat

Avast ye land lovers, even if yar have no sea legs, this is one way to enjoy the mariner's world. Vancouver's lower mainland has an abundance of ocean front, rivers and lakes, so ships, boats and docks play a key role in our daily lives as a means of providing food and other goods, transportation and recreation. A fascination with all things marine has kept the Burnaby Association of Marine Modelers rowing in the same direction for 51 years. Every Sunday and Wednesday these mariners get together in the lower pond at Burnaby's Central Park to sail their mostly self-constructed fleet.

Mooring the dock

Recreated water front harbour

This ain't no timothy tug boat

Riding the radio waves

Past regatta winner

These are not toy boats. Just ask Mike Campbell, who has been a member for 6 years and has a fleet of 4 ships including a detailed to scale replica of the St Roch. To see the life size St Roch, an RCMP schooner built to patrol the Arctic, go to Vanier Park and the Maritime Museum. AccessecoBC will visit the park and its attractions soon. Another model mariner is 83 year old Bud Moore. Bud got into the hobby while recovering from a stroke: "It was very therapeutic in recovering eye, hand and dexterity skills". His son got him into it and he has been a member since 1979, now serving on the club's elected executive. He has a large fleet with several ships but his prize is a miniature recreation of an old paddlewheeler that took years to build and includes intricate detail such as several 1/4 inch lanterns he turned out on a lathe. Bud likes the fact that it makes boating affordable. Do it yourself kits start at around $250.00 but you can get a ready made ship with all the bells and whistles for just under $1000. Second hand is cheaper but not easy to find. Many modellers are former boat owners who have found this a less expensive way to explore their passion. Jim Mortimer, a 3 year member, enjoys operating his submarine. He also owns the sailboat in the top photo pictured alongside the steamer that is using real steam to propel. The sailboats are wind powered and use radio signals to set the rudder for steering and to position the gybes as opposed to the mainsails for tact and speed. No gas boats are allowed as petrol leaves toxic pollutants that harm pond life.

The club operates year round and if the pond freezes over they have ice breakers as seen in the video below. If this is the kind of thing that floats your boat, just head down any Saturday or Wednesday morning. Bud starts setting up about 7:30 am and others join in throughout the day into the early afternoon. For a real show, check out the club's annual regatta featuring tug pulls, schooner, sail and motor races and of course a Grand Parade. Club dues are $30 a year. If you are not a joiner, no problem. You can use the pond and launch for free anytime.

For park details check out my post "Burnaby's Central Park: reach out and touch nature". There's accessible parking at the main entrance near the lower pond and just a few feet from the accessible model boat launch. Don't be intimidated if you don't know much about the hobby: this merry band of mariners will be happy to help you along the way. Check out their Yahoo group site BurnabyRCModelboatClub. It's a members page open to anyone and offers a group forum to problem solve or brag about the latest creations and announce upcoming events.

Until next time. "Oh lord above, send down a dove with beak as sharp as razors, to cut the throats of them there blokes that sell bad beer to sailors." - Tom Lewis sailor's prayer

Downtown eastside parks calm in the eye of the storm

2011-09-03T13:10:00.000-07:00

Rocks, trees and fish are major contributors to our provincial economy and, along with our labour and stewardship, make for great parks. Given the activist history of the downtown east side ("DTES"), it is fitting to visit some of its parks this Labour Day weekend. The DTES is the cradle of BC's labour movement, and the neighbourhood's current state reminds us of the importance of the labour movement's fruits which include medicare and pensions. The DTES today showcases creative initiatives that may yet heal its fragile and fractious community.

As early as 175 years ago the area now known as the DTES was a marshland that connected False Creek to the Burrard Inlet. Cedar trees populated the area so thickly that they obscured the view of the inlet. Milling was one of Vancouver's first industries. Following the loggers and the mill workers came one of the area's first of a long line of drinking establishments. In 1867 Gassy Jack established a bar in a small settlement named in his honour: Gastown. Gassy Jack made sure it was as close to Stamp's Mill (at what is now the foot of Gore street) as it could be.

As more and more people settled, other industries sprang up throughout the area and the newly forming province. Ship building, railroading, fishing and mining prospered, most often on the backs exploited labour. The Chinese rail workers, no longer in demand after the 1885 completion of the railroad, were among the first to settle on the periphery of the DTES. They were followed by miners and loggers, who spent their time off from the hardships of dangerous work in extreme wilderness conditions in the area's cheap hotels, opium dens bars and brothels. Eventually the hard life would catch up with these folks and by the ripe old age of 40 they would be 'used up" often due to injury and disability and would return to what was rapidly becoming skid row. By the 1930s skid row was in full vigor as these men and woman were joined by thousands more from all walks of life during the great depression. Eventually, through organizing and literal blood sweat and tears, the labour movement was born in BC. The Battle of Balentine Pier, a bloody affair at the foot of what is now Heatley St in 1935, was what many consider the catalyst for the On to Ottawa Trek. In 1935 an unsuccessful dockworkers' strike ended in a violent confrontation at Balentine Pier. Some workers occupied the Carnegie Centre, a government building at that time, and over several weeks they were joined by thousands of relief camp refugees. Along the eastward journey thousands more joined their ranks. The government viewed the trek as an insurgency and stopped it with violent force in Regina. But the seeds of a union movement had been planted and the collective consciousness of many Canadians had turned toward social democracy.

Ups and downs, booms, busts and protests continued in the DTES as depicted in the 1971 Stan Douglas photo below. The photo's background is the site of the Woodward's Department Store that opened in 1892 and closed in 1992. After much community activism the site was reopened in 2009 as a mix of social and public housing, educational, recreational , artistic, not for profit and market space combined. Just down the street, the iconic Save On Meats has reopened and followed suit: the butcher shop now also houses a restaurant and business space that is inexpensive and available to anyone willing to establish a skill building for-profit enterprise that will provide the area's hard hit residents with employment. Guy Fieri of Diners, Drive ins and Dives fame was just in town and he hit several joints in the neighborhood, including Save On Meats, for his first show taped outside the USA to be shown later this season on the Food Network.

That does not mean the area is now trouble free. Just days ago police issued a warning that seniors and PWDs are being preyed upon by some very desperate criminals. Drugs and prostitution are rampant. Be very cautious if you are in the area day or night. If you don't live there or are not familiar with the area don't be there at night. Still, if it's within your comfort level it's worth a daytime visit.

