St. George Rainway: Painting a Bygone Salmon Stream

Part of the “St. George Rainway”, a road mural painting dedicated to a bygone salmon stream on St. George Street between 7th and 8th Ave East. Vancouver, BC 2012. Photo by J. Chong. Foreground is a laneway.

On a misty grey summer morning, we hotfooted by bike to see a brand-new road painting that memorializes a bygone salmon stream that ran through the Mount Pleasant Vancouver neighbourhood. That’s right –a somewhat bumpy road surface was graced overnight with a blue-green swirly art stream of salmon, frogs, trees and sea life in a quiet residential area. The road community art work was the St. George Rainway.

We arrived there at the right time –colours were still pure, bright and unblemished from the previous evening’s painting party.  Road traffic was quiet since rush hour peak activity if such a street experienced it, had died down.

Well, it’s doubtful that this artwork was conceived so quickly. There was public consultation with the community, some artists created and presented the design, the False Creek Watershed Society helped promote the public painting party evening

St.George Rainway painting begins at a traffic calming circle filled with a community garden. Vancouver BC 2012. Photo by J. Chong.

weeks in advance, City placed some temporary traffic barriers and more volunteers were secured to paint and complete the 50 metre long painting within 5 hours on June 28, 2012.

It is remarkable what can be achieved by throwing down a well-designed painting on public road space if there is artistic vision, orchestrated effort of enthusiastic volunteers and some leadership.

St. George Street runs alongside a public school that has its fence already decorated with children’s salmon placard art – a common iconic sight at various Vancouver

St. George Rainway winds its artful way the full length of a street block. Vancouver BC 2012. Photo by J. Chong. Painted with community volunteers under artistic direction.

elementary public schools. The painted stream or “rainway” starts from a garden festooned traffic calming circle to nearly the end of the first block.

Painting imagery depicts seven stages of salmon, frogs, flora and fauna with multiple word translations of “water”.

While we were there, a few cyclists cruised along and various drivers drove hesitantly down the rainway. While it might have been the sight of us, 2 cyclists wandering around with their cameras , it was obvious some drivers were seeing the road painting for the first time also. Some cars inched slowly down the side of the road, not down the centre of the

“Shui” means water in Chinese. St. George Rainway painting. Vancouver BC 2012. Photo by J. Chong

road. Either a driver wanted to see more of the painting or allow us to continue photo-shooting. We weren’t sure. But at least, the fanciful stream painting, slowed down the drivers for a short residential street.

Rainway Painting Captures a Fleeting Image, Memory
The St. George Rainway is a touchstone that nudges pedestrians, cyclists and drivers to look, ponder, ask questions (What is this painting all about?) and contemplate the winding story of a lost stream and sea life prior to urbanization. We should welcome more inspiring permanent motifs that pull us outside and remind us what has been lost and what needs to be cherished for the future.

Salmon and other sea life swirl across St. George Street. Vancouver BC 2012. Photo by J. Chong

This painting too, shall fade in brilliance after the beating of rain, traffic, sunlight and snow. Catch and enjoy its ephemeral dream memory while you can.

Further Reading
Mount Pleasant Community Association. Mount Pleasant Watershed Society Blog.

Chong, Jean. Mosaic Park: A Creative Stream of Community Consciousness and Dreams. In Cycle Write Blog, Aug. 24, 2010.  For something a bit different: another public outdoor art installation with over 200 different mosaic designs that depicts a community’s wish for a water stream in their neighbourhood park.

2010 Olympic Birthmarks in Neighbourhoods: Vancouver, BC

“Canoe”, a pedestrian bridge in Olympic Village. Vancouver BC 2012. Heading towards Creekside Community Centre on far right. Photo by J.Chong

For locals,  the 2010 Winter Olympics legacy for some Vancouver buildings and artwork becomes paradoxically like a familiar face that we may longer notice its unique birthmarks over time.

I haven’t spent any time researching, analyzing  nor comparing long lasting transformation of buildings, art and infrastructure in Vancouver and other Olympic cities worldwide.  So just take my observations, as a casual jumble of blasé, amazed and sometimes, surprised thoughts as I bike around.

Olympic Athletes’ Village
It is still a wonderful area to cycle or walk around through on its paths, seating areas,

Part of a whimsical bicycle-powered world image in an art print. Front lobby at Creekside Community Centre. Olympic Village, Vancouver BC 2012. Photo by J. Chong

“Canoe”, a pedestrian steel bridge, giant sparrow sculptures and its mini decorative amphitheatre that leads down into False Creek. The Village is a mix of multi-family, low

Cycling paths in Olympic Village are well-travelled most days at all hours. Background is city skyline and North shore mountains. Vancouver, BC 2012. Photo by J.Chong

and mid-rise housing designs. The new Terra Bread bakery café in the Village, is just rocking popular most of the time. When you are hanging out here with your coffee, you certainly see cyclists spinning by every few minutes from downtown or presumably from Granville Market.  No doubt, this bakery location is benefitting immensely from drop-in cyclists and pedestrians, since the Village is designed to severely limit car traffic.

In the Village, is the new Creekside Community Centre, which offers views of mountains, city skyline and False Creek from its ceiling to floor glassed rooms and atrium. During the Olympics, the Centre was one of the nerve centres for the world media and security command centre for the athletes.

Today,  inside there are banners from other previous Winter Olympics worldwide. Some of the

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

 banner design style is iconic for that Olympic era —such as the 1920-1940’s.   An instant history teaching moment and reminder of Vancouver’s contemporary entry into the panthenon of Olympic host cities.

Permanent sidewalk mosaic with fireworks over Burrard Bridge, Vancouver BC 2010. Artist: Bruce Walther. Photo by J. Chong. Part of Downtown Vancouver Business Association’s Improvement Program. Funded by 2010 Cultural 2010 Olympiad which created and showcased art during the Winter Olympics.

Hillcrest Community Centre
Later we dropped by the new Hillcrest Community Centre which includes a library branch. Hillcrest was the former Olympic curling venue.  Something must have been wrong with the ventilation system in the women’s washroom on the day I was there.  It wasn’t working and very hot on an early cool spring day.  Hopefully it was only a a temporary breakdown.

