SPRING/SUMMER 2018 | COMPLIMENTARY
CONNECT KELOWNA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT MAGAZINE
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LOCAL FINDS
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GETAWAY IDEAS
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CONTENTS COVER PHOTO: DAN DUERDEN; THIS PAGE: DAN BARHAM; THINKSTOCK
AT THE AIRPORT 5 Welcome Message 6 In the News
12 Local Take: Winnipeg
21 Secrets of the Yukon
Blogger Natalie Bell shares her picks for the best Winnipeg districts to visit.
How to make the most of your time in the Land of the Midnight Sun—an insider’s guide.
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13 Island Hopping in B.C.
24 On Course
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Find the West Coast hot spot that’s right for you.
A brief history of golf in the Thompson Okanagan.
15 To Toronto and Beyond
26 Grapes to Grains
It’s an easy flight from Kelowna to Toronto. And from there, the world is your oyster.
Embrace the craft spirits trend in downtown Kelowna.
9 Airport Insider 28 YLW Services 30 Destination Map
10 Weekend Escapes Four trip ideas for a quick, easy and fun-filled getaway.
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The lifestyle you desire. A community to call your own. An opportunity to make a difference. The choice is yours.
Sam Samaddar Airport Director John Devitt Business Development and Community Relations Manager airport@kelowna.ca
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WELCOME MESSAGE
LOOKING AHEAD
YLW is working to serve you better.
WELCOME TO THE latest edition of YLW Connect. In this issue, we showcase some of the many exciting destinations you can reach via Kelowna International Airport this spring and summer—and throughout the rest of the year. Of course, these days, there’s a lot to be excited about right here at YLW, too. To serve you better, we have just completed construction of our new outbound baggage hall (read more about it on page 7). This is great news, as this year alone, our passenger numbers have increased by 8 per cent. The increase is due partly to our skyrocketing inbound traffic, including three new daily flights from Australia that stop first in Vancouver and then connect into Kelowna. It is also due to our steady stream of outbound flights to Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton and Toronto—where one flight to Toronto Pearson International Airport can connect you to 180
distinct destinations (four of which you can read about starting on page 15). Here at YLW, we’re always striving to connect passengers further and faster, including to lesser-explored destinations like Whitehorse, Yukon (explore for yourself on page 21). Meanwhile, on a local level, we’re continuing to do everything we can to provide the best service possible to residents of the Thompson Okanagan who choose to fly with us. That’s why we continue to host airport open-houses in which the public can see and understand the services we have on offer and comment on our plans for future growth and development. YLW is the largest municipally owned airport in all of Canada, and the team here is keen to keep moving forward. Thank you for helping us to grow, and for trusting us to get you where you want to go.
SAM SAMADDAR, AIRPORT DIRECTOR
“Here at YLW, we’re always striving to connect passengers further and faster.”
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SPRING/SUMMER 2018
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IN THE NEWS
PREPARING TO FLY An accessibility program designed to help families living with autism has arrived at Kelowna International Airport. BY FABIAN MAYER
GETTING ON AN AIRCRAFT for a vacation or to visit family is something most people take for granted, but it represents a significant challenge for those living with autism; everything from parting with luggage at the baggage check to the loud noises on board can cause considerable stress. Last November, the Kelowna International Airport teamed up with WestJet and the Canucks Autism Network (CAN) to help make air travel more accessible to children with autism and their families. The airport hosted its first-ever YLW Accessibility Tour, which allowed families to go through the entire process of boarding a plane. Ryan Yao, manager of strategic partnerships with CAN, says the event—modelled on a similar program at Vancouver’s airport—provided families and individuals an opportunity to be exposed to the experience of flying, without the high stakes of missing a flight if things didn’t go well. “There are a lot of stressors and unpredictability [when flying], and those living with autism need a lot of routine and a lot of structure,” says Yao. “It’s a huge thing, building the confidence of not only the participants, but also their parents, knowing that they can get through this.” 6
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The tour was designed to mimic the process of flying as closely as possible; families were given a check-in time, went through airport security, boarded the plane, took in the safety demonstrations, experienced the noise of the engines and were even treated to a beverage service. Yao says the tour was very successful, with all of the roughly 70 participants making it onto the aircraft provided by WestJet. There are plans to host the event again sometime in 2018, but Yao says the real measure of success is hearing from families who once thought of air travel as impossible and are now considering a vacation. “It was all very positive feedback. We had families who, two weeks later, were saying ‘Oh my gosh I’m booking my flight now, I’m going to actually book a family trip,’” says Yao.
“It’s a huge thing, building the confidence of the participants.” -Ryan Yao, Canucks Autism Network
As part of its I CAN FLY program, CAN has also created online and physical resources available at the airport’s customer service desk—in the form of maps, tips and checklists—designed to help families who are travelling with an individual with autism navigate the airport more easily.