This photo hangs in the lobby of the new Woodwards building

As the area grows and changes parks will continue to play an important role as a recreational outlet. In this post we visit three parks in the area that are sure to reward your adventurous spirit.

Andy Livingston Park, on Expo Boulevard and Carroll St, borders Vancouver's Yaletown to the west and the DTES on the east. The park is very accessible with lots of paved pathways, places to sit, basketball court, washrooms, playing fields and a children's play area all of which are wheelchair friendly. Park entrances are at well marked crosswalks with audible signals, and way finding is very well marked throughout the DTES.

Rippling water fountain

Just a block away down Carroll St are the Dr Sun Yat Sen Gardens. There are paid and free sections of the park and during the 2010 Olympics it got some accessible modifications. It's like stepping into a different world just a few feet off the bustling Chinatown path. There is paid parking in the area but no parking in Andy Livingston Park or the Dr Sun Yat Sen Gardens.

Crab Park at Port Side is spectacular. Its waterfront vista offers great city skyline views and has lots of amenities.

An accessible children's play area and water park, picnic tables, benches, walking paths, accessible washrooms, an off leash dog area with beach access to Burrard Inlet, and a gentle ramped slope at the park's entrance make the park a joy to visit. Crab Park at Port Side is a little off the beaten path, but there is plenty of parking at the west entrance. The park has a small pier and there is no crabbing allowed at any time. So how did this park get it's name? It was originally called Portside Park when it was opened in 1986. In the mid-1990s Geoff McMurchie and the BC Coalition of People with Disabilities successfully campaigned to have wheelchair ramps installed after the completion of an overpass rendered the park inaccessible. Afterward, the neighborhood formed a new committee called Create a Real Available Beach ("CRAB"). In 2004 the city renamed the park in recognition of the committee's valuable work. For more information on these parks visit www.vancouver.ca/parks

Until next time Happy Labour Day.

Port of Vancouver

Bridge overpass

Wheel chair access
from the foot of Main St

Subtle and not so subtle reminders
of the extreme poverty in the area

Down (town) at the beach

2011-08-30T19:01:00.000-07:00

English Bay

Kits Pool

Yikes! It's the last week of the summer season and I haven't evened combed Vancouver's downtown beaches. Blame the late start on the good weather or the fact that the lower mainland has so many things to do. But the good weather does not stop right after Labour Day. In fact we often enjoy days fit for the beach up until October. And after that we just bundle up and put on our wellies or whatever else is appropriate, including bathing suits on New Years Day for the annual Polar Bear Swim. I did it once if you're wondering.

The services after the unofficial end of summer will change, however, so if you want to take advantage of the city's free beach wheelchair, soft mats or fully accessible pools at Second and Kits beaches this season, you'll have to hurry. So "giddy up 409, come on a surfing safari with me" (apologies to the Beach Boys). Here they are in order of accessibility. Coming in fourth place is Sunset Beach. There is lifeguard station and a beach concession, but the washrooms are not very accessible. It's better to use the facilities at the nearby Vancouver Aquatic centre which operates indoors year round. The area is on main bus routes and there is limited paid parking. Sunset Beach is a great place to sit and people watch, boat watch and swim.

The view is the main draw

Just 1 km down the seawall from English bay

Second Beach comes third. Technically in Stanley Park, its proximity to the bustling west end and a pool that's sure to please makes it a winner. There is a concession stand, accessible washrooms, change rooms and a children's play area that chairs can access but that has no adaptive play equipment . The pool has plenty of access features including accessible picnic tables, a sloped water entry, wheelchairs for use on pool decks and transferring into the pool. Parking is difficult and traffic in the summer is a nightmare, but if you are in Stanley Park it's a must see. For more information on Stanley Park and how to get there do check out my post "Vancouver's crown jewel does not sparkle as brightly for PWDs".

View of the pool from the beach along the seawall

Second place goes to English Bay. It has many amenities including a lifeguard station that offers beach wheelchairs, soft mats, accessible washrooms and a change area. The beach is right in the heart of the West End and is a .75 km flat seawall walk east of Second Beach. The famed beach house is undergoing some renovations and will be home to a restaurant/concession stand run by the Cactus Club with a menu designed by their food architect Iron Chef winner Rob Feenie.

English Bay

First place goes to Kits Beach just across the Burrard Bridge from Sunset Beach. It's home to the famous Kits pool with all the amenities for PWDs found at Second Beach.

Kitsilano Showboat

The best downtown beach

There is paid parking with plenty of marked stalls. The very busy beach makes peak parking access a premium,. There is a lifeguard station, Boathouse Resturant, concession stand, accessible change rooms, washrooms and soft mat beach access. There are also barrier free basketball courts, accessible change rooms and washrooms, lots of picnic areas. But new state of the barrier free children's play area with adaptive equipment is worth the trip alone. For information on these parks and services go to www.vancouver.ca/parks.

Lots of things to do
for all abilities

So better hurry or plan for next year. But don't worry, we'll be back in the winter as these downtown beaches give reason to visit all year long.

North Vancouver's Cates Park is a real beach to access

2011-08-27T16:15:00.000-07:00

Whey-ah-wichen ("wind in my face") is the first nation name for this eastern section of the Burrard Inlet, the home of Cates Park. I'm not sure how you would say "obstacles in my path" but it would be an equally accurate description for PWDs. A beautiful and natural park, at over 22 hectares it's North Vancouver's largest waterfront park. The park is named after Charles Cates, founder of the Cates Tugboat towing company that still in operation today. Cates arrived in 1896 and settled in the Indian Arm area. He lived there the rest of his life save a brief trek to the Yukon in 1898 during the gold rush. He prospected no gold but was known to recount a tale that saw Soapy Smith shoot it out with Frank Fead in a Skagway Alaska Saloon. Returning home he enjoyed many successes and he and his family rose to prominence.

Looking west

The park was dedicated to his honour in the 1950's and developed over the 1960's. Sadly nothing has been done to bring it up to 2011 standards of accessibility. It wouldn't be difficult or expensive. Already there is much parking at the main entrance including marked accessible stalls but curbs and other obstacles abound. The washrooms are few and not accessible, the beach offers no access, there is no adaptive play equipment for CWDs, the boat launch is not accessible, and park trails are very poorly marked with none specifically cut for PWDs. The bus drops you at the park's main entrance, but with no marked cross ways, more curbs, inaccessible bus stops on the return (north side Dollarton Highway) I don't recommend regular transit.

