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James Johnstone Is Back With A History Walk Through Vancouver’s Cedar Cottage April 2nd

26 Feb

James Johnstone is back with a new historical walking tour in East Van’s Cedar Cottage.  This area is rich with history. If you missed our writer Al Tee’s previous post on this area, you may wish to check out A Little East Van History – The Lakeview Disaster and The Wild West.    If you wish to listen to a first hand account that delves in the rich history of this area, we encourage you to attend James Johnstone’s walking tour on Sunday, April 2nd. The tour will include learning about the Thomas Bell House which has an interesting history and Clark Park which is Vancouver’s second oldest civic park and home to a notorious gang, Clark Park Gang.  To learn more about them, you can check out Aaron Chapman’s book The Last Gang In Town. This area also has an infamous connection to the Chicken Coop Murders that took place in California in 1928 and was the basis of a movie Changeling staring Angelina Jolie. The historial walking tour runs for 2 ½ to 3 hours and starts at 10:00 am at SW corner of Commercial Street and East 18th Avenue. Cost is $25 per person. To reserve your spot, email historywalks@gmail.com.

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History Walks Are Back This February and March Plus 2 New Ghost Tours

13 Feb

HistoryWalkGrainJames Johnstone is back again with his popular historical walking tours. Also returning with him for a couple of the history walks is Kati Ackermann. Kati is Vancouver’s own paranormal investigator and ghost whisperer.   Kati is the founder of Vancouver Spooks Paranormal and will be partnering with James for 2 tours. The first tour will be in Mount Pleasant on March 7th and the second in Strathcona on March 14th.  The route and content of these two Ghost Walks are the same as the regular Mount Pleasant and East End walking tours with the addition of Kati’s perspective which will be tuned into spirits along the way.   Note, the ghost walks are limited to 30 people and sell out quickly so if you are interested, we suggest reserving your spot. For more information or to register, visit History Walks In Vancouver.

February 22nd – East End Vancouver/Strathcona History Walk
(departs from 696 East Hastings at Heatley 10:00 am) $20

March 7th – Mount Pleasant Ghost Walk
(departs from NE corner of Yukon & 12th Avenue + ends at 7th Ave. &
Main Street 10:00 am) $30

March 14th – Strathcona Ghost Walk
(departs from 696 East Hastings at Heatley 10:00 am) $30

Photo Credit: James Johnstone

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The Napier Greenway: The City of Vancouver is Renaming Without Consultation

3 Jul

So, every once in a while, we happen across things that make us shake our heads. What we are about to share is one of those things.  For the last few years we have featured the East Van Garden Tour, which is a fundraiser for Britannia Neighbours who do an amazing job of beautifying and maintaining what we all know as the Napier Greenway. For those who don’t know it, this space is located off Commercial Drive at the entrance to Britannia Community Centre.  This is a great community space created in 2001 by the City and Britannia Neighbours (a group of community volunteers), under the City’s Green Streets Program and which has been lovingly tended to by Britannia Neighbours for the last 18 years.   We have to say we were rather surprised when we stumbled across a letter from Britannia Neighbours to the City of Vancouver about the renaming of this space to Margaret Mitchell Plaza.

For those who may not know the name, Margaret Mitchell was a Vancouver resident, social worker, and activist who was elected to the House of Commons four times to serve the riding of Vancouver East. She was the longest serving female MP when she left in 1993 after 14 years in which she boldly advanced women’s rights.  This is without a doubt someone who is worthy of recognition.

Now, getting back to the Napier Greenway, Britannia Neighbours is a group of local volunteers who started working with the City of Vancouver in 2000 to create the Napier Greenway and has, since its completion in 2001, maintained it.  They have weekly work parties, they rake and weed and prune and plant new plants and move old ones, they clean up graffiti on benches, and do other repairs as needed. They also hire someone from the nearby Kettle Friendship Society to pick up litter daily and hire someone else to water all summer.   This greenway is a gathering space that regularly hosts free community events such as Artful Sundays, the Stone Soup Festival, and activities during Car Free Day and Italian Day.  The Napier Greenway was created and is regularly invigorated by the community that surrounds and cares for it.  With no disrespect to Margaret Mitchell, the renaming of it dismisses and disrespects the hard work this community and its volunteers have put and continue to put into this space.NapierGreenway7

We have learned that there is actually a Naming Committee at the City of Vancouver which makes recommendations about places that need new names; the previous Council, however, made this decision without consulting either Britannia Neighbours or its own Naming Committee. During an in-camera meeting, the previous Council agreed, by a majority vote, without any consultation whatsoever, to rename the Napier Greenway Margaret Mitchell Plaza. The initiative for the new name we understand was led by then Vision Councillor, Andrea Reimer. The ‘without consultation’ is the part that really gets under our skin whether this issue or others that affect the communities they represent. Elected officials serve residents of the City, that includes ALL of us, those that may not have such a public face, but serve their communities tirelessly and don’t get the public recognition they deserve.

