Playing for Keeps

Posted on June 7, 2011 by Katie Burns

Toronto and surrounding communities will be hosting the Pan/Parapan American Games in 2015. While these events aren’t the same scale as the Olympics/Paralympics, they are none the less an opportunity for the GTA to host a significant sporting event with 41 nations participating in 37 sports. But once all the events have happened and the medals have been handed out, some are already wondering what will be the point of the millions of dollars spent by all three levels of government and countless sponsors and NGOs. Sure there will be the couple weeks of the events when Toronto and the rest of the GTA will be in the sporting news spotlight. And yes, we’ll have the new sports facilities and the long awaited redevelopment of Toronto’s waterfront. But the question on the mind of one new coalition of NGOs and government departments is, what is in it for the people of Ontario – how will their lives be made better because of the Pan/Parapan American Games? This coalition calls themselves Playing for Keeps and their goal is to make sure that communities in Ontario benefit from hosting the Games both during, but more importantly in the long-term.

Playing for Keeps promises to create a legacy of healthier, more active and stronger communities and a deepened sense of belonging through a collaborative, innovative and strategic approach. It is organized by The Toronto Community Foundation, Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario, University of Toronto – Faculty of Physical Education and Health, Ontario Trillium Foundation, Get Active Toronto and many other organizations to build social capital legacies by leveraging the 2012 Ontario Summer Games and the 2015 Pan/Parapan American Games. I attended one of their three design workshops last week that kick started the process of determining how to leverage the Games and to start getting organizations to commit to enhancing social networks and develop social capital before, during and after the games.

The Pan/Parapan Am Games already focuses on improving the health through lifestyle choices. The focus of Playing for Keeps is on social capital rather than lifestyle. They define social capital as the social networks and connections of diverse individuals and groups with shared values and assets. And it includes the socioeconomic, cultural and environmental factors that are often just as important, if not more, for health (also known as the social determinants of health). The initial activity of the design workshop was to develop principles around aspects of social capital, including belonging, diversity, values and norms, citizen power, networks, trust and safety, reciprocity, and participation. These are all things that are valuable to communities but difficult to measure and complex to address.

Playing for Keeps is ambitious and aspiring to tackle some really wicked issues in our society. I hope that they make positive change by harnessing the potential of the Pan/Parapan American Games. As someone who has never lived in a city leading up to or during a major international sporting event of this scale, I am hopeful. But maybe those in Vancouver have a different perspective. How did it work in Vancouver for the Olympics/Paralympics? Was there a similar coalition? If so, what has happened now that the Games are over? If not, do you think one would have made a difference? I look forward to learning more and observing how large sporting events can be leveraged for healthy people and healthy communities.

Your Digital Fill – Wavin’ Flag for Haiti

Posted on March 27, 2010 by John Horn

Highlights include, but are not limited to the following:

K’Naan is a soulful poet, community-builder and world-changer of near-epic proportions all rolled into one; we are lucky to
Jim Cuddy and Tom Cochrane, somehow, found their way into a “Young Artists” collaboration – well done, you hipsters, you!
Hawkesly Workman is so, so, so ridiculous – I’m pretty sure he’s the only guy you can’t understand in the video.
Jully Black and the Young Lady from the Olympics have amazing, amazing pipes. Olympic Lady, you have redeemed yourself and I’m sorry if a part of your soul died a little because people unjustifiably grew to dislike you because CTV and TSN played your song every 17 seconds for nearly a month.
No Ego. For what appears to be a day/weekend of singing, dancing, connecting, and community-building, some people with truly gigantic egos put them aside and came together to make a difference. And it’s a beautiful thing!

Have fun with this!

- JCH

Paralympics are a comin’ to town!

Posted on March 11, 2010 by Kurt Heinrich

It seems like only yesterday that the streets were jammed with red and white, angry Russians hung around town in their flashy clothes singing folk songs outside of skytrain stations, and the zipcord line stretched into infinity. Fewer people – a lot fewer people – are wandering the streets these days. And the hype that tattooed buildings and faces far and wide has now largely dissipated. With the Olympics come and gone, Vancouver is quiet once more.