Lots of picnic space

Paddling centre dock

It's not likely most of the trails will ever be fully accessible for self propelled wheelers, but I was able to find several that, with minor changes and much better way finding, could be accessible in my big off-road chair. There are many interesting things to see in the park including the foundation remains of an old cedar mill, and the cottages(shacks) of two of Canada's literary giants Malcolm Lowery and Earl Birney. Inside the park a native intrerpretation centre and a long house are being planned.

The area just northwest of the park is being developed with single family dwelling homes. Now is the time to fix up this area of Indian Arm which is almost within reach for PWDs. If you are a resident of the district I strongly urge you to lobby the council for changes to make this park more accessible. For more information on the park and to see the park development proposal go to dnv.org and follow the links.

I will leave you with very good news. The BC Mobility Opportunities Society is expanding and doing very well in the lower mainland. Some of the latest in a line of new initiatives is the ability to rent a Trail Rider Wheelchair for $10.00 a day. This would allow anybody with a disability who has help to access this or any other park. To see more on this and other programs including kayaking, guided hikes, paragliding, or paraparagliding (a joke not a typo) and more go to www.bcmos.org.

New Westminster: the empire strikes back

2011-08-23T19:45:00.000-07:00

The first of the Queen's artillery to arrive
is displayed at city hall

New Westminster was first surveyed by the royal engineers and Colonel Robert Moody in the mid 1850's. Colonel Moody and his troops were stationed up river in Fort Langley to keep the peace when thousands of prospectors seeking their fortune swarmed the banks of the Fraser River heading east towards Mission to pan for gold. Originally the area was called Queensborough and the hilly region so captured the heart and imagination of Colonel Moody that he recommended that it become the capital of the new colony called British Columbia.

Meanwhile, Victoria, the capital of the colony of Vancouver Island, was becoming a major port stop used by prospectors and commercial ventures on their way to New Westminster. The cost to maintain two separate colonies and capitals proved onerous. Following an Irish American Fenian uprising in Ontario, the colonies were amalgamated into the Dominion of Canada. To little fanfare, Victoria was made BC's capital city on November 19, 1886. In 1859, Queensborough was proclaimed a city and renamed New Westminster as an homage to Westminster in England, the new cradle of the modern British parliament. The name was chosen by Queen Victoria herself.

Good integrated childrens' play areas.

In 1887, with royal pump and circumstance, including a barrage of artillery, New Westminster opened 75 acre Queen's Park in honour of Queen Victoria's jubilee year. By 1889 park development was in full swing and on November 9, Canada's first Governor General, Lord Stanley, planted the first of many imported shade trees.

Beautiful rose garden

Since those early days, New Westminster has experienced many ups and downs. There is a real resurgence in the air, and the newest New Westminster is embracing its historic roots while looking toward a prosperous future. New Westminster's hilly terrain is challenging, but there are many reasons to visit this historic queen's city and the old gem of Queen's park is one of them.

Children's water park

The park is large and has a lot to entertain all ages, including a fairly accessible petting zoo and water park. Even some of the children's play equipment and other areas are inclusive. The park is undergoing a renovation to its playing fields and tennis courts. The big stadium ball field and hockey arena are still operating and could use an upgrade accessibility wise. Let's hope the facilities being built will meet the standards of universal or barrier free design. Most walking trails are wheelchair friendly, although the park is on a slope and needs more way finding aids. When it is necessary to cross roadways, there are safe accessible accessible washrooms, parking and other facilities. All in all it's a nice place for a picnic. For parking and facility details go to http://www.newwestcity.ca/ and follow the links.

Another great district to visit is the waterfront. This area has been a strange mix of residential success and commercial failure. Vestiges of the latest remake officially went up the creek when the Paddlewheel Casino raised anchor two years ago. The area was left run down and mostly abandoned. But this district is making a comeback replete with a freshly painted tin soldier and an improved Fraser River information centre. The design also includes a newly renovated quay market that has just reopened for business. On my visit I was impressed with the great washrooms, nearby parking and interesting food and drink offerings with more on the way. There are also many river tours. Riverboat travel as it was back in the day continues to require effort for the mobility challenged, so check carefully with one of many tour operators to see if this is for you. You can roll along merrily once you arrive at this flat river area. Railway tracks make it hard to get here from the sky train. Take a community shuttle or use the nearby accessible parking.

"World's biggest" tin soldier

New Historic Pier Park stage 1
to be completed this fall 2011

Nice boardwalk approximately

4.5 km return trip

A busy working river

Nice place to live

Lots of fun for the kids

The wheelhouse

Made with old ship parts

It's a pleasure to see the redevelopment of the great and historic Royal City. In the meantime remember:

Rule Britannia!

Britannia rule the waves!

Britons never ever, ever shall be slaves!

Stark raven mad

2011-08-18T18:42:00.000-07:00

The place earth and sky meet

Anyone who has ever had the pleasure of experiencing BC's coastal mountains cannot deny that they are a magical place that instills a sense of awe, timelessness and beauty that subtly reminds us of our own insignificance in the grand scheme of the universe. Legends are born in the isolation, amid shadows cast in deep forest peaks and valleys. Not surprisingly the Coast Salish people have a long history of storytelling as a way of keeping their legends alive. One oft-appearing character in these legends is Raven. Raven is a roguish trouble maker who enjoys mischief and a good laugh at the expense of others. He is a shape shifter able to take all human and animal forms. I met Raven just the other day on my way up to Capilano Watershed Reserve Park.

I am not particularly proud of my actions in this tale. But before you judge me harshly, make sure that Raven doesn't hear you, because he loves nothing more than to stir things up, particularly how and when you least expect it. I was off to explore Greater Vancouver's most important watershed. Though it's not very accessible, it's gorgeous and will be covered in a future blog.

There are many raven carvings on these totem poles

found in Stanley Park

I was running late to meet my friends (never hike in the back country alone), so instead of following the trip route that I know works, I took a short cut. As regular readers will know I am a fan of public transit. Normally when heading up Grouse or Cypress mountain I start the trip in the Lonsdale Quay bus loop. Trying to meet the bus further along its route led to a very frustrating and fruitless experience when I was passed by 5 buses coming 25 minutes apart. After almost two hours of waiting I figured my friends would be well along the trail , so I gave up and headed to their camp to leave a note.