DOUBLED CAPACITY
YLW’s new outbound baggage hall is now in place. Most travellers forget about their luggage as soon as they’ve watched it disappear down a conveyor belt at the baggage check. But getting a passenger’s suitcase from the check-in onto the correct aircraft involves a complex, behind-the-scenes process for airport staff. After two years of construction, the Kelowna International Airport has a
new outbound baggage hall to help with that process. Officially opened in Nov. 2017, the 36,000-square-foot facility is crisscrossed by conveyor belts and features state-of-the-art security screening equipment and x-ray machines. Costing $39 million to build, the highly automated system can handle 900 bags
every hour, doubling the capacity of the previous facility. That extra capacity will be welcome as more and more travellers make use of the airport— passenger numbers have grown around nine per cent each year for of the past two years, with YLW serving nearly 1.9 million passengers in 2017. —FM
BAGGAGE
HALL BY THE NUMBERS
36,123 The square footage of the new hall MILLION
700
The length (in metres) of the hall’s winding conveyor belts MILLION
10
The number of gates served by the hall
100
The number of companies involved in the development of the complex new system MILLION
$92 MILLION The budget of the 10-year improvement program, of which the new hall is a part MILLION
Current Taxi Expands British Columbia’s first all-electric taxi company is expanding its fleet. Current Taxi added a fifth environmentally friendly car last fall and plans to add a sixth this spring. Serving Kelowna and its surrounding area, including the Kelowna International Airport, the one-year-old company was recognized as a Rising Star business at the 2017 Kelowna Business Excellence Awards. —FM
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EX P LO RE EDM O NTO N
E XP LO R E Z E D M O N TON
New, daily non-stop flights to Edmonton start this July. Explore Edmonton’s energetic vibe with its growing dining scene and some of the most popular arts and music festivals.
De nouveaux vols sans escale pour Edmonton dès cet été. Explorez l’ambiance électrisante d’Edmonton avec sa gastronomie en plein essor et quelques-uns des plus populaires festivals d’arts et musique.
Book now at aircanada.com or contact your travel agent Réservez maintenant à aircanada.com ou appelez votre agent de voyages
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AIRPORT INSIDER Q + A
What is a typical day at Kelowna International Airport like for you? I always start my day by checking our Flight Information Display System. Its primary purpose is to make sure our aircraft have a place to park on the airport apron, and the airport duty managers manage that system. I make sure nothing is conflicting for the day —if airline operations are hindered by weather, like fog or smoke, for example, I manage those conflicts. During the day, I walk through the whole terminal building, checking in with the various teams and on the lookout for security, safety or medical issues that passengers or staff might need help with. We make sure everything on either side of security is running smoothly, and are looking out for how to make improvements.
KEEPING WATCH OVER YLW As an airport duty manager at the Kelowna International Airport, Lori Seemann helps to make sure everything inside and outside the facility runs smoothly, efficiently and effectively.
What is your favourite part of the job? One of them is solving people’s problems, like helping a passenger who may be stranded at YLW and needs assistance getting somewhere. There was one evening that a plane departed late but returned to YLW because of mechanical concerns. The group of passengers on the flight didn’t know what to do next, but we were able to re-accommodate them by finding the right people to come in and take care of them. I really believe that airport employees have the opportunity to positively impact a passenger’s experience— and when we do, I feel really good about it.
BY KARIN OLAFSON
TO SAY THAT LORI SEEMANN knows airports well would be an understatement. After studying at the University of Lethbridge and receiving a diploma from the Transport Canada Training Institute, Seemann began her successful and varied career in air transportation. Since 1990, she’s seen how different facets of the industry operate, having worked in air traffic control, and in various roles at airports throughout Alberta (including Edmonton, High Level and just north of Fort McMurray). Today, she is one of four airport duty managers at the Kelowna International Airport, a job she has held since May 2016, and which she says means being “the eyes and ears of the airport.”
What does being an airport duty manager entail? Basically, airport duty managers are responsible for the smooth sailing of the whole facility. We oversee the contractors responsible for the safety and security of the airport—they will check in with us before doing things like towing a car or doing building maintenance, for example. In addition, Transport Canada and Canadian Air Traffic Security Authority (CATSA) do regular audits of the airport, so we liaise with them and make sure we’re following all the security rules and regulations. We also oversee the operations of the airport, which involves things like monitoring the baggage system and making sure aircraft have a place to park when they come and go. And we work with airlines to accommodate passengers when there are irregular operations and passengers might be stuck at the airport.
In your job, you’ve surely come across some interesting or memorable situations. Any stories you can share? I remember once there was a passenger who didn’t want to pay the extra luggage fee, so he put on all his clothes and walked through security like that. And then there was the time that the band ZZ Top flew through here—they were just standing in line, with their long hair and long beards, at the same security and same check-in as everyone else. Can you share a useful travel tip for passengers? I really think more arriving passengers should know about our shuttle service at YLW. The shuttle will take you from the airport terminal and right out to your parked car, which is great when the weather is bad, or for passengers with lots of luggage or small children. SPRING/SUMMER 2018
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TRIP IDEAS
EASY WEEKEND ESCAPES Now that the warmer weather has arrived, it’s time to indulge your wanderlust. No matter what type of holiday you’re in the mood for, it’s easy to pack a whole lot of vacation into just a few days—especially if you maximize your time by choosing a short flight. Here are four great weekend escapes, each an easy jaunt from Kelowna.
FOR A SOLO ADVENTURE
FOR A GIRLFRIEND GETAWAY
FOR FAMILY FUN
FOR A COUPLE’S TREK
SEATTLE You don’t need a buddy to make the most of the Emerald City. With a light-rail line linking the airport and downtown (not to mention a recent expansion to the University of Washington campus, where you can take a tranquil solo paddle on Lake Union), it’s easy and inexpensive to get around Seattle. Stroll among the fantastical glass works of artist Dale Chihuly at Chihuly Garden and Glass—it’s a great time of year for enjoying the garden installation—then taste your way through iconic Pike Place Market, Seattle’s 111-year-old public market, or grab a coffee at Cafe Allegro, the city’s original coffee bar.
COMOX If wine and chocolate are on your girlfriends’ getaway must list, then grab your besties and head to Comox, where such indulgences are all part of the local flavour. Named for an Indigenous term meaning “land of plenty,” the Comox Valley teems with locally made treasures and relaxing adventures; savour the best of the region on a four-hour wine-and-chocolate-themed bike tour with Island Joy Rides. Next, soak sore muscles away at Kingfisher Oceanside Resort and Spa, where the soothing hydrotherapy facility is designed to recreate the West Coast shoreline.