Dunsmuir Separated Bike Lane
No, I am not confusing Winter Olympic lore with Vancouver cycling infrastructure expansion.

Urban life mosaics adorn a concrete city planter by the Dunsmuir separated bike lanes. Vancouver BC 2012. Photo by J.Chong

This lane was originally created with concrete barriers, to encourage more cycling traffic after the Olympics.  During the Olympics  the city had an aggressive goal of reducing incoming car traffic by 30% during the Olympics.  There were cyclists, more pedestrians and enthusiastic use of transit but this bike lane was not used during the Games.  Afterwards, the city made the barriers permanent and thrusted the lane further into downtown core with planters and bike rack corrals as barriers enroute to protect cyclists from cars.

Canada Line- Art at the End of Line
So much has been written in the transit world about the Canada Line that was built to move hundreds of thousands of people daily during the Olympics.

Aboriginal permanent art sculpture by local artist, Susan Pointe greets visitors at Canada Line light rail station. Vancouver International Airport, 2010. Photo by J. Chong

After the Olympics, daily use of the Canada Line, has exceeded TransLink’s original estimates.  People travelling to and from the airport, love it for its convenience. Translink met its original projected 3-year Canada line use of up to 100,000 Canada Line users daily within first 3 months after the Olympics.

What I love, as result of Olympic art legacies, is the permanent public art work in the new wing at the Vancouver International Airport attached to the Canada Line station. Contemporary aboriginal pieces that add to already the airport’s stunning collection to greet global visitors.

Olympic Logos Plastered Trucks, Ferry: Official Suppliers
Vancouverites travelling to and from Vancouver Island, most likely may have seen at least one B.C. Ferry with Olympic logo markings.

A few months ago, I also saw another vehicle sporting the Olympic logo:  a truck transporting beds and mattresses.  Sleep Country was the official supplier for beds ..probably for the Olympic athlete’s village.

Company truck still proudly displays its 2010 Olympic supplier logo. They were official suppliers of “Sleep” or mattresses for the Athlete’s Village areas. Vancouver, BC 2012. Photo by J.Chong

I’m not sure if this logo shout-out will become worn-out. But the vendors probably  had to work hard to provide their services and products in marathon flat-out delivery.

Going Beyond Sports: Permanent Footprint for A Dynamic Urbanscape

Sparrows, at Olympic Village flank a public square. To immediate right of sculpture is now a busy bakery cafe. Vancouver BC 2012. Photo by J. Chong

The 2010 Olympics confirmed for locals and to the urban planning community, how possible it was transform a city to live more often by foot, with more transit use and cycling. With additional larger scale public art, mid-rise multiple unit housing, more parkland and some attractive streetscaping, all these amenities can have long lasting use and value for communities.

Through my casual, slightly jaundiced eyes, the Olympics like all others, was a temporary

Dragonboat teams by dock at bottom of Creekside Community Centre. Kayaking, long-boating and dragonboating are popular year-round during the day, in False Creek which runs by Olympic Village in downtown Vancouver. 2010. Photo by J. Chong

money-generator for the local economy. However, there is already a cornucopia of art, architecture and changed view of Vancouver’s possibilities as a city that became more than just a place to greet the world before escaping to Whistler, Vancouver Island, the Gulf Islands or the U.S.

What you see is a permanent imprint embedded into Vancouver’s urban landscape now and for a long time for all of us to enjoy.

Cherry Blossom Ballet in Vancouver: Nature and New Mural Art

I had been wanting to highlight this new outdoor public mural that featured cherry blossoms against the backdrop of West Coast Japanese-Canadian and aboriginal history.

St. James Community Services Society mural reflects Japanese-Canadian and aboriginal history, culture along with west coast sea life. By Joey Mallet & Rita Buchwitz 2011. Commissioned for Vancouver’s 125th anniversary. Photo by J. Chong.

The St. James Community Service Society mural was commissioned in 2011 by the City of Vancouver, as part of their new public art works in celebration of the city’s 125th anniversary. The mural is also a dedication to the work of the Society for 50 years in the downtown Eastside for providing emergency shelter services, hospice care, support to seniors and those with mental illness.

Cherry blossoms. Vancouver BC 2012. Photo by J. Chong

This new mural is located at the corner of Powell and Gore Streets, in the area that was Japantown, adjacent to Chinatown. The mural includes a watery image of herring, cedar tree fronds, other sea life and a totem pole.

In this neighbourhood, there are several outdoor art installations within 1 block in all directions, that are touchstones to also aboriginal culture and Chinese- Canadian history.

Former Japanese-Canadian internment camp during WW II in mountainous interior region of British Columbia. New Denver, BC 2005. Photo by HJEH Becker

Fragile Blossoms Frame Grey Shadows in Japanese-Canadian History
Delicate arching branches of pale pink blossoms contrast against the grey flotilla of Japanese-Canadian fishing boats in the mural. During the latter part of the 19th century and up to World War II, the Japanese immigrants were formative in sustaining the fishing and canning industries along the southern coast of British Columbia. However, the dark spot in history was the confiscation of their fishing boats and their possessions by the Canadian government in 1939 and thereafter, with the Japanese Allied bombing of Pearl Harbour in Hawaii.

All Japanese-Canadians during World War II, were deemed suspect by the Canadian government as a threat to Canada, even though many of these Canadians had never been to Japan or their family were already settled in Canada for several generations. There was 

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

 corralling of Japanese-Canadians and relocation of them by train, into camps located in the mountain interior areas of British Columbia. It was a clear racist target against a group of Canadians who were innocent and not responsible for Pearl Harbour attack. Parallel action was also taken by the U.S. against the Japanese-Americans.

The businesses in Japantown never fully recovered after WWII. Many of the families lost their possessions, businesses and were nominally compensated by the Canadian government 50 years later in the 1980’s,  for a token amount of money.

