Does anyone remember last summer when the sun decided not to show up and city workers were on strike for months so park facilities, rec centres and pools were all closed? Well banish those sore memories from your minds and get ready for this weekend which is official kick off to outdoor recreation in the City of Vancouver.

Pool Locations Map

Focusing on Outdoor Pools in Vancouver, here’s the rundown:

Photo credit: DaveO on Flickr

New Brighton Pool (#13 on the map - Opening May 17th, 2008
I forgot about this park entirely until we started taking the McGill exit off the #1 to get downtown recently. Tucked away behind the PNE, New Brighton park has lovely mountain views and is the only park in East Vancouver that has ocean beach access.

Second Beach Pool (#14 on the map) - Opening May 17th, 2008
Just like how the “First Narrows” is another name for the Lions Gate Bridge and “Second Narrows” is the Ironworkers Memorial, what we know as English Bay beach is actually “First Beach”. As you head toward Stanley Park the numbers go up, hence Second and Third Beaches. The pool is near a concession stand, has fun slides for the kiddies and since it’s pretty much located smack-dab in the middle of the sea wall, it is conducive to pre or post swimming strolls through the park.

Kitsilano Pool (#10 on the map) - Opening May 17th, 2008
Located at 2305 Cornwall Avenue Kits pool offers the best view of the city and also has beach access. It’s the “only salt water pool in Vancouver and one of the few in the world.” I also like to call it the “meat market” cause if you’re a single summer college student think Granville Street clubbing… but on a beach.

Kits Pool - Photo credit: Darren Barefoot on Flickr

Mount Pleasant Pool (#11 on the map) - Opening June 21st, 2008
I admit, I’ve never been to the Mount Pleasant pool, but from the looks of it there’s plenty to do. Diving towers, slides, and it’s adjacent to the Mount Pleasant Community Centre.

Maple Grove Pool (#12 on the map) - Opening June 21st, 2008
I had to look up information on this park until I realized I’ve been to this pool many times in my childhood years. This is a large heated wading pool (max 3.5 feet in depth) in a park complete with a playground for the kiddies. When I was little “wading pool” usually meant mom would tell me I could go in up to my ankles - next thing you know on the drive home I’m wrapped in a towel and my shorts are spread out on the dashboard catching sun in hope of drying out before we get back.

Swimming lessons are also offered at all of the outdoor pools (listed above) and the first sessions start July 17th, 2008 (click for PDF schedule). Drop-in rates for the pools range from $2.50 to about $5.00 although you can get in with you Vancouver recreation pass or Flexi pass, which is good for most rec centre/community centre activities. You can also purchase books of tickets for 10 visits to save a bit on the cost - more info is available on the Parks n’ Rec website.

I must admit this is a pretty proud moment for me. Not only do I get to use my social media skills to promote and live blog a community event, but this is for a festival in my old neighbourhood, in my hometown - and it’s going to be pretty darn great. Miss604.com is pleased to be an official media partner for Surrey Fusion Festival 2008:

Surrey Fusion Festival will be Surrey’s largest 3-day multicultural celebration with 40 international pavilions celebrating music, food and culture. 5 stages of entertainment with headline performers on the World Music Stage and the Celebrations dance stage, all this in a brand new beautiful urban park.

What:
Surrey Fusion Festival 2008

Where:
Holland Park (SW Corner of King George Highway & Old Yale Road)
Between Surrey Central Skytrain station and King George Skytrain Station

When:
Friday, July 18, 4pm – 11pm
Saturday, July 19, 11am – 11pm
Sunday, July 20th, 11am – 9pm

Photo credit: Paul Hillsdon on Flickr

There will be a world music stage, a headliner stage (including a performance by Juno Award winning Jully Black), a celebration dance stage (featuring Irish dancers, entourages from Korea and China, Elite Bhangra and Hip-Hop crews, traditional oriental artistry, historical Persian performances, salsa, sambas, caporeia, calypso and modern tap).