The bus I neededto get to their camp arrived and had plenty of room. Following Translink policy, I signalled to the driver that I would like to board. At that point the driver was supposed to drop the ramp, allow me to get on, and then raise the ramp to board the other passengers. Instead he boarded all the other passengers first. Consequently, both the aisle and the wheelchair section were full of sitting and standing passengers. With a little anger in my voice, but trying to keep my emotions in check, I said to the driver, "You are supposed to let me on first." "I know," replied the driver. "Good job, then," said I in a cynical tone and a sneer. I proceeded past the driver and said in a voice just short of a yell, "Excuse me people in the front, I am going to have to do the bus driver's job and ask all of you to stand up and move back. Some of you will have to exit for a moment until I get settled. Sorry, the driver didn't do his job." Once I had settled in, the driver came back to my seat and said, "If you say one more word about the way I do my job, you are off." Red faced, I said, "Good luck with that." I'll clear the bus and call in the authorities," he threatened. "And tell them I'm angry because you didn't do your job? I retorted. the driver returned to his seat and we set off. The passenger in front of me mockingly wipds tear from his eyes and said, "Boo hoo, I'm in a wheelchair I'm mad at everybody and evrybody is an #@$^&&&* because I'm in a wheelchair," he continued. Livid I blurted out, "I'm sure you would be an #$%R^*(^% if you could walk or not." Things progressed with this character who I now realize was that trickster bird, Raven. Instinctively I must have known as I kept flipping him the "bird" throughout our conversation. Things deteriorated to the point where he was kicking me and I was whacking him in the shins with a hiking stick. No one had even thought about the bus driver for at least ten minutes. Passengers either looked at their feet or were riveted to this bizarre spectacle that included staring contests bluster and other ritualistic feats of strength that often proceeds all-out violence. With out provocation, suddenly the driver yelled "If you'r going go talk about me then at least say it loud enough for me to hear." At this point I had a moment of sanity and replied, "We weren't even talking about you, let's all just take a time out." There was silence for the remainder of the trip. Until next time, don't let the Raven trip you up.

Burnaby's Deer Lake deep in heritage, culture and ecology

2011-08-14T15:34:00.000-07:00

Sculpted eco art

A First Nations legend tells the story of a hunter who speared a seal on False Creek. Wounded, the seal dove deep into the water and the brave could not find his spear or the seal. Without his spear the brave could no longer hunt and became very hungry. Later that night the brave was wakened from his sleep by a forest fire that lit the night sky in the east. The brave followed this omen which led him to what is now Deer Lake, where he found the foot of the stream where it flowed from the lake. On the shore was the seal lying with the hunter's spear still protruding from it's belly. Reunited with his spear the brave became a great hunter and first Chief of Capilano.

I am not sure what the legend is meant to teach us exactly, but it does illustrate the importance of this watershed. It also proved to be prophetic. All fresh water sources to False Creek travel are sourced by an underground spring. Like most development at the turn of the century, little regard for the above-ground streams that feed False creek meant eco-sensitive creek beds were filled in and important habitats were destroyed. Now a group known as the False Creek Watershed Society is busy restoring these vital waterways and bringing them to daylight. For info http://www.falsecreekwatershed.org/.

Today this eco sensitive area is being restored

The lake became an important place for the Squamish Nation to harvest cranberries and hunt elk and deer. In 1859 pioneers began to claim lands, and in 1867 Charles Seymour opened "the lake house" servicing stagecoach traffic and hunting. The lake attracted more and more of the gentry now settling in the west, and today many of these English style cottages and gardens remain. A public park was established on the eastern shore where today you will find the boat house (for rentals), beach access, and washrooms. Over time the park developed and expanded, and in 1967 a centennial project converted one of the many heritage cottages that remain around the lake into the Burnaby Art Gallery and Centennial Garden. Eventually the city of Burnaby purchased the cottages and land to develop the park as it is today.

Water's edge access

The east end of the lake was the very first groomed section of park when a bath house was constructed in the mid 1950's to invite swimming, which is no longer allowed. The bathhouse washrooms bear the accessible logo but are not even close to being accessible. The large parking lot (which was mostly empty on the day I visited) has two accessible parking spots. The lot itself badly needs paving as well as this section of sloping lake trail. The boat rentals offer no adaptive equipment and the children's play area is also barrier-burdened. But there are some very beautiful and accessible areas of the park.

The park is best accessed from the Shadbolt Centre for the Arts. If you take transit do not get off at the Burnaby City Hall bus loop. A lack of curb cuts mean risky road travel along busy streets. Instead look for stops on Canada Way or Deer Lake Ave. For information go to http://www.translink.ca/. At the centre you will find lots of accessible parking and the park's only accessible washrooms, as well as picnic and play areas. The children's play area can be accessed but offers no adapted equipment. You will also find paved pathways leading to a wooden boardwalk that circles most of the lake. Heading west along the boardwalk it's smooth sailing with water edge access at some sections. For parts of this walk you will need to leave the comfortable boardwalk and proceed along dirt and paved sections. The paved sections have gentle slopes until you reach the steeper gravel trails on the northeast section of lake trail. You will want to turn around at Sperling Ave as this is where that nasty eastern shore begins. There are plenty of places to sit and trails are generally well marked. The round trip is just short of 4 km. If you want trail maps, heritage home walking tour info and more, go to http://www.burnaby.ca/

Well maintained board walk

Keep following the lake

Lake

Also on the park grounds is the Burnaby Village Museum and an old fashioned merry-go- round slightly adapted to include a wheelchair space, provided child and chair can lifted up aspproximately 20 cm. The museum is no must-see but the kids will like it. Its a 1920's village with one oddly out of place 1970's exhibit. As you can imagine the 1920's structures were not very accessible and even with the addition of retrofit ramps it still has a long way to go. The only accessible washrooms on the museum grounds are at the main entrance off Canada Way. You will also find accessible parking here. For museum details www.burnabyvillagemuseum.ca/. There is free admission until Labour Day to celebrate the museum's 40th anniversary.