Cherry blossoms. Stanley Park, Vancouver BC 2012. Photo by J. Chong

The mural is also an ethereal bow to the profusion of cherry trees bursting forth every spring, all over Vancouver. Previously I had written a blog post on this wonderful pink herald of spring which began as a gift of cherry trees from the Japanese government.

Cherry Trees Inspire Landscape Design for New Developments
Nowadays, it’s refreshing to see that both the City of Vancouver and some private developers have incorporated new cherry tree plantings into the landscaping and streetscape designs. You can see young trees blooming around the perimeter of a playing field in David Lam Park, by new condominium developments while bicycling from Stanley Park and along streets in Kitsalano and Shaugnessey neighbourhoods, where there are more mature cherry trees.

Queen Elizabeth Park in spring time. Vancouver BC 2012. Photo by J. Chong

Pink Blossoms Dance Like Ballet Tutus
Unlike the famed cherry blossoms in Washington DC, or even in Japan, on the northwest British Columbia coast,  sometimes delicate cherry trees are thriving beside soaring old growth trees that have stood for several hundred years. Boughs of tissue-thin, cherry blossom branches dance ballet-like in the wind, against rough, mossy wide girth of Douglas firs.

The cherry blossom sprays are like a profusion of many pink ballet tutus shifting, jumping and floating in the spring breeze. It is a happy dance of memory and hope for us when we face the rain showers and sun in the months ahead.

More Interesting Reading (and Photos)
Chong, Jean. Cycling Under Cherry Pink Flowering Bowers. In Cycle Write Blog, Apr. 18, 2010.

Cycling For Favourite Foods To Devour at Farmers’ Markets

Peameal bacon sandwich slathered with Dijon mustard. St. Lawrence Market, Toronto 2011. Photo by I. Yee. No comparable sandwich at markets in Vancouver nor Calgary --yet.

I tend to be a goal-oriented cyclist –I have a destination in mind. Sometimes that turnaround point involves food.
 
Now any diet-conscious cyclist would admonish my attitude:  to maintain a healthy weight, do not reward yourself by eating calorie laden food.  True.  The reality is at least a snack at the market, is a fabulous carrot stick motivator for me.  I food shop at markets and often slug along back home with my 10-20 lbs. of food in my bulging bike panniers.

So here are my favourite local ”snacks”  for 3 Canadian cities where I have lived:  Toronto, Vancouver and Calgary.

Toronto: Peameal Bacon Sandwich
When I lived in Toronto, at least once a week I had my peameal bacon sandwich fix with a 

Peak hour morning line-up for Toronto's famed peameal bacon sandwich. St. Lawrence Market, Toronto 2011. Photo by J.Chong. A favourite with some firefighters and cops (see handcuffs).

coffee, from Carousel Bakery at the St. Lawrence Market. This sandwich has put them on the map for local food fare as witnessed by the newspaper and magazine testimonials that are plastered on their signage. Notably, sometimes there are firefighters and cops who also line up for this hearty sandwich (instead of doughnuts).  At least one can justify, it’s low-fat pork.

I have introduced friends and visitors to this food gem, which by the way, is difficult to find in an accessible way, in  Vancouver and Calgary where I lived later on.  For Calgary, a veritable carnivore capital and producer for quality beef, bison and pork, it’s hard to understand this omission.

Granville Island Market, Vancouver BC 2011. Photo by J. Chong.

 Now I have to settle for having this peameal bacon sandwich only whenever I visit Toronto, which is rare now. 

Vancouver, BC:  Apple Focaccia or for Thrifty Foodie, Almond Anise Biscotti
My first exposure to Terra Breads. was at  Vancouver’s Granville Market before I increasingly switched to their bakery outlet on 5th St.—only a 15 min. bike ride away. My favourite item is their apple focaccia.  A mini round focaccia embedded with slices of apple  baked with a very thin caramel-like glaze. Or their red grape bread with pine nuts, which both desserts have inspired me enough to make my own plain dough for a homespun dessert focaccia with raspberries, blueberries, blackberries or grapes.

Apple focaccia. Granville Island Market, Vancouver BC 2011. Photo by J. Chong

 However if I wanted to save money, then it was their handmade almond anise biscotti or chocolate almond biscotti.  Artisanal baking at its best, with no use of shortening and a much lighter hand with sugar.

Calgary: Chocolate Sourdough Bun
At Calgary’s Farmers’ Market on Heritage Drive, I gravitate towards at YUM’s Bakery for their chocolate sourdough bun.  Again, maybe it’s a bit delusional, but the bun genuinely tastes not sweet, very little fat if any and no use of eggs.  This delusion can morph quickly into an addiction for the 

Chocolate sourdough bun --addictive delusion of eating healthier dessert / snack. Calgary Farmers' Market on Heritage Dr. 2011. Photo by J. Chong

next two days if we buy half a dozen or if there are no buns left, we buy a loaf.  Good thing the Market is a good 15 km. bike ride away.

Ah, what would a good bike ride to the market be without a favourite local food delight.

What’s your one favourite food in the city where you live or have lived? 

More Delicious Reading:

Violin-player buskers at St. Lawrence Market, Toronto 2011. Photo by J. Chong

 Chong, J. Growing Up and Cycling Through the Years to Farmers’ Markets.  In Third Wave Cycling Blog.  Dec. 3, 2010. Covers also farmers’ markets in Kitchener-Waterloo, Hawaii, France, Germany and Saltspring Island, BC.

Chong, J.  Kicking up Foccacia (Fruit Focaccia): My Way with Ginger Root and Spices.  In Cycle Write Blog.  Jun. 20, 2011.

Maidei Touches Down in Vancouver, B.C.

This gallery contains 5 photos.

 Maidei continued her world-wind adventures during her TeamEstrogen global cycling relay,  but now in western Canada.  She  boarded on an Air Canada flight from Calgary to Vancouver. She wanted to escape the shenanigans of the annual Calgary Stampede in early July which … Continue reading →

Under the Shadow of Giant Sparrows: Sharing Public Space at Olympic and ParaOlympic Village Open House

One of the sparrow art sculptures at public plaza, Olympic and ParaOlympic Village. Set of giant sparrow sculptures, 'The Birds'. By M. MacLeod May 2010. Vancouver, BC. Photo by J. Chong

Yesterday I cycled to the official public opening of the Olympic and ParaOlympic Village where I volunteer-assisted at Vancouver Area Cycling Coalition’s (VACC)  information table.