Indeed, it’s so quiet these days that it is easy to forget that another large international event is quickly descending on us – but with markedly less fanfare. Tonight the Olympic torch is scheduled to be carried down Robson St by a disabled girl with Spinal Muscular Atrophy. Cheung wasn’t supposed to live past three. Now she’s 17 years old and still kicking her illness’ ass. She is now a 24 Hour relay ambassador one of many Paralympic torchbearers who has successfully overcome serious physical disabilities to do amazing things for her community. These athletes stories are amazing examples of how determination can triumph over adversity. It’s all part and parcel of the typical Paralympic story.

The Paralympics – which literally means “with the Olympics” – were originally the brainchild of English neurosurgeon Sir Ludgwig Guttman. Guttman organized these games for WW2 veterans suffering from spinal cord injuries. In 1948, he organized a wheelchair sports competition. In that same year, Austria held the first competition in three-track skiing (skiing on one leg with two crutches) for disabled athletes. In 1974, the first world championships were held for amputee and visually impaired athletes. Since then, the Paralympics have slowly grown. This year, they’ve been given a great deal more notoriety than usual by the dual branding of Vancouver 2010 for both the Olympics and Paralympics.

Paralympic spokespeople have said this support from VANOC has made this year the biggest Paralympic games yet.

Indeed, this year a total of 1,350 athletes from 44 countries will compete in five sports including Alpine skiing, cross-country skiing, biathlon, sledge hockey and wheelchair curling. Already organizers are reporting a huge number of tickets have been sold for the opening ceremony, sledge hockey gold medal game, and a sizable proportion of the closing ceremony tickets (Personally, I just got an invitation to attend the sledge hockey battle of Canada vs. Italy and I’m incredibly excited about the game).

But while the public appetite for the Paralympic Games is growing, it’s not quite there yet. According to Jeff Lee of the Vancouver Sun, the proof is in the numbers:

There’s no denying Paralympic television coverage is on a vastly different plane from the Olympics, where broadcasters spend hundreds of millions of dollars for rights in the expectation of generating multiple more millions from advertisers. At the Paralympics, broadcasters pay just $25,000 to $50,000 for territorial rights, given viewer demand is so much less.

[...]

The Canadian consortium led by CTV, for example, broadcast more than 2,200 hours of coverage during the Olympics, but for the Paralympics it has devoted 57 hours: 30 in French and 27 in English.

Part of the issue is that there just aren’t nearly as many events to broadcast. Another challenge is the lack of similar corporate sponsorship. In the end though, it comes down to public appetite. Many people (in Vancouver and across the world) are in post-Olympic depression mode. They’re sick of the partying and just want things back to normal. This sort of thinking can’t be good for Paralympic promoters (though this issue might be avoided by holding the Paralympics before the Olympics).

In the end, though, I’m hopeful the Vancouver 2010’s Paralympics will continue the event’s march in prominence so one day, the public and the media are just as interested in this inspiring community as they are in Olympic community.

Fashion Hangover a la Vancouver 2010

Posted on March 8, 2010 by Godfrey von Nostitz-Tait

For better or for worse the Olympics have come and gone. For some of us their departure has left us with the sense of, “Hey, the party was just getting started!” for others, it’s a case of “Good riddance, no more frenzied crowds, no more line ups, no more searchlight thingies and no more incessant helicopter chatter overhead.” Still, lingering nostalgia remains, and it’s not for the spectacle of Koreans kicking butt at short track, Heineken at the Holland House or Robson Square Zipliners. These were great things, but nothing compares to the void that has been left by the departure of thousands of athletes. And their outfits. Their really nifty, nifty outfits. For two weeks the world’s athletes accomplished both amazing sporting feats and pushed athletic fashion to a whole new level. These Olympics can and should be remembered as a pageant of funky spandex designs, nifty parkas and everything in between. So, while i’m not sorry to see our speed skaters’ saran-wrapped thighs go, there were plenty of designs which i’ll remember fondly.

Some of my personal faves.

I like to call this number (above) the “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle Intimidation Suit”. The Austrailians did everything right here. Their opponents were probably left wondering, “Are these guys really ‘turtles in a half shell’? And if so, ‘do they have turtle power too?!’Pretty neat stuff. All part of the Australian amazing game plan to compensate for their lack of snow at home.

