Grouse Mountain

Grouse Mountain, peak of Vancouver, exceeds 1,200m in altitude. It is the site of an alpine ski area during winter season and a popular hiking site during the summer. It also provides entertainment and other outdoor activities which include skytide, ziplines, paragliding, and many more. The peak of the mountain showcases the breathtaking panoramic views of the city, sea and surrounding mountains in all year long. One of Grouse mountain most inspiring creation is “The eye of the wind”. This is the world’s first and only wind turbine that has a viewPOD at the top of the tower; which allow tourist to stand in a 360- degree clear glass area and enjoy the view of beautiful Vancouver city. This facility was anticipated to eventually supplying 25% of the resort’s electricity using wind power. This design was recognized in the 2011 consulting Engineers of British Columbia,  “Awards for Engineering Excellence”.

Vancouver Geography Part 3: View Corridors

As previously mentioned in Part 1 and Part 2, Vancouver is unique in its development. The geography of the city has played a major role in the city's development plan, from the mixed-use design to the stunted building heights, these are the results of urban planners adapting to the city's natural surroundings. Those of us fortunate enough to spend time in Vancouver know that the touch of nature within and surrounding the city lifts the spirit. The mountains serve as an excellent backdrop to a picturesque skyline, ensuring a little green everywhere you look, and this is no accident. Vancouverites today certainly associate themselves with sustainability, nature, and being "green" as efforts are being made to make Vancouver the "greenest city in the world". However even in the late 70's, the connection to nature was important to those who lived here. Thats why in 1989 the City of Vancouver protected the view corridors of 27 locations, blocking the development of high rise towers to intrude the space. This was important as (we previously mentioned) the limited available land for development meant growing upwards, blocking the views. The City has successfully preserved these views, despite constant pressure from architects and developers who would like to build higher and create more residences. The increasing population in Vancouver has created a large demand for downtown condos, meaning each new tower is leaving money on the table for each floor that is deemed too high by the City. While those that wish to make more money dislike the idea of the view corridors, there are plenty that issue high praise and wish to emulate Vancouver. It is certainly a unique concept that defines Vancouver, both past and present, shaped by its surroundings.

Girl in wetsuit Statue

Girl in a Wetsuit statue is located on a rock in the water along the north side of Stanley Park in Vancouver. It is a life-sized bronze sculpture of a woman in a wetsuit, with flippers on her feet and her mask pushed up on her forehand. The statue was made in 1972 by a Hungarian sculptor, Elek Imredy, whom immigrated to Vancouver in 1957. Elek Imredy fled from Hungary in 1956 and settled in Vancouver in 1957. He first taught evening courses at the Vancouver School of Art and Vancouver City College (which is now known as Langara), and not too long later, Elek became one of Vancouver's noted professional sculptor and he was one of the founders of the Western chapter of the Canadian Sculptor’s Society. During his career, Elek created many sculptures which include the Lady of Justice at the Vancouver Law Courts and a life-sized statue of Prime Minister Louis St. Laurent in the Supreme Court in Ottawa. One of Elek most famous sculpture is Girl in a Wetsuit. 

Vancouver: A City of Neighborhoods

Vancouver is the ever-growing coastal seaport city located on the South-West corner of mainland British Columbia. The original settlement established in 1867, named Gastown grew around the Hastings Mill. It eventually grew to become the townsite of Granville before being renamed Vancouver as it was incorporated as a city in 1886. As the city grew, smaller communities started becoming more evident and Vancouver became a city of neighborhoods. There are now 21 distinguished neighborhoods in Vancouver, and although the actual borders between them are inexact, they each have their own unique character.

Separated into sections of Central Vancouver, West Side, East Side and South Vancouver a brief overview of the neighbourhoods will be give. As previously mentioned the actual borders are inexact and are occasionally merged into sub-neighbourhoods or into more than one of the 4 directional quadrants.

Inukshuk

Inukshuk, is a mysterious stone figures that can be found throughout the world. They are monuments made of unworked stones that are used by the Inuit for communication and survival. An Inukshuk can be small or large, single rock or several rocks balanced on each other, round, bounders or flat. The arrangement of stones indicates the purpose of the marker. The Inuit make Inukshuk in different forms for a variety of purposes: as navigation or directional aids, to make a place of respect or memorial of a beloved person, or to indicate migration routes or places where fish can be found. These sculptural forms are among the oldest and most important objects placed by humans upon the vast Arctic landscape and have become a familiar symbol of the Inuit and of their homeland. Inuit tradition forbids the destruction of Inukshuk, it is often venerated as symbolizing ancestor who knew how to survive on the land in the traditional way. 

The New Vancouver Convention Centre

The Vancouver Convention Centre West

The beautiful new expansion to the Vancouver Convention Centre certainly is a representation of the city and its values. Aspiring to be one of the "greenest" cities in the world, Vancouver's new convention centre certainly aids in that respect. The addition has added 220,500 square feet (20,490 m2) of convention space, 90,000 square feet (8,400 m2) of retail space and in total as a project 14 acres (57,000 m2) of land and 8 acres (32,000 m2) over water. In times past, an expansion of this size would signify major environmental impact, however the determination and dedication of all those involved ensured the project meet LEED Platinum standards, the highest achievement from LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design). Opened on April 4, 2009 the expansion tripled the capacity of the convention centre which fit well for the 2010 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games as it hosted the International Broadcasters during that time. To date the events held have ranged from the XI International Conference on AIDS, hosting 15,000 delegates (its largest event) to a small meeting between Boris Yeltsin and Bill Clinton. While the convention centre provides large economic benefits to Vancouver by grossing $215 million in revenue, its significance as a landmark of Vancouver stretch more to the architecture and how it truly represents the city.

Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden

As we all know, Vancouver is a city that is full of diversity. The Dr Sun Yat-Sen Garden Society was incorporated in 1981 as a non-profit organization established to maintain and enhance the bridge of understanding between Chinese and Western Cultures, promoting Chinese culture generally and be an integral part of the local community.