Several thousand people gathered to hear speeches from Mayor Gregor Robertson, VANOC CEO John Furlong, Olympic ski-cross gold medalist, Ashleigh McIvor and Rick Hansen, Man in Motion wheelchair athlete. People lounged on outdoor seating, were snapping photos and some patiently lined up for sneak previews of expensive condo units or for fundraising food such as hotdogs or pizza where money was  for the Canadian Deaf Olympic volleyball team.

Enthusiastic young cyclist with even a Bike to Work sticker on her basket. Olympic plaza at Olympic and ParaOlympic Village 2010.

Crowds of relaxed people ambled and mingled with their children amongst cyclists rolling slowing along or walking their bikes. At this event where car traffic was closed off completely, public space was easily shared by all under the hot bright sunshine.  

Meanwhile at the VACC booth, passersby looked for cycling maps, wanted to know about any group rides, other free information or wanted a Bike to Work sticker for their bike. Sometimes people needed suggestions for a customized bike commute route, particularily for longer or more convoluted routes between Vancouver and other municipalities (Burnaby, Surrey or White Rock). Others needed exact directions how to map a route around an area with a busy road bridge or complicated intersection. 

These queries were from people motivated to even ask the route questions, who enjoyed cycling but who now wanted to build more cycling into their personal schedule for transportation, fitness and recreation.  Some were willing 

Neil, volunteer for Vancouver Area Cycling Coalition provides information to Councillor Ellen Woodsworth. OLympic and ParaOlympic Village open house event. May 15, 2010. Photo by J. Chong

 to join  a group ride, if available, for a route that was vague to them. A signal that a bike map is a good start for learning new routes but some new cyclists learn more confidently by reading, seeing and doing—in other words,  map-reading and cycling the route with a friendly guide.  I tend to fall into this 

Rick Hansen, Man in Motion wheelchair athlete and fans. Olympic and ParaOlympic Village. May 15, 2010. Photo by J. Chong

learning mode, particularily if the route is long, jogs through parks, over busy road bridges  and zigags around complicated intersections, with sometimes bike signage or not.

A few people pointed out needed cycling route improvements or vented about the behaviour of some cyclists. One enthusiastic cyclist donated money to VACC by buying 10 TransLink cycling maps for friends that she was eager to convert.  Another woman from Coquitlam declared that encouragement of more cycling in her school, would be not a problem. Already several teachers were regular cyclists in friendly competition amongst themselves.

Demonstrator in protest march to support more social housing. Olympic and ParaOlympic Village. May 15, 2010. Photo by J. Chong

Towards late afternoon a protest march for social housing flowed through the public square. Police reacted quickly by locking the front doors to Salt Building where inside there were already people and Olympic pin-traders.  Despite this event, most people did not seem panicky nor overly perturbed probably because both demonstrators and police did not engage in physical altercation.  Most likely a lot of people  would agree that indeed, the Olympic  condos are very expensive and the original promise of social housing at the Village, has been unfairly downgraded to less units.

Just like the Olympics, this was another outdoor event where people in Vancouver shared  newly found public space with food, art, music, information and maybe plans to revisit later.

Canon Canada’s Gala Event: Supporting Community Gardens, Showcasing Excellence in Sport and Music.

Maelle Ricker- Canadian 2010 Olympic gold medal snowboarder.

What relationships would there be among community gardens, a world-class Winter Olympic athlete and an international star singer? Well, they are all good and they are all local.  To celebrate the opening of  its Vancouver branch office, yesterday Canon Canada hosted a gala luncheon event which included 2010 Olympic gold medal snowboarder Maelle Ricker and Canadian hit record singer-songwriter, Sarah Mclachlan. 

At this event, Canon also presented a $60,000 cheque to Mayor Gregor Robertson for  the City of Vancouver’s Community Urban Agriculture Fund. The 

City of Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson accepts $60,000 donation from President and CEO Mr. Kevin Ogawa, Canon Canada. Fund is for more Vancouver community garden projects. May 11, 2010.

purpose of the fund was to seed projects for more community gardens. By the way, it was confirmed by two different people,  that Mayor Robertson  cycled from city hall through downtown traffic  for the event at the Fairmont Vancouver Hotel. 

Maelle Ricker regaled us with a story on  her determination to compete at the 2010 Winter Olympics after several injuries and some disappointments at previous Olympics in Salt Lake City and then, in Torino. The coveted gold medal is indeed, substantive in weight—a crowning reminder of a long journey for hard work, perseverance and sacrifice.

Sarah Mclachlan, Canadian singer-songwriter graciously autographs for a fan. 2010.

Sarah Mclachlan gave us all a relaxed, gifted hour of several songs which included hit song,“Fallen” as well as three songs to be released mid-June 2010 in her newest album.  At one point, while singing, she muddled a song line  towards the end,  to which she laughed at herself and cursed softly.  This performance hiccup is bound to happen occasionally to any artist when the artist or performer immerses themselves  in the “zone” of their music, painting or  a sport: the tailspin dance of performing might spin abit off kilter for a few seconds.   But she finished shortly, luminous and gracious. She has 3 Grammy awards and 8 Juno awards for her song hits. In 1997-1999, she led her signature music tour festival, Lilith Fair which raised over 7 million dollars  for various charities. Lilith Fair  2010 tour is set to roll out later this year.

It was a warm, great occasion in celebration of excellence in human endeavour and a stimulus for future community sustainability.

More Iconic Olympic Photo Memories. Part 2

Inukshuk statute with 2010 Olympic mittens. English Bay, Vancouver BC. Feb. 2010. Photo by J. Becker

Different Inukshuk Symbols to Welcome the World
It is just a matter of time before those popular iconic Olympic torchbearer red mittens are removed from the Inukshuk statue by English Bay near a popular walking and cycling path.  Soon we will not see that quirky adornment in a few weeks, of which by now Hudson’s Bay Co. will have sold up to three million pairs.  Who would have thought that there was another impromptu cousin  to the official 2010 Olympic emblem, Ilanaaq.  Which version represents the spontaneous spirit of Ilanaaq, Inuktituk word meaning “friend”?