Personally, I don’t find curling very interesting. Probably because I never watch it for long enough to get into a ‘match’ due to my inability to comprehend anything that’s happening. With so many know-nothings like me apt to reach for the channel changer, Team Norway clearly knew what they were up against and came out with these funky attention grabbing harlequin curling clown pants. Hurry Hard Norway, way to build your curling community.

I’m at a loss for words with this one. But “brilliant” is the first one that comes to mind. This body-hugging spectacle of luminous spandex could do nothing but dazzle spectators and judges alike. Sure, the Ukranians made themselves easy targets with this creation, but let’s face it, it was a ballsy, all-or-nothing move which made them stand out from the pack. They flew in the face of figure skating couture convention. And I applaud them for it.

Ah, the Russians. Off the ice they set the bar pretty high with their street couture, which was flamboyant, stylish and boldly told the world that “watch out we’ll be seeing you in Sochi!” You just couldn’t miss them in any crowd, particularly since they often moved in coordinated packs. They also took Olympic Swag to a whole new level, with caps and fannie packs for added punch.

Lastly, there was us and our mittens. Something like 3.5 million of these things were bought before and during the Olympics. Well done HBC. Well done Vanoc. I have to say, these hand warmers were a master stroke of fashion and functionality, who wouldn’t want to keep their hand warm and wave the maple leaf at the same time?

Goodbye Olympics. You were fash-tastic and you will be remembered fondly.

Decentralized Dance Partying: Not a Spectator Sport

Posted on March 1, 2010 by Stephanie Bowen

The 6th-ever DDP gets underway

Well, fellow Vancouverites and citizens of the world, the Olympics have drawn to a close. They swept this fair city with their upper-middle-class sensibility, polarized audiences across BC, inspired heavy criticism, inspired heavier drinking, encouraged athletic excellence, obnox-ified Canadian pride, and generally left us all reeling.

Love them or hate them, there was something undeniably awesome about the energy the games brought to Vancouver. Be it through political protest or exuberant celebration, communities were galvanized and Vancouver’s many social silos crumbled in the wild 17-day melee of sport, art and culture. And beer. Enormous issues aside, the games quickly became one big party.

Now, of course, BC is set to weather the $8 billion hangover. Throwing a 3 million- invitee party for 17 days runs a hefty tab, the extent of which will only be known tomorrow when the BC budget is announced.

Which is why it’s somewhat ironic that my fondest memory of the Games cost almost nothing to produce, required no lining up, and was only marginally sanctioned by VANOC. I’m talking about the Decentralized Dance Party I attended on the Saturday following the opening ceremonies. And, pseudo-Olympic-dissenter that I am, I have a bold claim to make: it changed my perspective.

Uphill Sidewalk Skeleton: Look for it in 2014!

The Decentralized Dance Party (DDP) works something like this: Tom and Gary, BFFs with a die-hard love for parties and a penchant for throwing them, pick a time, location, and costume theme. This information is spread virally, though their website and expansive Facebook group, and when the crowd assembles over 100 ghetto blasters are distributed. Using a radio transmitter to project crowd-pleasing playlists to an empty radio station, the boom boxes act as far-reaching speakers.

All of a sudden it’s a mobile dance party in the streets.

And on Saturday, February 13th, that street party represented the very best of Vancouver’s 2010 events. It was open to everyone, totally free, and completely steeped in fun. Beginning with a rousing rendition of “Oh Canada” at 6pm in Yaletown, the party snaked through the downtown core, picking up hundreds of rogue dancers as it moved. There were trampoline competitions, uphill skeleton races, giant sing-alongs and an overwhelming sense of inclusion.

For a few hours radical, non-partisan community was forged in the heart of the world’s most commercialized event.

It was some powerfully fun stuff.

The author demonstrates the Decentralized Dance Party Spirit

I don’t mean to suggest that a mere dance party can right the highly publicized wrongs of VANOC. I’m also not blindly endorsing the street partying that happened during the Olympics. I witnessed some very dodgy, near-riotous crowds during my forays, and I can’t say I’m sorry to see them disperse.

What the night made me realize, however, was how crucial civic events are for creating a sense of place and community. In some ways, the Olympics merely served as a backdrop for experiencing the city and its inhabitants. Strangers conversed on street corners, well-organized protestors drew international attention to Vancouver’s social challenges, and art and music were everywhere. Obtaining overpriced tickets to sporting events became secondary to human interaction, cultural participation, and dancing in the streets.