The Napier Greenway is a space residents and volunteers are proud of and we feel they have the right to maintain the name.

Margaret Mitchell was a tireless advocate for some of the poorest areas in Vancouver, so we think it is fitting that Vancouver’s second temporary modular housing facility at 2132 Ash Street was named Margaret Mitchell Place. This space creates housing for 52 members, teaches life skills, has health teams and support, and employment programs, as well as a community garden.  We think this new housing facility is a fitting tribute to Margaret Mitchell and is reflective of the work she undertook. The Napier Greenway was created and has been maintained for 18 years by Britannia Neighbours, who may be nameless and faceless, but who are worthy of recognition. All they wish to do is retain the name they created for this community gathering space, Napier Greenway.  We hope the current City Council rights this wrong.

 

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11th Annual Cedar Cottage Community Garden Spring Fling May 25th

20 May

CedarCottage3Do you know the community garden that many of us drive by where Victoria Drive and Commercial Drive intersect?  The Cedar Cottage Community Garden is a beautiful community space that is rich with local history.  At the bottom of the garden is a shed that has been built like a replica of one of the old shelters for the Interurban. The Interurban was the original Skytrain, Vancouverʼs first rapid transit. These shelters offered both protection from the elements and often a ticket agent to sell riders their fare. More importantly the shed has a plaque, placed there to remind passersby of the events of the Lakeview Disaster. In 1909 at the current location of the community garden, a BC Electric Interurban train collided with a runaway railcar loaded with timber. The collision resulted in 14 people killed and another 9 seriously injured. What happened at Lakeview became the worst transit accident in Vancouver history.

This Saturday, May 25th you are invited to come celebrate and support community and food security with the 11th Annual Cedar Cottage Community Garden Spring Fling happening from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm.  There will be a bake sale, plant sale, live bluegrass music, medicinal plant walk at 11:30 with Lori Synder, raffle prizes with donations from local businesses including Second Nature Home to help raise funds for the community garden. This is a free family friendly event.

Photo Credit: Cedar Cottage Community Garden

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The Tashme Project: The Living Archives At The Firehall Arts Centre April 2-13, 2019

18 Mar

 

The Firehall Arts Centre brings an eye-opening, award-winning play The Tashme Project: The Living Archives to the Firehall Arts Centre April 2 to April 13, 2019.

Created and performed by Julie Tamiko Manning and Matt Miwa, The Tashme Project: The Living Archives traces the history and common experience of the Nisei (second generation Japanese Canadians) through childhood, internment in Canada during the Second World War, and post-war resettlement east of the Rockies. The Nisei, now in their 70s and 80s, were children at the time of internment and their stories of adventure and play are presented in sharp relief with the more common internment narratives of hardship and justice.

The Tashme Project: The Living Archives is created from twenty interwoven interviews with Nisei from Toronto, Hamilton, Kingston, Montreal, and Vancouver. The piece moves from voice to voice and story to story with fluidity and with a purposeful and constructed gracefulness. The actors portray the voices of both men and women interviewees as they seek a deep emotional and spiritual connection with the stories of their elders, breathing new life into these memories. This production is an embodiment of Nisei character, language, spirit and story, and brings to light a part of Canadian history that has been often kept in the dark. Tickets start from $25 and are available online at Firehall Arts Centre.

What people are saying about The Tashme Project: The Living Archives:

“…profoundly moving…”
Nikkei Voice

“A remarkable piece of verbatim theatre.”
Broadway World

“…Manning and Miwa…lovingly bring to life the hesitancy and frailty of these ‘living archives’.”
Montreal Gazette

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East End History Walks With James Johnstone Are Back

6 Mar

EastEndWalkingTourJamesJames Johnstone is back with his popular historical walking tours. Next scheduled walks are Saturday, March 9th and Saturday, March 23rd.  James will take you on a tour of one of Vancouver’s oldest neighbourhoods, Strathcona. The tour kicks off at 10:00 am starting from 696 East Hastings Street at Heatley. This historical walking tour is a culmination of years of researching over 250 homes in the East End. Although you will find architecture is a theme on this tour, James will also focus on social history and how waves of immigrants established themselves in this area before moving on to other parts of the city. The tour will also touch on the impact of portside industries like BC Sugar, the prohibition and the proliferation of bootlegging as well as the City of Vancouver’s attempts to wipe out “urban blight”.  Each tour runs for approximately 2 to 2.5 hours the cost is $20 for each tour. If you would like more information or to reserve your spot, email James directly at historywalks@gmail.com.