Revealing of Ilanaaq Olympic emblem event. GM Place, Vancouver, BC. 2005. Photo by J. Chong

Flag Colour Craze
Or will anyone miss that  gently mocking Australian team flag with its punchy kangaroo draped outside their Olympic Village suites. Luckily for the team that had their suites facing prime flag viewing areas from the False 

Australia team Olympic kangaroo flag. Olympic Village, Vancouver, BC. Feb. 2010. Photo by J.Chong

Creek area and several road bridges. Not   surprisingly, a couple of other country flags crept onto other suite balconies during the Olympics.

While the Canadian flags, red and white colour palette splashed across the clothing of many people in the city, it was also a time for brandishing whatever country flag colours you supported or whichever mascot you adopted for luck. Often it appeared the Olympics was just a wonderful excuse to wear one’s country colours in fashionable or wacky, bold ways for several days without any apology or explanation. 

Korean fans by interviewed by former 1994 Canadian Olympic figure skater, Josee Chouinard. Pacific Coliseum, Vancouver, BC. Feb. 24, 2010. Photo by J. Chong.

This unscripted enthusiasm was as contagious as some of the flash mob dancing that occurred at the public gathering spots downtown.  I heard several people yelling into their cell phones: “You have to come downtown where everyone is, where the action is”. 

Happy Crowd Crazy
The crowds that milled around happily downtown in both good and rainy weather day after day, surprised most locals.  VANOC officials  were caught off-guard by thousands of people wanting to view and snap photos of the outdoor Olympic cauldron by the waterfront.

Multi-patriotism adorned people and streets. Downtown Vancouver, BC. Feb. 2010. Photo by J. Chong

 Travis Lupick in The Georgia Straight newspaper marvelled over impromptu hockey games struck among strangers, in  public spaces created by roadblocks. Or a downtown spontaneous wooden sled race down the asphalt  road while police look on in amusement.   Even with the collapse of the wire barricade at  the LiveCity Yaletown during a concert start after 20 people were hurt, didn’t deteriorate into a riot of 8,000 people:  “But a few people’s anger was quickly overwhelmed by a spontaneous singing of the national anthem”.  Amazing.

For just transit fare, one could hang out  downtown to soak in the Olympic spirit  with free public art, the free skating rink, 

Silver medal for Canadian women's 5000 metre speedskating relay team. Pacific Coliseum. Vancouver, BC. Feb. 24, 2010. Photo by J. Becker

street buskers, Royal Canadian Mint displays and the pavilions, if you had several hours to wait at certain venues.  At one shopping mall, many people were happy to sit there to watch an Olympic hockey game on the flat screen tvs provided temporarily.  If you worked in any eatery, it was probably helpful the establishment had a tv for patron contentment over coffee or a beer.

The unexpected festive marathon celebration and cooperation of large crowds on the streets, at 

Robson Square, overlooking GE Skating Rink. Vancouver, BC. Feb. 2010. Photo by J. Chong

Olympic public venues and on the transit system has generated discussion among downtown business owners, planners, politicians and local commentators on civic and urban matters:  How could Vancouver sustain after the Olympics, a slice of this shared energy, convivial

Cherry burst fireworks. Seaside Path, Yaletown. Vancouver, BC. Feb. 28, 2010. Photo by J. Chong

 public gatherings, use of public space and increased use of public transportation? Will Vancouver have more tourists over the next few years  after viewing the party on tv or online?  There will be micro experiments –maybe rethinking of car-free days in certain areas, mass public festivals and reconfiguration of public space areas, tiny areas.  Tiny steps.

For now, we will just carry on into the spring, post Olympics  with the cherry blossoms that have burst  early now.  May the blossoms not drop off too soon.

 

Interesting Reading:
“Flash Mob in the City- Part 2.” In Inside Vancouver Blog. Feb. 26, 2010.

Lupick, Travis. “Olympics Bring on the Party”.  In The Georgia Straight. Feb. 25, 2010.

Anointing the Night with Fireworks and Waterworks

Chrysanthemum fireworks. Feb. 14, 2010. Photo by J. Becker

Surely for every Olympics, the nightly free fireworks were rare times for unbridled photo shooting. Instead of packing ourselves with over 7,000 other people  for earlier, free concerts at David Lam Park, we staked ourselves along the waterfront Seaside Path

Fireworks over permanent metal art sculpture, 'Brush with Illumination' by B. Simpson. Represents a calligraphy brush, suspended over the 'inkwell' of False Creek. Vancouver, BC. Feb. 14, 2010. Photo by J. Chong

for the light and water show.

One clear night, we all waited for the grand show.  Meanwhile there were ambulances without sirens on, cruising around  or idling by the road with groups of chatting police. Finally we were told the fireworks show was cancelled that evening.  Earlier thousands of people flooded the streets abit lost,  after the nearby concert was also cancelled. 

Within the next hour at home,  we discovered at the newspaper web site for the Vancouver Sun, and minutes later on tv, there was a crowd accident where a mesh wire barricade fell forward after a rush by people to the stage when the music band performers started to play. Over 20 people were injured and taken to the hospital.

Yellow palm trees fireworks. Feb. 17, 2010. Photo by J. Becker

 There was a general fireworks show pattern which kicked off with an early fiery shot into the night sky a few minutes in advance, to alert the patient crowds, concert spectators and performing concert group. Then the fireworks –in  two adjacent, night sky display areas, unleashed their thunderous explosive magic. The larger show boomed out over the open False Creek waters from a barge while the other show seemed to shoot off closer to the waterfront area barricaded off from people.

Towards the finale,  water fountain geysers and jets then shot up, illuminated by floodlights and coloured fireworks. Photos of a medalled athlete would shine one by one for each distant frame, dim and dream-like through the misty spray curtain. The crowds loved this part too.