Luckily, decentralized dance partying is not a spectator sport.

Your Digital Fill

Posted on February 27, 2010 by Kurt Heinrich

The Gumboot would like thank the Globe and Mail for capturing this story. It’s a neat sort of community that enjoys flash mobbing. In fact the Gumboot’s own friends Yuki and Phil apparently participated in this flash mob!

2010-red-mittens

K’Naan’s Cultural Olympiad

Posted on February 26, 2010 by John Horn

My birthday is coming up (it’s Saturday, February 27 and thanks so much for the card, by the by) and you can imagine my surprise when my Special Lady, Michelle, told me we were going to see K’Naan at the Orpheum Theatre. Needless to say, I was pretty darn excited.

Brief tangent: if you haven’t taken in a show or cultural event at the Orpheum, please do it soon. The place is as spectacular as it is intimate.

I will venture a guess and assume that 72% of visitors to this online news magazine know about K’Naan. Whether you do or not, the 10 minute video below acts as a pretty darn amazing introduction to one of the world’s most important artists. Enjoy!

Full disclosure. K’Naan is a sell out. Or so a handful of mangey protestors argued as thousands of fans excitedly lined up to see a young man who defines himself as “made in Somalia and raised in Toronto.” Recently, K’Naan signed a lucrative contract with corporate up-and-comer, Coca Cola – some folks argue this goes against his truly humbling, authentic, “man of the people” image. I will admit, combining a Coca Cola sponsorship with a stopover at the Olympics (the Cultural Olympiad is sponsored by Bell) amid chatter that artists are being “muzzled” by sponsors complicated my shining opinion of K’Naan.

When the protestors approached Michelle, though, things weren’t so complicated. Her argument went like this: Look. I’m not saying that you don’t have a point. But really, at the end of the day, K’Naan’s message is positive, empowering and inspiring. Through his songs he tells a story of forgiveness, respect, tolerance, and hope. Why wouldn’t we want this message to spread through any means possible, reaching individuals it otherwise would not have? Coke is powerful – take the example of GreenPeace, who tried for 15 years to have greener refridgeration technology approved in Canada. Coca Cola, in an attempt to be more environmentally sustainable, was able to get their climate-friendly vending machines and coolers approved for use in Canada in just one year, in time for the 2010 Olympics – opening the door for approval of green refridgerators and coolers. Instead of working against the man, it is often so much more effective to work with the man to effect change.

Michelle and I, being superawesome nerds, developed an evaluation rubric for the concert based on four categories – each category is worth five points. Here we go:

Edutainment

A good amount (like, 30) of parents brought their kids to the concert. In the lineup – amidst the inarticulate, yet passionate, protestors – I struck up a conversation with a little one (and her dad, because I’m not creepy) about the concert ahead. She said she was excited because her class watched a documentary about what K’Naan is doing in East Africa to raise awareness about women’s rights, child labour/poverty and the overall plight of people who live in “the hardest place on Earth.” He also told powerful stories and shook his ass like a maniac. Recent findings show kids love stuff like that.

Final Score: 5/5.

Dancibility

Rap concerts suck. There. I said it. Unless an artist has Timbaland mixin his pop-fresh beats live on stage, well, it all just sounds like muffled talking to the thump-thump of the base. And people can’t really dance to such sounds. Especially white people. And, let’s be honest about the crowd, this was/is Vancouver. But this was not a rap concert. It was a delightful hybird of rock/hip-hop/spoken word/stand up comedy with interludes of musical poetry. Whether he was whispering quietly to the audience or “lighting this mutherf*ckin’ joint” everybody could dance…to the best of their ability.

Final Score: 4/5

Creativity

Still moved by K’Naan’s amazing, humbling ability to wear his heart on his sleeve, this concert truly ran the gamut of sensation: from the hilarious and ridiculous to the tragically sad. Few people on this planet can honestly live up to the title of “Rapper, Poet, Philosopher, Storyteller, and Rock Star” – if he were the kind of guy to have business cards, K’Naan would have the best ones ever.