Food, activities for kids, three days in the sunshine (crossing our fingers on that one) and the cost? In the grand tradition of other community event like Winterfest, Surrey’s Fusion Festival is absolutely FREE to everyone. Simply enjoy Canada’s 2008 Cultural Capital and if you’re still not convinced, I’ll have blog posts and Flickr photos being published throughout the entire weekend to entice you out.

We’re still a few months away and there’s a lot to prepare for, check the website for updates and if you would like to help out they’re also in need of 200 volunteers. Find out more on the Surrey Fusion Festival site.

Last year I didn’t get out to every festival, parade, or community event however the ones I did attend like the West End’s Block Party were pretty darn fun. Over on Commercial Drive they’ve been closing off the road and celebrating the community on foot (for a single day without vehicles) for several years.

In 2005, the Commercial Drive Festival launched the first community- driven Car-Free Festival in Vancouver. The Festival was wholly volunteer-organized and presented, involving over 30 core organizers and 300 volunteers. It was an enormous success, bringing over 25,000 people out to celebrate the community and party in the street. Since then, the Festival happened in 2006 and twice in the summer of 2007, snowballing in popularity and attracting up to 40,000 people per day. [Car Free Day - About]

For a personal account, check out DaveO’s podcast from Commercial Drive last year.

Photo credit: Stephanie Vacher on Flickr

The Commercial Drive event has been such a success that they’ve expanded to several other neighbourhoods across the city for 2008:

Cambie Street, Kitsilano, Main Street, Marpole, and the West End.

Although the city-wide festival is months away, organizing committees for each neighbourhood are currently meeting. You can get involved by attending a meetup for your block, hosting your own party in one of the neighbourhoods, or if your part of town isn’t covered check out the block party toolkit.

Two years ago Vancouver was overrun with Spirit Bears on almost ever street corner.

Photo credit: RightAntler on Flickr

Batman, Darth Vader, and Brent Butt were some of the themes for these posed monuments that, once auctioned off at the end of the campaign, helped raise over half a million dollars for the BC Lions Society Easter Seals.

They were removed from their stations throughout the city and then placed wherever the highest bidder deemed worthy - in front of an office building or even GM Place. Before there were bears we had the orcas… that sort of looked more like dolphins.

baseballart on Flickr

Coming next year from April 2009 until April 2010 the Lower Mainland, Vancouver Island and Price George will have Eagles in the City.

Local artists, in partnership with sponsoring individuals or organizations, will create a unique design and apply it to the surface of a 7.5 foot custom formed fibreglass Bald Eagle. The Bald Eagle becomes the artist’s canvas. Once the work is complete, the Bald Eagle will be displayed in prominent public spaces around the participating cities. A ‘Bald Eagle Flight Path Map’ will be created and distributed throughout participating communities showing the location, sponsor and artist of every bald eagle. [Eagles in the City]

Despite the fact that many people became annoyed with the orcas and moreso the bears, the money raised does go to a good cause. Eagles in the city will benefit the BC Lions Society Easter Seals as well at the Canucks for Kids Fund. You can also check out a list of artists who will be painting and decorating the eagle, on the Eagles in the City website.

In my formative teenage years, I was involved in almost anything under the sun. I was one of the school’s yearbook editors, on the student council, sports council, played 5 sports and was a part of Encounters Canada Youth Ambassadors. Later on I had the chance to work with children and younger teens, which lead to some of the best summers of my life. Although I could have slowed down a little (geesh), I highly value every organization, team and event I was ever a part of.

In a few months, BC Youth Week will kick off with events and programs all over the province, and including awards of recognition for youth involved in their communities.

Celebrate youth in our community during BC Youth Week, May 1 – 7. Youth Week is an international celebration recognizing the value, diversity and positive contributions youth make in their communities. Be sure to catch one of the hundreds of events including everything from sporting events and art shows to award ceremonies and random acts of kindness. To find out what’s happening in your community today, check out www.bcyouthweek.com for more information.

