While the Vancouver International Film Festival‘s 2010 season kicked off in style with parties from Martini Madness, Brightlight Pictures, and the official opening gala, the red carpets are slowly being tucked away for another year. However, it’s never too late to look back on the good times had throughout the festival and the deliciousness that was set out before us at the opening gala a few weeks ago.
(Left) Catherine Barr, Gabrielle Miller (Corner Gas, Robson Arms), Me
With VIFF ending this week there are still some fantastic films to catch and some dazzling parties to attend.
Last week VIFF hosted an anniversary gala screening of Score: A Hockey Musical that’s generating buzz across the country right now. You can find out about future screenings by following @ScoreMusical on Twitter.
The First Weekend Club celebrates another great year of Canadian Film with their own VIFF wrap party tonight at District 319 on Main Street. The lovely and talented singer/songwriter Rachael Chatoor will be performing at the reception.
VIFF’s closing gala film is The Illusionist, screening at the Empire Granville tomorrow at 7:00pm. You can purchase a combo ticket for the screening and the closing gala for $175. The finale cocktail party will then be at FIVESIXTY on Seymour. You can enter to win tickets to this event by emailing [email protected] with the subject line “Closing Gala”.
You can view a full list of repeat films that will have another screening before VIFF closes. Stay on top of local film news and events by following @VIFFest on Twitter throughout the year.
London has the Oyster and Hong Kong has the Octopus… what will Vancouver have?
In 2007 I wrote a post about a lack of fare options (or rechargeable electronic fares) for visitors and residents alike, such as the Charlie Card that I saw in Boston.
It looks like Translink has finally caught up with the trend as they’re planning to introduce an electronic re-loadable fare card for 2013. They are also currently looking for public input about the project and hosting a naming contest for the cards.
You may submit your suggestions through the online form or via text message (text CONTEST, your name, and your idea to 77777). The naming contest winner will get an iPad, and in 2013, the winner will also receive an electronic fare card loaded with a year of free transit.
You can check out more of Translink’s latest ideas and provide your input during one of their Transportation Fairs this month:
Saturday October 16 at Creekside Community Centre in the Olympic Village, 1 Athletes Way, Vancouver
Sunday October 17 at the Executive Plaza Hotel, 405 North Road, Coquitlam
Saturday October 23 at the Chuck Bailey Recreation Centre, 13458 – 107 A Avenue, Surrey
All Transportation Fairs run from 10:00am until 3:00pm. Participants will be eligible to win a monthly FareCard (one drawn each hour) and the grand prize – a year’s free transit – will be given away after the last Transportation Fair on October 23rd.
I’m not sure how the naming of the cards usually work (eg. I have no idea how they came up with Oyster for London) but I’m curious to see what people will submit for the name of Metro Vancouver’s fare cards.
The 5th annual Homelessness Action Week is happening right now in Vancouver with the goal of increasing awareness about the issue, finding solutions, and taking action.
Actions that you can take include learning about the causes of homelessness, adding your voice to the discussion and call to action, and volunteering in the community.
Events this week include:
October 13th, 11:00am – 2:00pm
The Gathering Place (609 Helmcken St)
Event will provide services for the homeless including meals, hair cuts, foot care, basic medical care, bike repair and more.
October 14th, 1:00pm – 5:00 pm
Broadway Youth Resource Centre’s 11th Annual Open House (691 E Broadway)
The celebration coincides with Homelessness Action week so they are asking those attending to bring a non-perishable food item, or a pair of new socks.
October 15th, 10:00am – 3:00pm
Vancouver Homeless Connect (151 W Cordova St)
Event will provide services for the homeless including meals, hair cuts, foot care, basic medical care, bike repair and more.
Jumping between mud puddles and crunchy multicoloured leaves on the forest floor, Fall is my favourite time of year to enjoy the trails and scenery of our local parks. It’s not too late to leaf peep around Metro Vancouver as lush green leaves slowly turn to fiery orange on rain-soaked branches. One of the best places to enjoy the season is Queen’s Park in New Westminster.
Getting Here
Coming from the Valley, take the Pattullo Bridge’s Royal Ave exit. Loop around and then turn right on 1st Street then right on 3rd Avenue. From Vancouver, you can take the Canada Way exit, following it all the way down to McBride and turning right into the park before you get to the Pattullo exit. You can also come up from Queensborough or Richmond via Royal Avenue, turning left at 6th then right on 3rd Avenue. By transit, you can take a 155 bus from the Braid Millenium Line SkyTrain station.
Features
Queen’s Park has one of the best adventure playgrounds around and when I was little, we would play hide and seek with wild bunnies (or those that escaped the childrens farmyard). Within the park’s 75 acres there are sports fields for soccer, rugby (with uprights) or baseball, a waterpark, washrooms, rose gardens, a bandshell, tennis courts, and the arena (home of the Salmonbellies). There are also picnic shelters and a concession stand.
The neighbourhood around Queen’s Park (on the West side) is a great place to view Christmas lights during the holiday season as well. There are some beautiful homes that are always lit up in style.
1918 – Lovers Walk, Queen’s Park, New Westminster Photographer: W. Brown, Archives Accession Number: 3165
History New Westminster Parks & Recreation was established in 1861, while the city was still the capital of BC (and five years before they moved the capital to Victoria). Queen’s Park was established in 1886, the same year that Vancouver was incorporated as a city.
Should you have a suggestion for the next Metro Vancouver or Fraser Valley park profile, please feel free to leave a note in the comments. I also accept guest posts should you wish to contribute your own piece about a local park.
The award-winning Peak Performance Project is now in its final stages. The top 20 musicians, artists and acts were announced, they all went to bootcamp, they all performed in live showcases over the last month, and now it’s time to vote for your favourite.
2009 PPP winners, We Are the City Photo credit: John Bollwitt
Public voting is open until midnight on October 18th. One vote per IP address is allowed. Be sure to support these talented local artists by way of voting, heading out to their shows, and requesting them for radio play.
Year two of The PEAK Performance Project will see an increase of overall funding to B.C. artists from $275,000 to $315,000 in development cash awards and will see all Top 20 artists receive artist development funding. The 1st place artist will receive $100,500, 2nd is $75,000, 3rd is $50,000, 4th is $10,000, 5th is $5,000 and all 20 finalists will receive $3500 each in initial artists development funding.
The $5.29 million PEAK Performance Project is designed to educate, promote, develop and hopefully launch the careers of some of British Columbia’s top emerging artists. It also hopes to foster the province’s music industry and create a sense of community amongst music professionals.
The 5th annual 