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What’s On East Van: September 28th Edition

28 Sep

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Our weekly feature What’s On East Van sets out some cool events for the upcoming week.  Beyond the week, we invite you to check out our Event Listing which is updated daily and features events for the month and beyond.

Open House – Terminal City Glass Co-Op – September 29th

As part of Culture Days, Terminal City Glass at 1191 Parker Street will be opening their doors and featuring glassblowing demonstrations throughout the day this Saturday.  This is a free event. Everyone is welcome. Doors open from 11:00 am to 5:00 pm.

Clark Walk  – September 29th 

A self-guided photo walk along Clark Drive corridor from 6th Avenue to Powell Street where you will find an exhibit, reception and live music performance and a long-running DIY arts space. Everyone is invited to join in.  Recommended time is between 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm. Gallery space is opening at 6:30 pm.

Ice Cream Social – Beta 5 Chocolates – September 29th & 30th

Beta 5 Chocolates is hosting another delish Ice Cream Social this weekend and there aren’t many more left. They will be winding down this event.  This weekend though you can find Pomegranate Saffron Brioche with Saffron Pistachio Swirl & Pomegranate Sherbet in a Rosewater Brioche Bun. Happens 1:00 – 5:00 pm at 413 Industrial Avenue.

Big Dog Meet Up – Trout lake – September 30th

Have a dog, or maybe you just love dogs. Dogs of VanCity is hosting its now 4th Biggest Dog MeetUp at Trout Lake this Sunday from Noon – 3:00 pm.  Free event all our welcome.

Vegan Market – The Waldorf Hotel – September 30th

We hear there will be a Vegan Market Place happening at the Waldorf Hotel, 1489 East this Sunday.  This laid back event happens from 12:00 pm  to 5:00 pm and features animal and environmentally conscious vendors and there’s a long list of vendors at that.  You can find vegan food and other ethical wares for yourself and home. Add to that there’s a bike swap, live music and some non-profits on hand.  Admission is canned goods, clothing or pet food with proceeds going to The Happy Herd Farm Sanctuary!

Free Movie ‘Monsoon Wedding’ – Britannia Community Centre – September 30th

Britannia Community Centre is again hosting a free movie night this Sunday. This week they are showing Monsoon Wedding. Everyone is welcome.  Things kick off at 6:00 pm. Free popcorn will also be on hand.

Mural Kick Off Party – The Cultch – September 30th

This summer as a result of generous donors, the South side of The Cultch has a stunning new mural which was designed and painted by the Cultch Youth Program, Ariel Martz-Oberlander, Richard Tetrault, Sharifah Marsen and Jerry Whitehead. This Sunday between 5:00pm  and 7:00 pm you are invited to a free community event and the unveiling of the mural.

Live Music, Comedy & Entertainment

Theatre has ramped up for the fall season. This weekend you can find Kamloopa at The Cultch which is high energy Indigenous matriarchal story that follows two urban Indigenous sisters and a lawless trickster who face the world head-on as they come to terms with what it means to honour who they are and where they come from. Firehall Arts Centre is featuring Never Still tonight and tomorrow.

If it’s live music you are after, we hear the Libra Room has a regular line up of music. Tangent Café hosts live jazz Sunday nights  from 6:00 to 8:30 pm. If you prefer to get out the rain Saturday, Pat’s Pub has live jazz Saturday afternoons from 3-7 pm, no cover.

Three Farmer Markets happening this weekend – Saturday it’s Riley Park (10 am – 2 pm) and Trout Lake (9 am – 2 pm) and Sunday, Mount Pleasant Farmers Market in Dude Chilling Park from 10 am – 2 pm.  To see more of what’s on in East Vancouver, check our Event Listing.

Image Credit: June Hunter

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Mike Jackson East Van Business Owner Celebrates 30 Years In Business

20 Aug

IMG_2728 (2)Have you made your way to Les Faux Bourgeois, Heartbreaker Salon or Savio Volpe at the corner of Kingsway & Fraser?   If you have, did you catch Mike Jackson’s shop tucked next to Savio Volpe?

It’s a small shop with a retail component in the front and more space at the back for the custom work he does. Thus, the name Studiotique, studio in the back – boutique in the front. We recently started working with Mike and in doing so learned that this is one cool guy who has weathered many incarnations to stay in small business for 30 years. This is quite an accomplishment.