EDMONTON Thanks to its abundance of green spaces, festivals and highly interactive museums, Edmonton is a true-blue hot spot for families. At TELUS World of Science, the hands-on exhibits, which include a kinetic dance floor that charges cellphones, are guaranteed to wow budding scientists of any age. Meanwhile, history comes alive at attractions like Jurassic Forest, a 40-acre prehistoric preserve full of roaming dinosaurs, or the Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village, which recreates life in eastern Alberta more than 125 years ago. The only limit to the family fun is how much you can pack into your schedule.
PRINCE GEORGE Forget candlelit dinners—nothing strengthens a couple’s bond quite like a heart-pumping adventure in nature does. Situated at the confluence of the Fraser and Nechako rivers in the Rocky Mountain Trench, Prince George offers plenty of outdoor thrills: hiking over mountain ranges and through ancient rainforests, paddling wild rapids and fishing from the riverbanks, to name a few. If you’re looking for adventure on two wheels, Pidherny Recreation Site boasts a variety of trails, including 13 freeride and downhill runs, while the Heritage River Trail offers a gentler ride along the water.
10 YLW CONNECT
PHOTOS: VISIT SEATTLE/ALABASTRO PHOTOGRAPHY; COURTESY ISLAND JOY RIDES; EXPLORE EDMONTON; JEREMY HENDERSON
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LOCAL TAKE
FOR EVERYONE THE FORKS “The Forks is where the Red and Assiniboine rivers meet. It’s Treaty 1 territory, and all of the [area’s] different Indigenous cultures are infused here. It’s really a meeting place for people who want to explore the city’s history. The beautiful Canadian Museum for Human Rights is also right there. As one of the main attractions of Winnipeg, this area should be every visitor’s starting point.”
Natalie Bell on
WINNIPEG BY FABIAN MAYER
CONNECT Direct flights to Winnipeg depart YLW multiple times a week (from May to Sept.) via WestJet. 12 YLW CONNECT
FOR FRENCH CULTURE ST. BONIFACE “This is our French quarter, one of the west’s largest francophone communities. There are churches on every other street, and the St. Boniface Cathedral is one of the most gorgeous structures in our city. Most people will greet you in French before they greet you in English, because that’s how they’ve kept their community so strong—they stay true to their French culture.” FOR PEOPLE-WATCHING CORYDON AVENUE “The vibe on Corydon in summertime is definitely something to behold. You can walk from one end to the other, hopping from patio to patio, and not even know what time of day it is. It’s trendy, it’s fun, there’s music playing and you have a hard time figuring out where to sit because [all the patios are] so great. Saffron’s Restaurant has a huge patio, and you can stay there for hours on end and just watch people go by.” FOR AN AFTERNOON OF SHOPPING AND EATING THE EXCHANGE DISTRICT “I work in this district every day, so I’m constantly exploring the area, and I always find something new. There are a ridiculous number of restaurants and local shops. There’s a place called dconstruct that makes eco-resin jewelry, and another called Oldhat, which sells only hats, and people come from everywhere to buy one. The area has a really local feel.”
FOR WEEKEND FUN DOWNTOWN “Our downtown is the hub of Winnipeg; we’ve got the Bell MTS Place, where the Winnipeg Jets play, and that area has completely been transformed ever since they came back. In the summer, there are always pop-up farmers’ markets happening, and you have to check out the Antique Mall in the lower level of the Johnston Terminal.”
FOR A LOW-KEY, HIPSTER VIBE WOLSELEY AND WEST BROADWAY “These are two of Winnipeg’s oldest neighbourhoods, and they have historic, two-storey homes and streets lined with mature trees. It’s all pretty majestic. Then, within that, you’ve got these great shops, restaurants and art galleries. Stella’s Café on Sherbrook Street is a Winnipeg institution. And there’s a back alley that [local artist] Kal Barteski has turned into an amazing art walk with paintings of arctic animals on garage doors.”
PHOTOS:MARISSA NAYLOR; THE FORKS; FILED IMAGE/ISTOCK; DAVID LIPNOWSKI
Winnipeg has a long and rich history as an important gathering place for people from all walks of life. Today, it’s home to an eclectic mix of neighbourhoods and a devoted population of proud, friendly and creative locals. Among those locals is Natalie Bell, a born-andraised Winnipegger who knows the city like the back of her hand. She started her PegCityLovely blog while on maternity leave six years ago and has been sharing her favourite hometown hangouts ever since. Here, she dishes on the city’s can’t-miss districts.
COASTAL TREKS
ISLAND HOPPING IN B.C.
Feeling the sand between your toes, hiking a hillside for sparkling ocean views or just chatting over craft beers on a laid-back woodland patio—savvy locals and visitors know B.C.’s Southern Gulf Islands as a deeply restorative respite. Read on for tips on three inviting options, then start planning your escape.
PHOTOS: SHAYD JOHNSON; MICHAEL WHEATLEY/ALAMY; JOSH MCCULLOCH/ALAMY
BY JOHN LEE
SALT SPRING ISLAND Where old-school hippies live alongside later-generation hipsters, Salt Spring is an island with a richly creative spirit. It’s a place that is brimming with artists, writers and inventive entrepreneurs whose businesses often have a mainland reach. The perfect choice if you’re unsure about straying too far from city life, the island’s main Ganges community is a busy waterfront hamlet—join the locals for coffee at rustic charmer Café Talia or quesadillas on the patio at Tree House Cafe. And don’t miss the Saturday Market, a kaleidoscopic extravaganza of produce and craft stalls that feels like a sunshine-filled street party. Beyond Ganges, follow the forest-flanked roads to a couple of celebrated creative enterprises. Salt Spring Island Cheese is a winery-like farm with gambolling goats and a terracotta-tiled tasting room (creamy Blue Juliette recommended). Nearby, Salt Spring Island Ales satisfies beer fans with its crisp Odd Fellows IPA.