As mentioned earlier the park grounds are also home to the Burnaby Art Gallery, and the Shadbolt Centre for the Arts. The art gallery has a ramp, but it leads to a narrow door with a small lip, so I went no further. The Shadbolt Centre is a beautifully accessible modern facility. I have not seen a show in the centre but I love to attend the Annual Burnaby Blues and Roots Festival hosted in the centre's outdoor amphitheatre. This year's line up included rockabilly queen Imelda May, legendary blues man John Mayall and the stylings of K.D. Lang. There were a few surprises in the lineup, such as the fantastic performance by Canadian blues man Matt Anderson. All in all it was a great day and I have noticed the festival becoming more accessible over the years. I do have a couple of suggestions for next year. The accessible entrance gate needs highlighting and the addition of more signs as they appear on the site map. The viewing area was great with raised and grass options. I also like the reserved ticket seating for PWDs and their guests. Please make the grass area entrance a little wider next year. And of course bus information for PWDs needs to be clearer. The main directions were to go to the City Hall bus loop which, as I stated earlier, is not the accessible route. As well, the Burnaby RCMP and Translink need to coordinate better bus access for PWDs. All in all it was fun and I don't feel blue in the least for attending. For more information on the Shadbolt Centre go to www.shadboltcentre.com/

Next time: a trip to nowhere.

Bus Stop Hop an amazing race around Metro Vancouver

2011-08-09T18:09:00.000-07:00

In Spain they outrun the bulls, Kentucky hosts a derby, Boston has its famous marathon, and for the last ten years Metro Vancouver has rolled out the Bus Stop Hop. The event is hosted by the BC Paraplegic Association, a great organization for the mobility challenged that offers a variety of programs and opportunities for PWDs including events like this one.

Translink is a major sponsor

It's a team race made up of people with varying abilities. This year's route started at one of Granville Island's pockets of accessibility (see post "The Island that time forgot"), Performance Works, and stretched to YVR in Richmond, North Vancouver's Lonsdale Quay, back to Vancouver, on to Science World, then home to Granville Island. Teams plan their own route and at various stops complete a series of tasks, find clues, and answer questions. Some challenges are optional and some are not. You receive points for completed tasks and for correct answers to such questions as how many of the city of Vancouver's 27,000 corners have curb cuts? (The answer is here in last paragraph.) You travel from one beautiful location to another via Translink's 100% accessible fleet of trains, buses and Seabuses (see http://www.translink.ca/). Another option this year was the use of accessible Aquabus routes along False Creek (see post "False Creek transportation truly innovative").

Seabus

Aquabus

The goal of the race is to have a good time while testing Metro Vancouver's accessibility and overcoming the barriers that still exist. Near the race's end it was evident that some racers were in it to win it and others were just having fun.

The tasks were aimed at challenging all team members. For example, sighted team mates were blind- folded and verbally guided around parts of Granville Island. Other tasks included searching Science World to find the name of "the horniest dinosaur that ever did roam", seeking out a historic site on the North Shore, and locating and identifying pioneer statues at YVR.

Off and running, rolling, and limping

Race start

Team mates race towards the Seabus

Mechanical difficulties

North Van check in

Looking for the horny dinosaur

Waterfront Station

North Shore

You could cheat by hiring our fairly accessible (20% of the registered cabs in Vancouver according to the trivia question answers) taxi fleet, but not by jumping aboard our 100% inaccessible tour buses.

The event was a lot of fun and I met some interesting people. Along the way we were treated to snacks and refreshments of all kinds, and it all ended with a BBQ party to award prizes to the winners. If you got hopelessly lost you could contact event coordinators but it would cost you 10 points. Coordinators were also there to assist you with any mechanical difficulties or other emergencies. To find out more about the BCPA go to http://www.bcpara.org/.

Craig Langston of the winning team

This year's winning teams out of 63 racers were:

Carol Schoyen, Jessica Schoyen, Craig Langston, Heather Andrews and Joey Brunton.
Vivia Garcia, Sarah Chung and Tina Poole.
Vince Preap, Urs Brasser, Hidy and Jenny (last names held on request)

Well, off to beautiful Deer Lake in Burnaby for the Burnaby Blues and Roots Festival this coming weekend. I'll be back with a report on the park and them dulcet blues. Until next time, stay cool my wheeled peeps. And for the rest of you, if you don't need them, keep Vancouver's 19,000 curb cuts clear.

West Vancouver keeps the beach in reach

2011-08-05T07:26:00.000-07:00

Capilano River flows to the Burrard Inlet

The Lions Gate Bridge and Stanley Park

If you like the feel of sand in your toes, the ocean wind on your face, and the smells of seaweed and sunscreen, then you won't want to miss a visit to these wonderful water front parks in West Vancouver. I recently checked out a very accessible stretch of beachfront trail stretching from where the Capilano River flows into the Burrard Inlet and travelling west along the north shore of English Bay to what was Vancouver's first cottage getaway, Dundarave Village.

There are a few ways to connect with Ambleside Park where the trail begins. This stretch of trail in Ambleside is paved and runs 1.2 km along sandy beach shoreline from the railway bridge crossing at the Capilano River mouth to 13th St. You can find accessible parking throughout this 24 hectare park. There is a par 3 accessible golf course; however, the clubhouse has no accessible washrooms. Throughout the park there are natural and artificial turf playing fields, BBQs, pavilions, picnic tables, very accessible washrooms with automatic doors, and an accessible beach area. Unfortunately this park and the others I traversed on this trip are not as accessible when it comes to children's play areas. They have many barriers and no adaptive equipment.

Accessible beach

As usual I rely on transit to make my way http://www.translink.ca/ . If you are driving, head west from the Lions Gate Bridge and find the park two blocks back of Marine Drive. You can also park in the Park Royal mall's far south west parking lot near Taylor Way and walk approximately 500 meters towards the ocean to meet the Capilino Pacific Trail head. The route I am taking heads west from there. In a future post I hope to travel sections of the Capilino Pacific Trail as it runs from Capilano Lake in Mount Seymour following the river on its 6 km journey to the sea. The trail I travel on today consists of pavement, boardwalk, and packed gravel.

The way to Dundarave passes through several parks, beaches and grass areas, and includes the Centennial Sea Walk. Along the way there are numerous places to sit, shade areas, fields, beaches, piers and boardwalks. Washrooms are frequent and fantastically accessible with automatic doors. The three major parks along the way are Ambleside, John Lawson and Dundarave.