Olympic snowboarder image backlit in water spray mist. Vancouver, BC. Feb. 18, 2010. Photo by J. Chong

A thunderous finish for almost every Olympic night of light, mist and dreams.

 

Interesting Reading:
Steil, John et al. Public Art in Vancouver: Angels among Lions. Surrey, BC: Touchwood Editions, 2009. Over 500 public works of art in City of Vancouver, are featured in this book.

Woo, Andrea. “Twenty people injured as Crowd Topples Fence at Yaletown Livecity.”  In Vancouver Sun, Feb. 17, 2010.

On Art in Outdoor Public Spaces and Inside the Human Body

Zip line installation. Above Robson Square and skating rink, Vancouver BC. Jan. 2010. Photo by J. Chong

Several sections of downtown Vancouver streets have been closed and transformed temporarily during the Olympics and ParaOlympics,  into car-free public spaces for temporary public art installations, street performances and for people to  meet, sit down and chat.

Earlier in this blog,  I  highlighted  the wonderful lantern art sculptures on Granville Street near Robson.  The crowds are still happily hanging out, enjoying and photo shooting the free public art. Further up Robson Street, at Robson Square and the Vancouver Art Gallery, crowds are flocking to experience several things, even if “experiencing”  means being a spectator than participant.  For instance, there are those who are whipping across the zip line stretched over Robson Square, its newly retrofitted skating rink and those 

Digitized black and white drawings. CUE: Artists' Videos Exhibit, Vancouver Art Gallery, BC. Photo by J. Becker

who watch this reality show from below.

CUE: Artists’ Videos at Vancouver Art Gallery
Then ponder over the larger than life video art shows flashing across the huge flat screen mounted temporarily at the Vancouver Art Gallery. The temporary exhibit is somewhat unimaginitively titled: CUE: Artists’ Videos.  Photos featured here are from videos of two different artists.  For five minutes,  there was a series of  digitized black and white watercolour-like,  and mixed media drawings.  A few days later, there was a video  of an underwater dragon dance. The  roiling water performance art was by Jun Nguyen-Hatsushiba and titled, “Happy New Year: Memorial Project Vietnam II.”  With the dexterity of swimming dancers, the large leviathan writhed and exploded not only its own colour, but

Underwater dragon dance. Video: "Happy New Year. Memorial Project Vietnam II." Feb. 2010. Photo by J. Chong

 also amidst changing colour dye explosions in the water. (How did they keep the colour shades pure, after dropping red, green or blue colour dyes during the water dance?)  Some art installations  simply can hit crowds much better outdoors –if people  pay attention.  The art can be more majestic in gesture because indifferent or unsuspecting pedestrians are forced to stop, look or walk by. For outdoor public art, there is never  guaranteed indoor coziness  of a captive audience.

Miracle of the Human Body and Leonardo da Vinci’s Drawings
While at the art gallery, I browsed over the exquisite human anatomical drawings in the exhibit: “Leonardo da Vinci: The Mechanics of Man”. For his

The Mechanics of the Human Body. Sketch drawings by Leonardo da Vinci. Vancouver Art Gallery, BC. Feb. 2010

sketch studies, he found using thin, elderly men and candavers helpful:  “Begin in your book on  anatomy with a perfect man, and then draw him old and less muscular, then stripping him in stages down to bone and then draw the infant within a diagram of the womb. “(Leonardo da Vinci)

Some of his marginal notes are a blend of both technical instruction on human dissection and awed contemplations on the miracle of the human body and its living architecture:   “While human ingenuity may devise various inventions to the same means, it will never devise anything more beautiful, nor more simple, nor more to the purpose than Nature does, because her inventions nothing is lacking and nothing is superfluous”. (Leonardo da Vinci)

Iconic Photo Memories- 2010 Winter Olympics. Part I

A Olympic torchbearer during relay run. 12th & Ontario Streets, Vancouver BC. Feb. 11, 2010. Photo by J. Chong

Each person will have a different iconic photo memories for these Winter Olympic Games.  It will depend where the person was and maybe a little story behind a particular photo.

Olympic Torch Relay:  Vancouver Segment of Cross-Canada Relay Ends with Exhilaration  and Sadness
The 2010 Olympic torch relay run helped define a moment for many participants, spectators and supporters along its loopy journey east and then westward across Canada.  Just moments before taking a photo of this torch relay runner, I was standing near a brother and sister. The brother from Kitchener, was going to wave around his faded large Canadian flag.  The flag that he held, originally flew from the Peace Tower at the Parliament buildings in Ottawa. At that time, one was able to request for a flag that was used from there because the government always replaced it with a new flag each morning to fly above  the Peace Tower.

Final relay torchbearer at destination Four First Nations Host Pavilion. Singer Buffy Saint-Marie is on the left. Vancouver, BC. Feb. 12, 2010. Photo by J. Becker

Just one hour before I took the photos of the torch elsewhere from Granville island to Yaletown ferrydock at North False Creek, there was an article on  the Vancouver Sun’s web site  on the sudden training accidental death of Georgian luge racer,  Nodar Kumaritashvilli at Whistler.  Approximately two hours later, we heard a Chief from one of the Four First Host Nations at their pavilion, express collective condolences for the family of the athlete during his welcome speech to a tightly packed crowd, after the Olympic torch flame arrived there as its final relay destination before the opening ceremonies.

Opening Ceremonies: Fireworks, Lighting Olympic Cauldrons Here and There
Though we did not attend the opening ceremonies, the short fireworks encircling the B.C. Stadium, were momentarily spectacular.   But most likely  for 

Opening ceremonies. Finale fireworks at B.C. Stadium, Vancouver BC. Feb. 12, 2010. Photo by J. Becker

safety reasons, the remaining celebratory fireworks were launched near another official celebration downtown site where fireworks could be safely launched from a barge by the waterfront.

Later we heard from another resident in our building who was at the opening ceremonies. He was a tv show director with a  disappointed critique. It contrasted much with viewers like myself, who did enjoy various special effects

Opening Ceremonies:Fireworks Burn-off, B.C. Stadium. Feb. 12, 2010. Photo by J. Becker

 that wove near mythological enduring  themes of Canadian regional natural landscape, contrasting four seasons weather, wildlife and so forth on artistic imagination, spirit and memory. According to his sources, it was $40 million dollar show. 