Final Score: 6/5

Authenticity

Here’s the deal. Sell-out or not, the part of the concert when K’Naan told the feeble VANOC official that he’s “not finished playing” – whether this came about because of his “mood” or his penchent for counterculture or his subscribing to African Time, this part of the show was delightfully authentic. I was not without my reservations, as K’Naan needlessly name-dropped Bob Marley and, to all the fans out there, here’s a piece of advice: when someone is singing/talking about their dead childhood girlfriend who left this world in the most terrible of circumstances, well, it’s not supercool to cheer about it. Idiots. Finally, Coke-fueled or not, seeing that many people sing to Wavin Flag was the most authentic thing I’ve seen during these Olympics. Building community through music? Check! Well done, K’Naan.

Final Score: 5/5

With a total score of 20/20 it’s pretty clear that K’Naan rocked the Orpheum. More importantly, though, in a world where most of us have lost faith in business – just ask Roger Martin, Dean of the Rotman School of Management – perhaps it’s not such a bad thing to have K’Naan, a poetic champion of the people, as a collaborator with the biggest business on Earth. After all, change takes a community…

- Written by The Bornks!

Do you like Lines? Then the 2010 Olympics are for you!!

Posted on February 24, 2010 by Kurt Heinrich

VancOlympMacots-01 Sunday, February 14 was a big day for me. The first weekend of Vancouver 2010 was open and my posse was ready to rock and roll.

Off we went down to North False Creek to check out Sochi House (where there be Russians), Maison du Quebec, Saskatchewan House and to generally gawk at the thousands of red and white-clad Canadian zealots as they plied there way from exhibition to exhibition.

I’d already had a taste of the community the previous Friday night as I frantically wove my way through throngs of tourists and locals clogging Robson Street. I felt like blood trying to work my way through the clogged arteries of a fat man – desperate to make Vancouver’s infamous (and now famous) RAV line into Tsawwassen (a suburb in the Lower Mainland) where we decided to hunker down and watch the opening ceremonies (for a different take on that evening take a look at co-editor John Horn’s video from ground zero).

JOHN: Hi Kurt. Just thought I’d chime in here and offer a bit of a running commentary – some binary opposition, if you will. I know you’re not a fan of crowds, but there was a special electricity in downtown Vancouver on Friday night. My question to you is this: why do you hate Canada?

Happy kids in a lineup!

It was neat – Canadian nationalism I hadn’t seen since my stint in Ottawa. But the crowds were also a bit daunting. So many people, with so few places to visit, eat, and relieve themselves means big line ups – for more on this check out Frances Bula’s recent blog post on the issue.

Unfortunately, disappointment was soon to follow. That Sunday, as the sun poured down (surprisingly), we decided to check out Maison du Quebec. After waiting in line for over half an hour, we discovered our line wasn’t for a pavilion but an empty stage and a small jammed cafeteria.

“At least we can get poutine,” I thought. Except turns out poutine is only served on Tuesdays. Who knew it was such a specialty?

JOHN: Couldn’t agree more with you here. Poutine is one of the best things about la belle province. Tuesdays only?! That’s ridiculous! Maison du Quebec should be shoveling such a delicious concoction into every single visitor’s gullet, whether they want it or not!

What about some great Quebec brew? It turned out they was going for $10. Last I checked, I was sitting in a giant tent-box (without a roof – paradox? yes I thought so too) meant to promote the Quebekers, not Le Crocodile, one of the city’s most pricey eateries.

After that unimpressive experience, we hoped Sochi House (which occupies most of Science World, including of course, the gift shop) would be better. I wish I could tell you that Sochi made a better impression, but truth be told, we never made it in. The line was so long we guessed we’d be waiting around for an hour.

Unhappy people in a lineup.

JOHN: An interesting reflection, Kurt. Mark Bauerlein and Neil Howe would colour themselves victorious after reading your post, as they write and speak about Millennials’ – or Generation Y’s – need for instant gratification and personalization; and they totally go negative on the issue, like a Republican ad campaign. On behalf of VANOC, I apologize for the Olympics not being better suited to your needs. At this point, we have two choices: first, we can convince them to create a personalized Olympic schedule for you (and perhaps all the other Millennials out there) so as to avoid pesky, popular lineups; second, I can provide some cool activities for you and your fellow line-uppers to take on while you wait – such activities include, but are not limited to, the following:

Waiting in lineups is a great place to meet people – especially during the Olympics! So, rather than twitblogging and/or sexting on your B-berry, have a real conversation with a real person from a real country far, far away.
Introspection and reflection are important. Kill some time in a lineup by thinking about your 101 Life Goals or areas in which you can improve. If this fails, think about kittens.
Offer constructive feedback to the lineup’s organizer(s) – people love constructive feedback.
Take action and start a riot hug people who aren’t having as much fun as you are; after all, hugs build community!
Take an entirely self-deprecating approach from the School of Tyler Durden and accept that you are not special and do not deserve to have an expedient trip to the front of a line. You are not a unique snowflake, Kurt – we are all part of the same, unmoving, decaying lineup. Best to accept it now…

Later, I considered visiting the Olympic torch. But I soon learned unless I was a ten foot tall Goliath, I’d have trouble peaking over the wall because someone figured security could be enhanced by wrapping VANOC signage around the chain link fence set up 10 meters away to make it extra tricky for the common people to catch a glimpse of the flame without peering through the CTV looking glass. (EDITORS NOTE: Since writing of this article, VANOC – at the behest of Mayor Gregor Robertson – has lowered the fence ringing the torch – three cheers for small victories…) It seemed sort of silly all in all. Here was the symbol of the Olympics obscured for goodness knows what reason.

But then perhaps I should be grateful for the barrier. At least there’s no line to see the torch.

JOHN: No arguments here. Chain link fences suck. The easier, more practical solution to the torch-security problem is to hire ninjas to protect it.

Olympic Neighbourhoods – The West End

Posted on February 17, 2010 by John Horn

As a key media outlet for the 2010 Olympics, the Daily Gumboot is excited to bring you our “Olympics Neighbourhoods” series. Here’s how it works: each week, Managing Editor, Kurt Heinrich, and Editor-in-Chief, John will profile a different Vancouver neighbourhood with a specific focus on things that might interest out-of-town visitors who arrive in The Couve for the Olympics. We will do this between now and the 2010 Olympic Games in Vancouver and the story will be told be the Gumboot’s editors asking and answering the five questions below. These are the straight goods that you can’t get from VANOC, the Ministry of Tourism or the City of Vancouver. Let’s get to it!

1. Where is this neighbourhood exactly, and how do I get there?

JOHN: You know what? Lindsay McKeeman (see the video below) did such a great job that I think I’ll let her walk us all through the colourful journey that is the West End of Vancouver. Here is a map of the neighbourhood. Have fun with it!

LINDSAY: The West End of Vancouver is on the downtown peninsula neighbouring Stanley Park and the areas of Yaletown, Coal Harbour and the central downtown district. Encompassed within the West End is the vibrant Davie Village, or as I affectionately refer to it as the “gaybourhood”, which is home to the city’s gay community and annual Pride Parade held August 1st. The West End also serves as the corridor to Stanley park, and an entry point to the Seawall.

2. Why should a tourist/traveler be interested in it?

LINDSAY: The West End, while still downtown, offers a close-by residential refuge from the busy bustling downtown business core. In addition this neighbourhood is home to a multitude of restaurants, pubs, cafes and clubs along Davie and Denman streets. If you continue West down Davie Street, you’ll find yourself at the ocean in English Bay. Walk down towards the water and you’ll link up with the Seawall as it snakes along the water to Stanley Park. The Seawall, on a clear day, is one of the most beautiful places to run or stroll, in Vancouver.

JOHN: The laughing statues – created by Yue Minjun – are a must see and you can find them in the Morton Triangle at Davie and Denman. It’s called A-maze-ing Laughter and it will certainly make you chuckle.

3. What good and/or unique things are there to eat?

LINDSAY: Want just a baked potato for dinner? no problem. How about a baked potato with 40 different topping options? Mr Kumpir has you covered! What if you’re more of a sweet tooth? Again no problem, within the same block of Denman St there are cookie, cupcake, and cream puffs stores to satiate your search for sweets! One item restaurants aside, there are tonnes of cheap Sushi spots along Robson and Denman, including Akira Sushi. Akira Sushi, for what it lacks in esthetics makes up for in its cheap, good quality sushi. Highlights include the toro sashimi, gomae, and black rice rolls! Lolita’s south of the border Cantina, another favourite along Davie Street has super tasty soft taco’s, I recommend the halibut and “oceanwise” ceviche.