GALIANO ISLAND Named after an 18th-century Spanish explorer, slender Galiano has the look and feel of a naturehugging island retreat. But beyond the shell-lined sands of Montague Harbour and the gnarled Garry oaks of Bluffs Park, there’s a culinary edge that brings locals and visitors together. Tucked among cedars, timber-framed Pilgrimme is one of British Columbia’s best restaurants. Regional and foraged ingredients—from plums to fresh-laid duck eggs—underscore its enticing farm-to-table menu. But it’s not the only tasty local hangout. Drop in for coffee and gossip at art-lined Sturdies Bay Bakery; sample artisan cheese at Galiano Oceanfront Inn & Spa’s rustic-chic Atrevida Restaurant; or dive into heaping fish and chips at the delightfully woodsy Hummingbird Pub. When sustenance of a different kind is required, try Galiano Island Books, where B.C.-focused titles combine with chatty staffers offering insider tips on what to do next. They’ll likely tell you to extend your restorative island escape just a little longer.
PENDER ISLAND Actually two islands—North Pender and South Pender—attached by a narrow bridge, this outdoorsy, under-the-radar destination is a digital detox paradise where silence and stillness reign. For visitors, that means adjusting to “island time,” breathing deeply in nature and remembering to smile at passersby. Get the lay of the land with a short hike (alongside copper-hued arbutus trees) to the summit of Mount Norman, where sailboat-studded ocean panoramas await. If your sea legs are suddenly itchy, add a paddle with Pender Island Kayak Adventures—their sunset tours fuse golden skies with the fading silhouettes of nearby islands. It’s not all about untamed wilderness here, though. Cascading to the shoreline, Sea Star Vineyards lures wine fans during its April to September tasting-room season—while its photogenic sheep “lawnmowers” keep the bucolic grounds well-groomed.
CONNECT Direct flights to Victoria depart YLW daily via WestJet and Pacific Coastal. SPRING/SUMMER 2018 13
14 YLW CONNECT
GLOBAL PURSUITS
ILLUSTRATION BY TOM WOOLLEY
TO TORONTO AND BEYOND Every day, flights from Kelowna International Airport to Toronto Pearson International Airport bring passengers to a gateway of world travel opportunities. Indeed, from Pearson, which is considered a Megahub airport, passengers can fly to more than 180 destinations globally—and that number is constantly growing. Here, we asked four of our favourite travel writers to share some of their most memorable experiences in international destinations—all of which are within easy reach when travelling from YLW to YYZ and beyond. SPRING/SUMMER 2018 15
A PILGRIMAGE TO MACHU PICCHU BY LISA KADANE
FROM THE TOP OF HUAYNA PICCHU, the domed pinnacle that has become Machu Picchu’s iconic backdrop, the Incas’ lost city looks neatly contained. Its residential quarters lie directly below, the sacred buildings sit above them on a rounded hilltop, and, on the outskirts, terraces once used for farming are kept tidy by wandering llamas. On the ground among the ruins, however, it’s a different story. One of Peru’s most popular tourist attractions, this UNESCO World Heritage Site feels vast and overwhelming. Its very existence— clinging precariously to a mountain at an elevation of 2,430 metres—defies explanation. In the early morning light, a shroud of mist dissipates to reveal architectural marvels. Our guide explains the literal lengths the Incas travelled to build Machu Picchu in the 15th century. “It must’ve taken thousands of people decades to build,” he says. “And still no one’s sure exactly what it was all for.” It’s Machu Picchu’s air of mystery that attracts so many travellers. Out of all of the country’s possible outdoor adventures, from exploring the Amazon rainforest to sandboarding in the desert, I chose to tackle the classic four-day, 43-kilometre Inca Trail hike that ends at Machu Picchu. I don’t use the term “pilgrimage” lightly, but when you cross three passes at heights of up to 4,200 metres, and ascend a full mile on Day Two by climbing a stone staircase the Incas built into a mountain centuries earlier, the journey truly does become a pilgrimage. Under the spell of the landscape and the sweat equity required to get there, the days take on a magical, meditative quality. Machu Picchu lives up to its hype, but it’s the journey itself—and the discoveries around every bend on the Inca Trail, that will stick with me the most. 16 YLW CONNECT
AN ART TOUR IN NYC BY TIM JOHNSON
CULINARY WANDERINGS IN ROME
PHOTOS: THINKSTOCK; CHRISTOPHER PENLER/ALAMY
BY SHELLEY BOETTCHER
ITALIANS AREN’T BIG BREAKFAST EATERS. No ham and eggs or oatmeal. Maybe a pastry. Always coffee. When in Rome, do as the Romans do, my husband and I decide. We leave our hotel and wander down the block to the nearest coffee shop. It’s just a mom-and-pop joint, nothing pretty, but, like so many similar spots in the city, it’s bustling on this weekday morning in the spring. Do we stand at the counter and drink our morning brew like most of the locals do? Or should we pay extra for the privilege of sitting at a table, buying time so that we can people-watch in comfort? We opt to sit, and we savour cappuccinos while munching buttery cornetti, Italy’s version of croissants. A young man in a suit quickly drinks an espresso while skimming the newspaper, and kids in uniforms pass by, giggling on their way to school. We can’t sit all day, however. Our culinary adventure through Rome has just begun, and I’m already thinking about the next coffee, maybe at one of the trendy roasteries that young Romans are starting to open. There’s Pergamino Caffe for latte art and serious beans. Or Tram Depot, for both morning coffee and evening cocktails.