Night of opening ceremonies: second fireworks display by waterfront barge. Post-lighting of Olympic outdoor cauldron. Vancouver, BC. Feb.12, 2010. Photo by J. Becker

 Apparently much of the massive crowd response from 60,000 people,  was muted over the televised broadcast which confirmed to us, confusing stadium vibration and faint cheering roar we often heard emanating live from the Stadium down the street while we also heard near silence occasionally from the television.

An Olympic Relay Torchbearer: Rick Hansen, Man in Motion and Still Spinning

Last night most Canadians would not deny that Rick Hansen deserved to be an Olympic relay torch ‘runner’ in Richmond, BC.  He has been a real athlete for Canada.  Since 1985 he has been tireless in his fundraising efforts  which began with his heroic 40,000 km.  Man in Motion around the world wheelchair trip to raise $26 million for spinal cord research and to raise awareness on the potential of the disabled if barriers were removed.  He still continues his fundraising and public education  work on spinal cord injuries and physical disabilities.  Canadian song composer, David Foster and John Parr, originally wrote the hit theme song, “Man in Motion”   which was inspired by Rick Hansen  and  later used in the movie, ‘St. Elmo’s Fire’.  Rick is a paraplegic as a result of car accident in his late teens.

This year marks the 25^th anniversary for the start of his Man in Motion wheelchair trip.  Most fittingly he was last night’s  Olympic relay torchbearer in his home city of Richmond, British Columbia.  Though I was not there, it would not be hard to imagine the excitement and inspiration  felt by the cheering crowd.

In 1987, I did witness Rick Hansen towards the end of his worldwide Man in Motion trip on his way home across Canada to British Columbia.  After a Toronto victory stop at City Hall, Nathan Phillips Square , he wheeled north to Lyndhurst Hospital where I was working.  Lyndhurst Hospital (now Toronto Rehabilitation Centre)  for several decades, was a rehabilitation hospital for spinal cord injured adults. It was the first hospital in Canada to specialize in  rehabilitative care for spinal cord injuries under the pioneer  leadership of the late Dr. Jousse.

Lyndhurst Hospital staff and patients, both paraplegic and quadriplegic, were waiting in the hospital gymnasium when Rick rolled in to greet us.  It was truly an emotional and unforgettable moment for all. Simply his feat to have travelled so far in 34 countries, under arduous conditions, and meet us at the hospital, was much appreciated  by staff who worked hard for their patients and for patients  who were at various stages of physical and mental adjustment to sudden, lifelong paralysis.  The applause for him was long.

Rick is still forging ahead and trying to change attitudes about the disabled. See above, for the Sept. 2009 amusing, but jaw-dropping video of  the two crazy Ricks:  Canadian comedian, Rick Mercer and Rick Hansen dare one another, to do a bungee  jump at Whistler, BC.  And Rick does do a bungee drop..in his wheelchair into the canyon and over the roaring rapids.

Not many people  can do what Rick Hansen did and still does.

Some Additional Information
Interviewed on the American news show, Today Show. 1986

To Be or Not to Be: The Most Sustainable Olympics

Quebec and 2nd St. Path Detour. Vancouver, BC Jan. 2010. Security fencing and gates block entrance to Olympic Village. Photo by J. Chong

 For any Vancouverite, it is probably not a great idea to ask about whether or not the 2010 Winter Olympics will be financially sustainable.  Local residents already know the ballooning costs for security, the Olympic Athletes’ Village and the list goes on.   After all, such costs are often beyond the direct control of most ordinary citizens.

Instead, it may more useful to see if the 2010 Vancouver Olympics will be the most environmentally sustainable Winter Games. So far, there are mixed messages and results.

In Jan. 2010, we attended one of the monthly public sustainability breakfasts sponsored by Metro Vancouver.  Linda Coady, Vice President for Sustainability at VANOC, summarized their efforts in her presentation “The Vancouver Sustainability Journey”. There was also an accompanying  VANOC videoclip for worldwide viewing, that  illustrated how sustainability best practices were integrated into some Olympic building designs, transportation, landscaping and so forth.  For instance, the videoclip weaves in collection of rainwater from Olympic Speedskating Oval roof and use of  mountain pine beetle damaged wood for its roof.   David Suzuki Foundation, rated VANOC’s environmental sustainability practices and results thus far, a“bronze medal”.

Meanwhile there is pre-Olympic news that   visitors at Vancouver Olympic official venues, will not be able  to bring their own drinking water. Instead visitors will have to buy bottled water  on-site from Coca-Cola, a major sponsor for the Games, which deviates somewhat from the Games’ goal of becoming as carbon-free as possible.

Environmental art themed globes. Near Science World geodesic dome, Vancouver BC 2010. Far right is Olympic Village.

One can still enjoy the Olympics, reduce their carbon imprint and save some money. With some planning,  a person can see free events, some venues and use alternative transportation options. It is quite feasible that  this Winter Olympics will  have a high number of cyclists which might be ironically due to little or no snow in Vancouver plus strong encouragement by local transportation authorities.  Unfortunately one wonders just think how much energy  is required for snow-making and snow transport operations at Cypress Mountain and Whistler where the outdoor competition venues have  had unfavourably warm temperatures.

Environmental art globes. Near Science World, Vancouver BC. Feb. 2010. Photos by J. Chong

 Several months prior and  during the Olympics, are several different free public art installations. One of them is the series of art globes decorated with environmental themes. They are located near several well-used cycling and pedestrian routes as well as the Science World geodesic dome or  temporarily the Sochi, Russian pavilion during the Olympics. Not far from the colourful globes, is the Olympic Village site with its new community centre and its green roof for energy-efficient building heating and ventilation.