It all began in 1988. Mike was attending the University of Western Ontario, and launched Grubwear Clothing Co. He hit the streets to create and sell streetwear and action sports clothing from the back of his Honda Civic. Soon after, he drove West with his dog Memphis and a U-Haul to open Thriller, his first retail venture. Mike wanted to create bold graphic t-shirts and has a passion for sports, beach lifestyle, surf, skateboard and snowboarding.  He was driven to bring these passions together with a cutting-edge design and unique merchandise.  Grubwear with his now infamous TRI-G logo was born and has led him around the world with one of his passions, snowboarding. This in turn led him to launch Jackson Snowboards in 1991.  The business grew and evolved, Mike had distributors in 11 countries from Germany to Japan.  In 1996, he opened Thriller Shop in Kitsilano which became the head office for all his brands, Grubwear, Boris Brothers and Jackson Snowboards.   After 3 stores, 15 employees, Mike has scaled things back at his store at Kingsway & Fraser and focuses on his brands that he sells from his storefront as well as his online shop and doing custom work.

Now in 2018, things have come full circle for Mike.  To celebrate his 30 years in business, on August 1, 2018 Mike launched a KickStarter Campaign to create 30 special edition Jackson snowboards. He is working with Rob Dow, the creator of WIRED Snowboards in Vancouver who has 25 years of experience in design and production. Mike launched his Kickstarter campaign with the aim of raising $5,000. He reached that mark within 24 hour. If you wish to check out the Kickstarter Campaign to see what reward packages are still available, visit Mike’s Kickstarter.

 

 

It takes a lot to stay in business for 30 years.  Hats off to Mike who has reinvented himself many times over. Madonna comes to mind when we think of all his incarnations over the years. He may not like that we said that, but that’s how we see it. If you wish to check some of his cool designs, stop by his shop located at 617 Kingsway or check out his online store at Grubwear. You will see East Van merchandise figures prominently. If you are looking to have some custom t-shirts, jerseys, bags what have you for your sports team or for your business, Mike’s your man.

We raise a beer to Mike for 30 years in business! Cheers.

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Vines Art Festival At Trout Lake Park August 17-19, 2018

8 Aug

VineArtsFestival2018-Lily-Cryan-Sirens-Promo5Vines Art Festival happens August 8 – 19, 2018 in various locations in Vancouver with a  number of the events happening at Trout Lake/John Hendry Park this weekend. This festival was created by Heather Lamoureux in 2015. Heather works with a young, vibrant and talented group of people to create this festival now in its 4th year. The inaugural festival was a one day event at Trout Lake Park run solely on a fundraised budget built with a strong vision, determination and volunteers. The second year they tripled their budget with support from the Vancouver City Cultural Service and their primary sponsor Mountain Equipment Co-Op. The third festival grew from a one day to a ten-day event in 7 of Vancouver’s public parks in partnership with Vancouver’s Artists in Residence program.

Vines was two missions in its creation, one to broaden the reach of artivism. Bringing the art, with its ability to inspire creativity and social change, out of the theatre or gallery and into community parks, paths, and trails making it accessible to all. Two, to direct local artists to create in relation to the earth – creating works at the intersection of environmental and social justice. The festival is a free public event that creates platforms for local artists and performers to create with and on the land, steering their creative impulses toward work that focuses on the environment – whether a deep love of nature, sustainability, or climate justice.  During the festival, they present a wide range of disciplines and cultures while acknowledging the festival takes place on unceded territories of the Musqueam and Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh peoples.

Vines Art Festival has a long line up of events happening this weekend which concludes with an Unsettling Ceremony with Sara Cadeau Sunday afternoon at 1:00 pm.  To see the full line up of events, visit Vine Arts Festival.

Photo Credit: Vines Art Festival

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The 42nd Annual Powell Street Festival August 4 & 5, 2018

24 Jul

PowellStreetFestival42Canada’s largest celebration of Japanese Canadian arts & culture will be held on August 4th and 5th in Vancouver’s historic Japanese Canadian neighbourhood. The 42nd Annual Powell Street Festival takes place in Oppenheimer Park as well as the surrounding areas including the Firehall Arts Centre, Vancouver Buddhist Temple and the Vancouver Japanese Language School. There is a long line up of events including Sumo Wrestling, Japanese Food, Martial Arts, Dance, Taiko Drumming, Walking Tours, Anime, Film, Literary Events, Live Music and much more.  Festival highlights include a performance by virtuoso percussionist Tatsuya Nakatani and the Nakatani Gong Orchestra as well as Sadgrrrl rocker Emma Lee Toyoda. Also on hand for this festival is an exhibit by international artists Chiharu Mizukawa & Nao Uda.  This barely scratches the surface. There’s much more happening. For a full rundown on all the events, visit 42nd Annual Powell Street Festival. They have a great map prepared that sets out all the events and their locations. The fun happens from 11:30 a.m. to 7:00 pm on August 4th and 5th.

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