4. What can I do for fun in this neighbourhood.

LINDSAY: During the Olympics Vectoria Elevation will be lighting up the night skies over False Creek and English Bay in a myriad of patterns, that you can go online and control and create yourself! http://vectorialvancouver.net/

(I feel like I’ve talked about the seawall and restaurants, but those can be included too)

JOHN: English Bay is the home of the annual Polar Bear Swim (superfun and super cold), and, hey, let’s not forget the dancing. But that’s on New Year’s Day. If you just want to jump in the water when it’s cold, though, that’s cool too.

5. What are your three favourite things about the West End?

LINDSAY:

1) English Bay, and surrounding beaches, including sunset, second and third beach offer up some of the best spots in Vancouver to sit with some food, a bottle of fine wine and watch the sun set over the strait of georgia.

2) People watching. Oh yes, walking up Davie street or running along the Seawall offers some of the best people watching in the city. Whether it be drag queens in full costume or wide eyed tourists taking in the sites, there is never a dull moment in the West End.

Urban Density and the West End get along really, really well...

3) Going for a Run along the Seawall. Again, while I feel like I’ve harped on this spot a lot already, I’m still quite new to Vancouver and the West End, so going for a run along the Seawall still leaves me breathless, for two reasons; its beauty, and quite frankly the length of that damn thing! If you’re feeling ambitious, technically you could run all 22km of that beauty!

JOHN: my favourite thing is that the West End is located right next to my home town of Merville! I guess that’s why Kurt put it in…not because he made a mistake. But we’ll get to that next week. I also like the dancing and weaving through pedestrians who walk on the bike path – for shame, pedestrians…

Coal-end

Posted on February 4, 2010 by s||A

Last week I printed google-map directions from the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympic Media Centre to their National Convention Centre. I then followed these directions.

At 10:23am, I left the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympic Media Centre/Convention Centre and using only the times and directions on the map from Beijing, I ended up at the point at which Stanley Park meets English Bay and the West End at 11:17 am.

The derive, or ‘drift’ was an essential method of urban exploration for the Situationist movement (1958-1971). A ‘drift’ is a day or multi-day long wander through a city, directionally random, yet with a strong focus on the poorer and thus more invigorated neighbourhoods. Psycho-geography is the method of recording such wanders, and involves the division of the city into non-cartographic sectors, based on such non-specific criteria as ambience, emotion, authenticity, and welcome. Today, many romantically-inclined urban aficionados might include these terms under the umbrella of ‘community’.

Coal Harbour is a distinct psycho-geographic community from the West End, and they are divided by Robson St.

COAL HARBOUR

The architecture and landscape of Coal Harbour are very authorized (read: planned + manicured), making a true ‘drift’ difficult, as the body is directed along a very specific set of paths and journeys
It is possible to have the awkward hallway you-go-this-way-I-go-that-you-go-my-way dodging game in the middle of cross-walk, with only two people present.
Coal Harbour is a place of hierarchical spectacle. This ranges from the spectacle of the mountains and the voyeurism of viewing people on the seawall from your glass tower; to the micro topography of the seawall’s successively higher grade of walking path, benches and bike path
Your presence in Coal Harbour on a weekday must be authorized: this can be demonstrated through: conference name tag, business suit, olympic dog-tag, construction vest and work boots, landscaping or rent-a-cop outfit. Servant or served, you cannot be neither without being actively observed and questioned by those with the correct clothing mix
North-south penetrations of the city are difficult, roadways, signs and pathways consistently direct you on the west-east axis

THE WEST END

Predominantly low-rise, residential architecture, combined with a few key commercial strips, filled with drift potential; alleyways, small streets and through-passages abound. A heterogenous built environment means the body is constantly intrigued by its’ surroundings
Also a place of spectacle, yet it is a dinner-theatre event to the formalized national opera house of Coal Harbour
Mobility scooters and/or short haircuts are requirements for inhabitation
Rent-a-cops take the time to coo at small babies, without looking askance at your loitering
Name tags are removed with care and stowed in re-usable shopping bags

The ‘drift’ is a non-judgmental journey, rather the experience is to simply allow situations to happen to you and you turn cause situations through your very presence. Based on these observations and your personal experience, what do you think of these nieghbourhoods’ psychogeographic feel, or community? Have you drifted before?

The Daily Gumboot

using ideas from everywhere to build community

Tag Archives: olympics