But before that, there’s lunch at da Simo Pane e Vino. Located on a quiet street close to the Pantheon, it offers seasonal Roman street food: fried chicory, meatballs, potatoes doused in olive oil and lemon. Inexpensive. Filling. Delicious. Then there’s gelato. The best shops have lineups and use natural ingredients. Otaleg (gelato spelled backwards) is a favourite among serious foodlovers for its old-school techniques and unusual flavours—gorgonzola, or mascarpone with basil. We discover you can even take classes here to learn more about Italy’s favourite frozen treat. Springtime is also the time to eat fresh artichokes in Italy. We head to Rome’s lively Jewish Ghetto neighbourhood for a plateful of tender, deep-fried artichokes and a jug of cold white wine at Piperno. Later, we catch an outdoor concert at Teatro di Marcello, an ancient Roman theatre nearby. Finally, we round out our “food day” at Eataly, the one-stop shop for last-minute souvenirs: more olive oils, chocolate, an organic fire-roasted pasta I’m convinced I can’t find back home. But home, as the expression goes, is where the heart is. And my heart is always in Rome.
HE THREATENS, BUT SHE BECKONS. As the rain pounds down on Lower Manhattan, I oscillate between two groups of curious visitors, all clutching umbrellas and fumbling to take photos of two counter-posed bronze statues. On one side is Arturo Di Modica’s iconic Charging Bull, a three-and-a-half-ton sculpture that has stood as a testament to America’s financial strength since the late 1980s. And, facing him down, the Fearless Girl, Kristen Visbal’s much-smaller tribute to women in leadership, which caused a media sensation when installed last year. Taking a photo of both of them, I marvel at one fact—that in New York, you can literally just bump into great creations. An arts tour here requires little more than walking around awhile. For example, you can take a stroll in Central Park and chart your own sculpture tour, from Milton Hebald’s Romeo and Juliet to George Blackall Simonds’ The Falconer. Or ride the subway to East Harlem, where, for a stretch, almost every block is graced by colourful murals. I opt to do both, then follow it up with a visit to Midtown Manhattan’s Museum of Modern Art, where I take a whole afternoon to wander, meandering from Cézanne, to Picasso, to Dalí. That night, I score a ticket to the hottest show in town: Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Hamilton. As the curtain rises, the performers fill the stage, singing the refrain, “In New York, you can be a new man!” Inspired by the creativity that floods every pocket of this city, I can’t help but agree. SPRING/SUMMER 2018 17
WHAT’S
A MEGAHUB?
BY JENNIFER FRIESEN
18 YLW CONNECT
filled with powder-blue buildings and non-stop ringing from bells on bicycle rickshaws. I hear the familiar, “Madame, hello!” while pushing through the chaos of the Chandni Chowk market, and smile. Outside of Delhi, in the neighbouring state of Uttar Pradesh, I settle for a little while in the city of Varanasi, which rests upon the banks of the Ganges River. The city is considered one of the most sacred places in India among Hindus, and pilgrims from every corner of the country flock there to wash away their sins in the holy river. Festivals and ceremonies stir me awake at all hours of the night, because there’s always something to celebrate in Varanasi. During the Saraswati Puja—a festival honouring the Hindu goddess of knowledge, music and art—a local musician named Ramu invites me into his home to teach me about the holiday. After passing through the threshold, I’m given a hot cup of coffee and a warm namaste. Incense fills the room as Ramu guides me through the ceremonial blessing to the goddess and then passes me a plate of food. “The hand is made for dãna (giving),” he says through a smile. As I hold my plate in my hand, I am overcome with gratitude for all that has been shared with me in my travels through India.
CONNECT Direct flights to Toronto depart YLW daily via Air Canada and WestJet.
PHOTO: HADYNYAH/ISTOCK
FALLING IN LOVE WITH INDIA
THE AIR IS HEAVY WITH FIRE and cardamom, and somewhere in the distance I hear a drum that seems to mimic my heartbeat. Bodies whip by me—women wrapped in lavish sarees and men cloaked in shawls. The effect is dizzying as I stand completely still among the clamour. “Madame, hello!” an elderly man calls to me from a chai stand. He beckons me closer with a wag of his head, and I stumble forward along the cobblestone. Seeing this bewildered foreigner with hopelessly pale skin, he grins and asks, “Where are you from? You like India?” He offers me the hot cup of tea he just bought for himself. I smile and shake my head and we continue chatting through hand-gestures, hoping to communicate through the language barrier. I will come to experience similar interactions almost every day for the next four months. From the deserts of Rajasthan to the backwaters of Kerala, I discover there’s always a shared curiosity between visitors and locals—and it emboldens me to travel deeper, to explore with less trepidation. I fall in love with Old Delhi, which sits in the heart of greater Delhi’s pulsing metropolis, encased in ancient walls and
CURRENTLY, TORONTO PEARSON International Airport ranks fifth out of the 50 International Megahub Airports, making it one of the most connected airports in the world. Each airport on the OAG Megahubs International Index is assigned a ratio based on its number of connections to and from international flights compared to the number of places the airport has flights to. Though Toronto Pearson is already ranked high on the Megahub list, it is set to grow and expand its offerings even more, all in the interest of improving passenger experiences and surpassing 80 million passengers by the mid 2030s. Plans include finding ways to shorten passenger wait times, creating a regional transit network and adjusting policy so that international passenger movement flows more smoothly. As many as 700,000 jobs could be created in the process, and, if all goes as planned, the airport will make up almost 9 per cent of Ontario’s GDP. “This would give Canadians significantly more access to trade and tourism destinations,” says Robin Smith, senior advisor for communications at the Greater Toronto Airports Authority. And these goals don’t only benefit Ontario, Smith says: “Growth at Toronto Pearson enables growth across all of Canada, stimulating the national economy as the airport scales up to meet the new demand and continues to enhance passenger experience.” —Jennifer Dorozio
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Kathy Bruns
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Martin Raddatz
Personal Real Estate Corporation
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YUKON AWAITS
Peter Mather
Come With Us
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Peter Mather
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Wide open spaces, a diverse cultural scene and inspiring food and drink wait for you. Air North, Yukon's Airline will bring you here.