Boardwalk wheel chair beach access points were provided consistently along the way. The route could use more way finding with information on the distances to the next park, etc. The next stop after a brief journey along Belvue Ave to the foot of 17th St brings me to John Lawson Park. This area of Belvue Ave is a hub of artist studios, music and theatre. It also hosts a farmer's market on the first Sunday of each month with a second Sunday the following week added in the month of August. The park itself offers accessible pathways, more great washrooms, picnic area, BBQs, small pavilion, swimming beach and fishing pier.

Crabbing is the most popular form of fishing off of this pier and the District of West Vancouver has even provided a bait chopping area replete with a sink. If you decide to cast your net, don't forget to get a licence from the DFO (See post "Surrey's Green Timbers Park has reel allure" ) and be sure to follow the catch yield rules.

Just after John Lawson is a beachfront boardwalk and hard pack gravelly stretch with more art studios. If you want to avoid the bumps (I think most chair users won't be unduly uncomfortable with these) on this path, return to the park entrance at Bellvue Ave and the foot of 17th St which is the beginning of the Centennial Sea Walk.

The Sea Walk Garden at the foot of 19th St is a beautiful little nook just off the pathway. You can find little quiet areas to listen to the babble of Lawson's Stream as it trickles to the vast Pacific Ocean. The stream is an important salmon and trout habitat. If you have the time and can resist the distracting views of English Bay and passing water craft from around the globe heading to the Port of Vancouver, stop and play a game of chess .

The home stretch, assuming you don't need to turn around and head back to your car, is the beginning of the Centennial Sea Walk. Although this beautifully flat paved pathway travels for 1.7 km, once you are on it in your chair, the only way off is forward or back due to the rising ground just north of this man-made seawall. In fact, at Dundarave there will be a fairly steep exit to parking lots or buses.

The Centennial Walk was opened in 1968 to commemorate Canada's 100th birthday and offers beautiful views of Vancouver from Stanley Park to UBC. Lots of little shade rest areas, art, benches, and star sightings make this trip seem a short one.

Dundarave Park has both a pier and a fantastic accessible beach walk. There is parking and the best vehicle access would be at the foot of 25th St. You can also find parking along both sides of the rail tracks along Bellvue Ave. The park has an accessible gazebo, more of those washrooms with the automatic doors, and a concession stand that offers unusual but delicious fare for a beach side concession: Triple A organically certified Alberta beef.

Wheelchair boardwalk to the high tide level

Dundarave Pier

The Village of Dundarave has historic roots and was named by Rusell Macnaughten, a professor of Greek at UBC in the early 1900s, as homage to the famous Scottish castle. The irony was not likely lost on him that the Gaelic word translates to "two oars in the water". Before the construction of the Lions Gate Bridge in 1939 and a connecting main road to Marine Drive in 1913, Vancouver's gentry would row over from English Bay's south side.

The Beach House at Dundarave pier: yummy

Lovely beach

View from the end of the pier

The higher up the bigger the king

Uphill from Dundarave Park is the town centre. Along Marine Way you will find a quaint shopping district with speciality food and wine stores. On Saturdays from April to October, check out the farmer's market. Don't be surprised to bump into Bono, Robin Williams, or permanent residents Sarah McLaughlin, Anne Heche, Goldie Hawn, and Kurt Russell, for if Vancouver is Hollywood North, West Vancouver is its Beverly Hills.

Steveston: a look through fishstory

2011-08-01T11:42:00.000-07:00

The old Interurban terminus

In my last post on Quilchina I wrote of the old Interurban train line that went from Vancouver to Steveston. This week AccessEco BC travels to the end of that line to Richmond's historic Steveston Village. William Steves purchased the land, originally a dairy farm area, in 1890 in hopes of developing a rival to the newly emerging Port of Vancouver.

Although his dream never quite developed, today we are left with a quaint little part of Richmond, BC that is steeped in history, filled with shops and restaurants and stunning views of the Gulf of Georgia, and is very accessible to boot. Half the fun of visiting is discovering the amazing amount of heritage that has been preserved.

A wind propelled dune buggy zips past
an old ice house

The wind at Garry Point Park is consistently strong

Garry Point Park is part of Richmond's West Dyke Trail (see post " Hiking the dyke along an island ocean estuary"). Although it's not technically part of Stevestston Village, it's so close that I have always included it in my visits. The park was built with dredging material from Texada Island and is a real oasis of birds, views, wildflowers, beaches, benches, art, picnic tables and more. The park entrance is at the border of the historic section of Steveston Village. The park's entrance has a very accessible washroom and a concession featuring fresh delicious seafood, barista coffee and ice cream. As you munch, check out the map to Steveston Village which is also near the park's entrance.

Hard packed trails along the beach

Lots of places to nap with an ocean breeze
among the wildflowers

A short trip along the well marked and mapped trail westward will lead you towards the Gulf of Georgia Cannery, one of Canada's National Historic Treasures and as such a federal government responsibility in conjunction with the non-profit Gulf Of Georgia Cannery Society. The cannery has been rated 4.5 on a scale of 5 rating from Access Richmond and is proud that their interactive museum includes historic walking tours of the village. For more on the cannery go to www.gulfofgeorgiacannery.com. To see the very useful Access Richmond web site go to www.accessrichmond.ca.

Comfortable boardwalk

I like to call the next section of boardwalk the miracle mile. In my post on Granville Island ("The island that time forgot"), I wrote of the uncomfortable railway tie boardwalk along Granville Island's perimeter. This prompted a friend, fellow bloglidite and disability advisory committee chair of the external access committee, Jeanette Anderson, to raise the issue. She was provided an email stating that the engineers who looked into it could not build the walk so the ties were elongated. Apparently Richmond has solved this vexing problem to create just such a boardwalk.