There’s a Facebook page dedicated to BCYW, and you can find out more information on the official website.

Side note: I haven’t yet seen any events listed for Surrey, but this is around the time of the Surrey Youth Band Jam on May 3rd, which will showcase musicians and revive the good ‘ol days of Stardust with some indoor roller skating.

BC Youth Week events will include things like dances, concerts, a pool tournament, cooking competition, film festival, scavenger hunts and more in Langley, Maple Ridge, Mission, Vancouver, the North Shore and many other communities.

This afternoon I stopped by the Union Gospel Mission on East Cordova as I was invited to an open house to celebrate the launch of their new website. Built by a local company and using a sleek-looking cms (content management system) the UGM has been pretty excited about the changes.

The most ambitious part of the new website was the development and implementation of The Street, a blog by UGM outreach workers. Aside from being on social networking sites like Facebook, the UGM has given their street-level workers a voice. This includes a chance to promote events and simply talk about they see and go through every day.

I also got to chat with a man that works in the kitchen and moonlights in the UGM Thrift Store. He said he’s been clean and sober for 15 years and working with the UGM ever since. There were interesting people from all walks of life, staff, bloggers, and even a mention of the Thrift Store’s lead mannequin that I thought would be great to have a photo of on their Flickr account.

This UGM provides drop in centres for women, families and youth, as well as programs and outreach for those in Canada’s poorest neighbouhood and around the Lower Mainland. They’ve also helped me with the issue of what to do with the five bags of clothing I was looking to donate, as their Thrift Store would gladly accept it.

While talking to Kevan, who works in communications for the UGM, it was great to see his enthusiasm for using new ways to reach donors, staff, and those who use the services. Sure, flyers in the mail get avoided or discarded and may cause annoyance, but the blog (to which you can subscribe) can provide everyone the information they want, when they want it.

Checking in this evening on some local non-profits, I found out about the following event coming up this month that will help raise funds for the Surrey Food Bank:

Universal Cultural Society of Canada is hosting their second annual Holi Festival of Colours to Eliminate Racism. “Celebrating the colours of life for the elimination of racial discrimination”. Saturday, March 22, 2008 from 4pm – 10pm at the Pearl Banquet Hall, 201-13030 76 Avenue, Surrey.

Photo Credit: Carol Browne on Flickr

Quick reminder that the Surrey Food Bank does not fall under the Greater Vancouver Food Bank realm so if you’d like to donate make sure to visit their headquarters or website.

However, speaking of the GVFB, Bruce Springsteen is known as an avid contributor to local food banks around the world and his stop in Vancouver will be no exception. The Greater Vancouver Food Bank has been given two prize packs to auction off for his upcoming concert, March 31st. If you’d like to place a bid you can call 604-876-3601 and ask for Cindy. The bidding ends March 26th.

One more non-Food Bank related event is the Surrey Museum’s Easter Fair, taking place Saturday March 22nd from 1:00pm to 4:00pm. Bonnet making, egg hunting and snuggles from all sorts of rescue animals will be taking place.

My Surrey touchstone in the blog world, Paul, sent along a Facebook invite to the following event that made me (almost) get up and do the chicken dance.

“Bring your friends and kick it old style as we bring back Stardust Roller Skating! Battle of the Bands, vote for your favorite! Dance demonstrations, roller skating, contests and more! For youth grades 8-12, $7 admission, $2 skate rental. No Drinking. No Drugs. No Jerks.”

When: Saturday May 3rd, 7:00pm - midnight
Where: North Surrey Rec Centre
More info: The Surrey Youth Council or the Facebook Event.

After carefully looking over the “who should come” section of the flyer I realized I’m about 10 years too old to participate. Honestly though I think it’s a case of ageism. Do these kids even remember Stardust in all its glory? I think they’re just co-opting the memory of our psychedelic hang out cause retro is *in* right now.

I kid. In all honesty it sounds like a pretty good time… I can pass for an 11th grader… right?