yairnorth.com 1.800.661.0407 or contact your travel agent 20 YLW CONNECT
NORTHERN ADVENTURES
SECRETS OF THE
YUKON HOW TO MAKE THE MOST OF SUMMER IN THE LAND OF THE MIDNIGHT SUN.
GOVERNMENT OF YUKON / F MUELLER
BY KARAN SMITH
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all it the payback season. After living through long, dark winters each year, solstice summers are what Yukoners get in return. But the reward isn’t just in the midnight sun that lingers and extends bedtimes throughout the territory. It’s also felt in the clarity of the light, the clean mountain air
and the way the rays warm both land and spirit. Wedged between Alaska and the Northwest Territories, the Yukon encompasses vast expanses of true wilderness (expect 360-degree mountain, lake and river views), dotted here and there with a number of small and welcoming communities. Whitehorse, as the capital, makes a good
home-base for sampling the territory’s many adventures. Then it’s just a matter of deciding what to do first. From biking down epic mountain trails and stand-up paddling on fast-moving currents to sipping craft brews and exploring the area’s rich Indigenous history, the options seem as endless as that epic summer sunlight. SPRING/SUMMER 2018 21
GET ON THE WATER The Yukon River, one of the longest waterways in North America, winds through Whitehorse before making its way northwest to the Bering Sea. You can sample its turquoise waters with a day-paddle through Miles Canyon (rent or book a guided tour with operators such as Up North Adventures or Kanoe People). Follow it up—your shoulders will thank you—with a soak in the naturally hot waters of the Takhini Hot Springs, about a half-hour drive out of town. For something a little different, find your balance on a paddleboard with Stand Up Paddle Yukon. The operator offers day-trips from Whitehorse both on the Yukon River (about three hours) and the Takhini River (about five hours), along with regular board-and-yoga classes in town. Join a tour and let the river do half the work while you build your paddling skills and test your maneuvering abilities. Or, you could just interlock your boards, soak up the forest-and-water views and go with the flow.
ENJOY THE MOUNTAINS When you’re descending into Whitehorse by air, the mountains look soft and almost touchable, a diorama of sprucegreen forests sweeping up hillsides, velvet-like, to rocky-topped peaks. But with boots on the ground, it’s another view entirely: follow root-covered paths through a boreal landscape of spruce, pine and poplar trees, hiking your way to countless inspiring lookouts. There’s no shortage of trails around Whitehorse (visit Yukonhiking.ca for ideas or local operators). To experience the mountains at a faster speed, hop on a mountain bike and hit one of 700-kilometre-plus trails surrounding the city. You can explore on your own—visit yukonbiking.ca or get the Whitehorse Recreational Trail Guide app for ideas. Or, for guided fun, join the popular Boréale Explorers, a biking outfitter that will lead you up and down the single tracks on routes along the Yukon River, Grey Mountain or Mount McIntyre. The uncrowded alpine vistas will linger in your mind long after the adrenalin fades.
Page 21: The Yukon’s sweeping mountain ranges. Page 22: (Top) Paddling along the Yukon and Takhini rivers is a must-do when in Whitehorse. (Below) Winterlong Brewing Co. has 12 distinct beers on tap. Page 23: (Top) Against the backdrop of Mount Gray, the White Pass & Yukon Route rail bridge rides over the strait between Bennett Lake and Nares Lake in Carcross. (Below) More than 700 kilometres of trails surround Whitehorse. 22 YLW CONNECT
EXPLORE LOCAL CULTURE
PHOTOS: STUART KNAACK; ROBERT POSTMA; WINTERLONG BREWING CO., DAN BARHAM
When it comes to things to do, the options in the Yukon seem as endless as the epic summer sunlight.
SIP AND SAVOUR Yukon restaurants tend to focus on northern fare—arctic char, salmon, bison—or on the cultural cuisines of the area’s various inhabitants (sometimes the two converge, such as with the halibut with spicy coconut-tomato curry at Antoinette’s Restaurant). Java is another staple, especially when you need a boost for staying up with the sun. Favourite local coffee shops include Midnight Sun Coffee Roasters, Java Connection and Baked Café & Bakery. But to really settle into Yukon time, slow down with a local pint. Winterlong Brewing Co., located 10 minutes from downtown, offers a family-friendly tasting room that spills out onto a patio in the summer. The award-winning craft brewery provides communal tables and snacks such as savoury pies, local bison pepperoni and Scotch eggs to accompany flights featuring its 12 taps. Expect boreal flavours (Spruce Tip Ale), smooth and chocolatey porter (Firebean Rye Coffee Porter) and easy citrusy IPAs (HazySexyCool New England IPA). If you’re lucky, someone will ring the bell above the bar—a Yukon tradition from the gold mining days that means this round’s on them.
CONNECT Direct flights to Whitehorse depart YLW on Fridays and Mondays via Air North.