Whale and wildlife watching tours

Still lots of commercial fishing

Mats and rails at the government docks make it accessible

In the village area itself most shops and restaurants offer at least some form of access. There are not many assisted cross ways in the village; however, as the Community of Steveston grows, more in the way proper cross walks are being implemented by the City of Richmond. The Richmond city council has really seemed to buy into the the culture of accessibility that accompanied their hosting of the 2010 winter Olympic games. I noticed the latest upgrade to the Steveston Village included a cross way with all the latest in crossing assistance, and it looked like more upgrades the area are on the way. Curb cuts and accessible washrooms can be found throughout the village. Parking to this busy pedestrian-oriented tourist favorite is not easy to find, but when and where you find it you will also see designated disability parking. As usual I chose transit www.translink.ca. If you like to cook, be sure and buy fresh seafood right off the boats. I checked with the boat tours and here are some good things to know. The tour boats are not specifically built to accommodate disabilities and it is best for individuals to check with them before booking. They cannot always guarantee whale sightings, but when whales are in the area, they do post a guarantee which you can see before buying your ticket. To contact attractions shops go to www.steveston.bc.ca. The Steveston Village Community Centre has the most accessible and integrated children's play area and water park I have ever seen. For details go to www.richmond.ca/parksrec/centres/stevestoncentre/steveston.htm.

Heading east along the Fraser River is Steveston's newest section of boardwalk along the old cannery row This section is a mix of cement and rail tie and is very accessible. It travels along the former sites of three canneries on the way to the historic Britannia Shipyards.

Lots of great photo ops

Britannia Shipyards

For information on the shipyard
go to www.britannia-hss.ca/

Steveston is a great place to spend the day or just a few hours, and is well worth the trip. On the weekend of August 5 through 7 is Steveston's Maritime Festival, a fun family event. For details go to www.venturevancouver.com/blog/richmond-maritime-festival-august-5-to-7-2011 Until next time, when I go ambling along West Vancouver's Ambleside Park.

Disc golf at Quilchina Park a rough experience

2011-07-28T20:16:00.000-07:00

Tee off

Hard core disc golfers

In my blog post "Queen Elizabeth Park wears the crown of accessibility", I wrote about the pleasure I had in meeting a group of disc golfers who are every bit as compulsive and serious as their ballsy cousins. The game is similar to golf and has a strict set of rules and code of conduct governed by the Disc Golf Association. My new friends were very accommodating and even gave me what I would need to get started: a driving and putting disc. The putter resembles a frisbee and floats as you throw. The driver is more like an Olympic discus built for distance. There are several other disc types permitted for play: left flyers, right flyers, tree dislodgers, rollers and more. Queen Elizabeth course is long, hilly, has water hazards and lacks pathways around the course.

My new buds suggested I try the Quilchina Park course as it was a shorter 9 basket (played as 18) with a perimeter path making for less travel over grass. So this week, inspired by the PGA Canadian Open event at the nearby Shaughnessy Golf and Country Club, I headed out to this west side city park to partake in a game of cheaper and less formal disc golf. The views from Arbutus Ridge are stunning and you can see out to English Bay and beyond. Strict zoning laws in the prestigious Shaughnessy, Quilchina, Arbutus and Point Grey neighborhoods have preserved the view not as a corridor but as a complete panorama.

Quilchina is a First Nations word loosely translated as "many waters". Originally a marsh area, even though it sits high above sea level, the land was home to the Squamish Nation but was given to the Canadian Pacific Railway by the Canadian Parliament as part of a 2,100 hectare parcel in 1888. The CPR used some of the land to develop the inter urban rail line, completed in 1905, to connect what is now Vancouver with Steveston. The rail line had stops higher up the Dunbar ridge in Quilchina at what is now West 37 Ave and West 41 Ave and ended in the Dunbar community. The neighborhood was originally part of the municipality of South Vancouver when the inter urban line was completed in 1906. At that time only a few rich railroad brass lived in the area. Quilchina joined Vancouver in 1912 . The area boomed until the Great Depression of the 1930s. In the 1950s the city used sand from the dredging of False Creek to fill in the boggy areas of Quilchena in order to build housing and schools for the post war baby boom. This plan also resulted in the end of the inter urban railroad line when it was replaced with trolley buses.

The neighborhood's main arteries are very accessible, but the side streets are not. Curb cuts are patchy causing frequent long turn arounds, and cross ways across busy streets have nothing in the way of assistance. I took the bus but I do not recommend bus travel to this location. Stops along the #33 and # 25 buses leave a long scary trip to get to the park's one accessible entrance at North Valley Drive and West 33rd Ave. There is no parking lot and you must try your luck with side street parking. However, the entrance does have a crosswalk and curb cuts.

You want to be in fairly limber condition before you tackle this park. It has a skateboard parkl, baseball and soccer fields, and a playground that is as inaccessible as the rest of it. The washrooms are marked accessible but by universal standards they are not as they have cramped space and very tight turns.

This off leash park is better left to the dogs

As my disc golf friends had promised, I did find the golf course and accessible perimeter path. But the day went to a complete waste thanks to the new City of Vancouver initiative to cut back on lawn care. This new practice is a hazard to the mobility and visually impaired. Dangerous dips and stumps, etc make any field a mine field. Even for my 4 wheel chair the grass proved challenging.

Hidden treasures from dogs and worse

I plan to raise this issue at the city's next Disability Advisory Committee meeting in September and will keep you posted. As far as disc golf is concerned, I hope to get back to it and will try other courses in the future. For a list of courses and to learn about the rules and how to organize tournaments, etc go to www.bcdss.bc.ca.

For information on the park or to contact the Parks Board and complain go to www.vancouver.ca/parks.

North shore's Lower Lonsdale area is flat out fun

2011-07-26T08:04:00.000-07:00

A montage of the 20.000 workers during WW2 who built 53%
of our wartime cargo ships

Making the north shore accessible is an up hill or, up mountain actually, battle. The steep inclines that start at sea level and rise to 1,231 metres at the tip of Grouse Mountain can be difficult to impossible for the mobility challenged. Some areas are very accessible and some are not. AccesssEco Bc will visit several areas including the top of Grouse Mountain over time. On my last visit to North Vancouver I checked out the Lonsdale Quay (see post "Going north - shore that is, swimmin' pools, movie stars"). This visit is to the Waterfront Area to the east and west of the market. As most of this area is at or near sea level, the flatter area is ideal for the mobility challenged. The Lower Lonsdale area on the whole offers great cross ways with auditory features, excellent curb cuts, and ramp access from the Esplanade to the Quay roof and on to the market and hotel. My preferred method of travel to this central location on the north shore continues to be sea bus http://www.translink.ca/

Lots of places to sip a latte

On Saturdays there are a couple of farmers markets in the area

Rolling past the market I head east to the revamped and still to be completed historic shipyard district at the base of Londsdale Ave. Although not yet finished, it is already one of my favorite spots in the lower mainland. This area is a showcase of the fascinating history surrounding what was North Vancouver's second largest industry: ship building. The Wallace ship yard was originally west of these grounds further up the Burrard Inlet. However, in 1906, soon after the City of North Vancouver acquired electricity, the shipyard moved to the foot of Lonsdale. You can take a riveting 45 minute tour of the area for free. The tour is wheelchair accessible and can accommodate groups. For information go to www.northvanmuseum.ca/program4.htm.