And yes, I have noticed so far for the few jurisdictional pavilions that are open now, there is less promotional paper information given to the public. Interactive computer information stations or large flat screen virtual shows are de rigeur –as long as people take time to browse through the virtual information. Come to think of it, the computer-based promotional information would reach a broader audience and perhaps be retained longer in people’s memory, if it was aired on an Olympic dedicated tv channel or through one central web video feed where you could see it in the comfort of your home.

Thankfully with social networking media, many ordinary folks are becoming everyone’s journalist through blogs, Twitter and Facebook. No doubt, Olympic 2010 memory will be sustained in unprecedented volumes of virtual stories and images in the collective Internet archive.

Why not?  The Olympics are not financially feasible for most people  to experience  in person. For those who can experience even a piece of the Games live, now have more environmentally sustainable ways to share the experience.

Cycling Towards an Olympic Hero: Harry Jerome

Statue of Harry Jerome on misty morning. Stanley Park, Vancouver, BC 2010. Photo by J. Chong.

On the well-known Seawall bike path which encircles  Stanley Park, near Hallelujah Point, is the statute of Canadian black runner, Harry Jerome.  Many iconic photos have been taken of this famous local statue, often against the backdrop of  the Canada Place tented roof sails. Since the bike path is one-direction only, all cyclists must meet Harry Jerome face-on before wheeling by the statue.

Harry Jerome competed in the 1960, 1964 and 1968 Summer Olympics for Canada. He won the 100-metre bronze medal  in 1964.   He died at age 42 of a brain aneurysm.  Several weeks ago, his

Statue plaque- Harry Jerome.

sister Valerie Jerome, retired 65-year old schoolteacher and also former Olympic runner in 1964  for Canada, participated in  the Olympic relay run in memory of Harry.  She was instrumental in organizing the effort to have the statute created and installed in Stanley Park.

She reminisces: “The Canadian team was small so we ate in either the American dining room or the British dining room,” she explained. “Of course, Harry didn’t always want to meet in the American dining room. Those were going to be his biggest competitors and he would try to be cool.”

But for her, “sitting and having lunch and dinner with Cassius Clay across the table and all these beautiful young black men who were just something beyond my experience in very white Vancouver in the 1950s and 1960s — those are some of the things I like to have a good chuckle about.”

Harry Jerome statue. Stanley Park, Vancouver BC 2010. Photo by J. Chong

The Olympic bug, she says, seems to run in the family. Her grandfather, John Howard, was a railway porter who represented Canada in the 1912 Summer Olympics.

In a CBC interview TV clip with Harry, he is graciously frank but restrained in his response on the incident during  1968 Mexico City Summer Olympics when two American black athletes on the medal podium,  Tommie Smith and John Carlos raised their arms as a salute to black power during the playing of the Star Spangled Banner.  As a child, I remembered front-page photo of this pose splashed across the newspapers.  It was during the era  of Malcom X, Black Panthers and the civil rights movement.

Harry Jerome, another Canadian Olympic hero. The cool morning condensation seemed like sweat running down his brow for a run in the park.

Interesting Reading:
Vancouver Parks Board. Stanley Park Landmarks. (Accessed Feb. 4, 2010.)
Zacharias, Yvonne. “Torch Relay Brings Back Memories for Runner Valerie Jerome, of her Famous Brother Harry”. In Vancouver Sun, Jan. 24, 2010.

Aboriginal Artistic Interpretations—Exploring Connection, Disconnection and Transformation

Dancers. Jan. 2010

We cycled up to the Museum of Anthrolopology (MOA), University of British Columbia on the day it reopened after its $55 million expansion and retrofit. During that weekend celebration, there was free museum admission and a series of aboriginal dance performances by each of the four First Nations groups that cover the land of Metro Vancouver and Whistler. First Nations bands are: Lil’wat, Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waluth

Over the past 8 years, I have been to MOA twice and on average cycle by it more than twice per week in past few years. By then, I am usually whipping 

Raven and First Men. By Bill Reid. Story on the birth of mankind. Raven tries to coax men out of clamshell found on beach.

down the sweeping hill past MOA. After living here for awhile, many Vancouverites do have a tendency to become immune to certain unique cultural  richness in our area.  While shooting these photos, I was reminded of what we may take for granted.

Just a week before this event, the Russian ice skating dance pair, Oksana Domnina and Maxim Shabalin won the European figure skating championships with their controversial aborigine dance number. It caused discussion

Salmon sculpture water fountain. Museum of Anthropology, UBC.

among aborigines in the Australian arts community  and also among various First Nations leaders.

Though to me, the ice dance number was technically excellent, I was puzzled by the ‘story ‘ of the dance.  In contrast, the dance performances at  MOA, the atmosphere there was energizing. Dance leaders and dancers clearly wanted to be there to perform and said so. Their pride was palpable for the significance of the day, the opportunity to showcase aboriginal pride and culture on a world stage during the Olympics and they clearly expressed it. 

Light box exhibit. Becomes transformed to light and memory. See next photo below.

Though the First Nations leaders wish meet the figure skater duo, it remains to be seen if the duo will choose to perform the same dance number. On how the aboriginal communities present themselves, here is what one First Nations Chief, Chief Joseph said: 

 “The images that flood the mass media typically depict Canada’s native population as being the victims of housing or health-care crises and show them struggling with poverty or hidden behind masks in confrontation with authorities.e images that flood the mass media typically depict Canada’s native population as being the victims of housing or health-care crises and show them struggling with poverty or hidden behind masks in confrontation with authorities.”   But headed into the 2010 Olympics the Four Host First Nations have released a new video they hope will recast the face of Canada’s aboriginal cultures and inspire a whole generation of young people.“I hope it will make not just First Nations proud – I hope it will make all Canadians proud,” said Tewanee Joseph, CEO of the Four Host First Nations.

Box becomes a votive-like light box. Reflection on memory and legacy. Jan. 2010.

 The video – a rapid montage propelled by a percussive, driving beat – shows native people in a very different way than Canadians are used to seeing them. All the images are positive, dynamic and upbeat.

“I want straight emotion and inspiration for three minutes. And I want to break stereotypes,” was the way Mr. Joseph put it when he first outlined the project to the video production team.”

You be the judge.