You can experience history, art and culture in downtown Whitehorse. Pop into the Kwanlin Dün Cultural Centre, a beautiful space along the Yukon River, to view exhibits that speak to the history and presence of this First Nation on its traditional land. The MacBride Museum, meanwhile, brings you up close to moments in Yukon history, along with the chance to see (taxidermied) Yukon wildlife, including an albino moose. And local galleries and shops—including North End Gallery, The Collective Good and Yukon Artists @ Work—are perfect spots for picking up unique souvenirs. Animal-lovers who want a more hands-on northern-culture fix can pay a visit to a sled dog family. Muktuk Adventures, started by a professional sled dog racer and home to 130-plus Alaska huskies, lets you get to know the dogs in the more-relaxed summer season and learn about winter racing. Prepare for the noise and excitement (you think kids are loud?) as you help walk the dogs to the river on Muktuk’s expansive property.
TAKE A DAY TRIP TO CARCROSS Easy day trips from Whitehorse include Haines Junction, on the doorstep of the majestic Kluane National Park and Reserve, and Skagway, Alaska, a gold rush town turned cruise port. But Carcross, an hour’s drive south of Whitehorse, is the must-do. Along the route, stop at the jewel-coloured Emerald Lake for a photo op and the Carcross Desert for a run in the sand. With a population of just 500 residents, Carcross itself is situated on the northern tip of Bennett Lake, and its downtown is home to the Carcross Commons. The initiative of the Carcross/Tagish First Nation, the Commons features a cluster of tiny shops centred around a totem pole and carving shed. You can have gelato at Scoop ’Em Jim’s (a play on Skookum Jim, one of the prospectors who kick-started the 1890s Yukon Gold Rush), sip a latte at Caribou Crossing Coffee, and then browse through shops selling local creations. You may even hear a train pull in—the White Pass & Yukon Route travels between Skagway and Carcross. Once you’re done shopping, hang out on the beach on Lake Bennett or rent a bike to explore Montana Mountain, whose popular trails are maintained by local youth through the Singletrack to Success Project. SPRING/SUMMER 2018 23
VALLEY HIGHLIGHTS
The Winery is open for tastings year round. We invite you to enjoy the “Home of Pinot Gris” with spectacular views and local cuisine at the Grapevine Restaurant (April-Oct). 1-250-766-3168 | www.graymonk.com 1055 Camp Road, Lake Country, BC
ON COURSE
ROLLING HILLS, SHIMMERING LAKES, picturesque valleys, warm temperatures, a long playing season—it all sounds like the perfect recipe for golf. Indeed, with 79 courses to choose from, the Thompson Okanagan is one of Canada’s most celebrated golf destinations. The history of golf in the Thompson Okanagan reaches back to 1899, when settlers built the area’s first course near Kelowna’s present-day City Hall. A rough and ragged nine-hole affair, the course lasted a few years before being moved first to the Bankhead area and then just east of downtown on Glenmore Road (where it eventually became the Kelowna Golf & Country Club). Meanwhile, courses in other parts of the Okanagan Valley were also popping up as golf’s popularity in Canada spread. The Vernon Golf & Country Club (1913), the Kamloops Golf & Country Club (1914), and The Penticton Golf & Country Club (1922) all joined the fray, and clubs in Oliver and 24 YLW CONNECT
Salmon Arm soon followed. By the 1970s and 80s, word of the Thompson Okanagan’s long golfing season and ideal geographical features were luring international attention, and by the 1990s, some of the world’s top golf architects—including Fred Couples, Jack Nicklaus and Robert Trent Jones Sr.—were designing courses in the area. Among the showstoppers that entered the scene at that time was Predator Ridge Golf Resort near Vernon. Routed through arid, pine-peppered hills high above Okanagan Lake, Predator Ridge serves up the quintessential Thompson Okanagan golf experience, with two courses—the Predator and the Ridge—that dip and dive through sun-blasted benchland. The Ridge Course, designed by Doug Carrick, features one of the best stretches of golf in British Columbia; while many consider its postcard-pretty fifth hole (a par-3 that plunges down the hill) to be the course’s trump card, the very next hole, which drops dramatically down the fall
PHOTOS: BOB HUXTABLE; THE HENEBRYS; THE RISE GOLF COURSE / NICK CLEMENTS
Canadian golf writer Andrew Penner shares some course history, highlights and a few of his personal favourites throughout the Thompson Okanagan.
K E L O W N A YA C H T C L U B |
line, is every bit its dramatic equal. But, for the region’s newest layouts, drama is par for the course. In Kelowna, for example, Tower Ranch Golf Club is remarkable thanks to its panoramic valley vistas and two awesome holes that run along the vineyards. Higher up in the hillsides, celebrated courses include: Fairview Mountain Golf Club in Oliver; Tobiano Golf Course in Kamloops; The Rise Golf Course in Vernon; and The Harvest Golf Club, Gallagher’s Canyon Golf & Country Club and the Okanagan Golf Club—all in Kelowna. Naturally, golf getaways in the Thompson Okanagan extend well beyond the green. Knowing that tourists and locals, alike, spend time in the valley to experience its many offerings, most courses in the region offer experiences like après-golf dining, on-site hiking and biking trails, and golfand-winery tour packages. Because, as good as golf in the Thompson Okanagan is, there are other delightful distractions to enjoy.