The grounds are very accessible

From the 700 ft Burrard dry dock pier looking toward North Van

Ship building continues today

I can't wait to see what the completed historic shipyard district will look like when it's completed. Use the Pinnacle Hotel's accessible washrooms and elevators to Esplanade. I noticed the installation of a new and modern accessible elevator almost completed on east side park exit. Hopefully when it's finished the site will include cross ways, marked pedestrian paths, and way finding with even more tactile clues for the visually impaired.

The east exit elevator looks nearly complete

If you head to the west side of the market, you will come across Waterfront Park. This 2.5 hectare park is divided by railway track and thus has a south side on the water front and a north side entering off Esplanade. In the park you can choose to use the street or a pedestrian overpass to get to each section. The north side is more of a field used for many community events including Caribbean Days.

The south side is the seawall section and where you will find great vistas of Vancouver's city scape, accessible washrooms, the Mariners Memorial, the Trans Canada Trail Aboriginal theme pavilion, and BCIT's waterfront campus.

Park pier looking to Vancouver

Mariner's Memorial for those lost at sea

Trans Canada Trail Aboriginal theme pavilion

BCIT docks

The park has a children's play area which is not very accessible. It does have good cement paths in the south side as well as along the sea wall. The south side is where you will find accessible washrooms and lots of places to sit.

Just beyond the BCIT campus at the park's far west exit is the Spirit Trail. I was aware of this section of pathway on the south tip of the Squamish Nation Reserve, but I bumped into a friend on the trail who told me eventually the path will offer an uninterrupted route to Horseshoe Bay. He has also told me that he has tried most of the sections that are open and they are great for his wheelchair.

Thanks for the tip

The Spirit Trail entrance just beyond the BCIT campus

For more information on Waterfront Park , North Vancouver and the Spirit Trail go to http://www.cnv.org/

Jericho Beach and the field of dreams - Part 2

2011-07-21T18:00:00.000-07:00

THE FIELD IS HILLY

THE FIELD IS GRASSY

USUALLY IT'S DUSTY

THIS YEAR WAS MUDDY

BUT THERE'S A COMMITTEE

THAT'S THERE TO HELP ME

THEY KNOW THIS LAND IS MADE FOR YOU AND ME.

SUNG TO THE TUNE OF THIS LAND IS YOUR LAND THIS LAND IS MY LAND

The last blog post was a look at the perimeter paths around the large grass field, marsh land and beach in Jericho Beach Park. This post looks at the inner field which is usually very inaccessible. That's why I refer to it as the field of dreams. In mid July each year tens of thousands of people flock to the Vancouver Folk Music Festival, among them hundreds of us using wheelchairs, canes, walkers, service animals, attendants, and the like. Add in another 1500+ volunteers, hundreds of musicians, sound crews , and merchants, and just for fun this year stir in what seemed like endless litres of rainwater. How do you make what in any other situation would most assuredly be a disaster for PWDs to, as one patron put it, "the most accessible event of the year"? Since it's a folk festival how else but by committee. I had the pleasure of joining the committee this year in making the festival barrier free.

Well marked viewing areas

The Universal Access Committee has been a part of the folk festival for a long time. It was formerly the disabled access committee, and this year's name change reflects the committee's wish that one day accessibility will be such a part of our culture that the committee will no longer need to exist. It's safe to say the committee will be around for awhile yet. Some people in the core group have been doing this for as for as long as 15 years.

Nomadic caravan

This experienced group thinks of everything: drop off areas, disability parking, attendant fee policy, a policy of self identifying as a PWD, wheelchair and umbrella loans, Braille and large print programs, a tent with a privacy room, well marked viewing areas, assistants to wheel you from stage to stage or provide your attendant with a break, a place to recharge your wheelchair, lots of way finding maps, and plenty of accessible washrooms. At the end of the day they have people to assist you on to public transit and they influenced transit to add more buses during these peak times. Not content to rest on their laurels, the committee's brain trust was surveying attendees this year and welcomed all suggestions.

Shade and rain tents

Excuse me! Coming through! Pardon me! None of these are necessary thanks

to the work of committee volunteers.

The universal access committee is involved in all areas of the festival

To paraphrase Joni Mitchell, when you get a large group of people in one place, some people behave like folks and some people behave like tourists. The folks know who they are but the tourists have no idea. In this case the folks respected the viewing area access, and accessible washrooms. The tourists not so much . But the dedicated volunteers of the universal access committee were there to convert tourists to folks with polite reminders and information on why it is necessary to respect access areas. On one of my shifts I was guarding the washrooms and an able bodied fellow, after listening to my shift partner's patient explanations on how not to be a tourist (I am sure she was more polite than that) decided he was going to use the accessible was"hroom anyway. I yelled "bad karma"!, and he looked as surprised to hear it as I was to say it. What?" he asked. Bad karma I repeated. He must have been a real "My Name is Earl" fan because it stopped him. He mumbled something as he walked off. Later in the shift I found a water canteen on the ground. Thinking nothing of it, I put it aside to add to the lost and found. Not long after the same guy came back this time searching the ground as he walked. "Looking for a water bottle?" I asked. "Yes," he said. Grinning I handed it to him and said "good karma". He nodded, thanked me and went on his way.

A folk market along the beach

I would love to work with this group again next year. The volunteers and committee heads are a great group of people. If that's not enough they also feed you, give you a weekend all access pass, a program and a party. For more information on the festival, including where you can sign up to volunteer for the 35th year, or to recieve updates and more information go to www.thefestival.bc.ca.

If you want information on Jericho Beach be sure to look at Part 1 of this post and to www.vancouverparks.ca.

See you at the festival next year