BANKS ROAD
Modern Bowl with grilled chicken
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CITY SIPS
FROM GRAPES TO GRAINS Drink your fill of Kelowna’s wines, beers, ciders and spirits at five downtown makers. BY LISA KADANE | ILLUSTRATION BY TOM WOOLLEY
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OKANAGAN SPIRITS CRAFT DISTILLERY Located downtown on Bernard Ave., the valley’s original distillery is a tasting room and stylish cocktail lounge rolled into one. Its colourful lounge lures guests to sample a rainbow of liqueurs and spirits including the award-winning Taboo Absinthe and delicious Blackcurrant Liqueur. Step away from the bar to see one of the distillery’s original copper pot stills up close, and to learn more about the farm-to-flask process. (okanaganspirits.com)
BNA BREWING CO. A scenic walk along Kelowna’s waterfront that curves up to Ellis St. brings hopheads to BNA Brewing Co. This lofted, funky space—decorated with vintage finds—has become a popular place to grab a tasty meal of shared plates and hang out with friends over a flight of beer. The Earl pale ale and seasonal Blood Sugar Hops Magik ISA are palate-pleasers, and hipsters will want a second round of the Don’t Lose Your Dinosaur IPA. (bnabrewing.com)
URBAN DISTILLERIES This distillery, known for its decorated Spirit Bear gin, is pushing the envelope of what a distiller can make—the brand-new Sweet Mead honey wine won Gold at the 2017 San Francisco International Wine Competition, and the just-released Urban Burban is fantastic. Whatever you try, be sure to pick up a bottle of Spirit Bear vodka or gin; proceeds from the sale of every bottle go toward protecting the spirits’ namesake bears. (urbandistilleries.ca)
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4 SANDHILL WINERY On nearby Richter St., step inside the bright, modern, vaulted space that houses both Sandhill Winery and Calona Vineyards, which makes Wayne Gretzky’s Okanagan wine labels. Ask to try some small-lot wines (in the black labels); these are only sold on-estate and include Sandhill’s trademark reds—particularly the Italian grapes Barbera and Sangiovese, plus a juicy Malbec—as well as the complex Viognier. (sandhillwines.ca)
5 BC TREE FRUITS CIDER CO. Cider is exploding in popularity across North America. It’s a trend B.C. Tree Fruits hopped on to three years ago when it launched its Broken Ladder ciders, which are made primarily from tasty but ugly apples deemed unsellable. Try up to four ciders in the tasting room including the Pears & Peaches, the original Apples, and the dry and grapefruity Apples & Hops, which won a gold medal for hopped cider at the 2017 Cidercraft Awards. (bctreefruitscider.com)
PHOTOS:BRAD PATTISON, DARREN HULL, RYAN SCHATZ PHOTOGRAPHY; SHARLA PIKE PHOTOGRAPHY
THE OKANAGAN VALLEY is famous for its wineries—more than 200 estates bottle varietals from Barbera to Zinfandel. But B.C.’s bounty includes more than grapes; the province also grows tree fruits including apples and cherries, and grains such as barley, corn and wheat. More and more, these ingredients are being turned into ciders, liqueurs, beer and spirits, and Kelowna has become the epicentre for this craft trend. In downtown’s north end, in a growing industrial district, you’ll find breweries, distilleries, wineries and a cidery all within walking distance on the Grapes to Grains Trail. Here are five to try.
VISIT • STUDY WORK • STAY
YOUR OKANAGAN ADVENTURE AWAITS Our world-class, full-service marina is your waterfront gateway to beautiful Kelowna! MOORAGE • BOAT & SEA DOO RENTALS • DOWNTOWNMARINA.CA
RED MOOSE IMMIGRATION SERVICES INC. Certified Consultancy
+1.250.215.9473 redm.ca
Spell of the Yukon Introducing a luxury boutique hotel experience on the Yukon River waterfront in downtown Whitehorse. Only a 2 hour flight from YLW on Air North.
FOLLOW YUKONHOTELS
YUKONHOTELS.COM
101 MAIN ST. WHITEHORSE - TOLL FREE: 1-877-484-3334 SPRING/SUMMER 2018 27
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WhiteSpot Restaurant and Lounge 4:30 am - 8 pm WhiteSpot Restaurant and Lounge 7 am - 8 pm Tim Hortons 4 am - 10 pm Subway 4:30 am - 10 pm
5 Airport Shuttle Kiosk 9:00 am - 5:00 pm 6 Car Rental Kiosk 6 am - 12 midnight 7 Canada Customs Office 8 am - 12 midnight 8 Commissionaires 7:30 am - 7:30 pm 9 Lost Baggage Office 7:30 am - 7:30 pm 10 Airport Ambassadors 7:30 am - 7:30 pm ? Information; Tourism Kelowna Visitor Info Kiosk 8:30 am - 8:30 pm
11 Okanagan Estate Wine Cellar 5 am - 8 pm 12 Okanagan Duty Free & OK Style Gift Shop 5 am - 8 pm Duty Free Opens 90 min. prior to International/ Transborder flights 13 Happy and Grateful Shoe Shine Service 9 am - 5 pm 14 Skyway Gifts and Souvenirs 4 am - 8 pm 15 Best Buy Electronics, Vending Outlet
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Free spirited and audacious designer Kenzo Takada, known as "the most Parisian of Japanese fashion designers", has designed an exceptional collection of fabrics and ceramics for Roche Bobois. To dress the Mah Jong sofa, he drew inspiration from traditional kimonos of the NĂ´ theater. He reinterpreted the motifs and colors, creating delicate and sophisticated harmonies that symbolize the three times of the day: Asa (morning), Hiru (noon), and Yoru (evening).
Photo: Michel Gibert, image for advertising purposes only. Special thanks: Stone Sculpture museum of the Fondation Kubach-Wilmsen.
Kenzo Takada dresses the Mah Jong
Mah Jong. Modular sofa system, design Hans Hopfer. Upholstered in NĂ´ Gaku fabric, Asa version, designed by Kenzo Takada for Roche Bobois. Manufactured in Europe.
French Art de Vivre
CALGARY - 225 10 th Avenue SW - Tel. 403-532-4401 VANCOUVER - 716 West Hastings - Tel. 604-633-5005
SPRING/SUMMER 2018 31 www.roche-bobois.com
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