Vancouver Courier December 6 2013 by Vancouver Courier

Future prospect

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2013 Vol. 104 No. 98 • Established 1908

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WEEKEND EDITION

THE VOICE OF VANCOUVER NEIGHBOURHOODS

NEWS: Tanker spills 4 / OPINION: Rental affordability 10

Flushotsstill available, sayshealth officer

FACED WITH HIGH DEMAND PHARMACIES TURN SOME PEOPLE AWAY AS INVENTORY REFILLED SANDRA THOMAS Staff writer

photo Rebecca Blissett

BARGAIN HUNTING: In the latest instalment of our Vancouver Special neighbourhood

series, we proﬁle the tiny but busy Gastown area where we pay a visit to the weekly binners market on Carrall Street between Hastings and Cordova. Dodo and Maggie, friends since they were in their 20s, showed up mid-afternoon with an assortment of clothing to sell. SEE MAIN FEATURE PAGE 23. Scan page with the Layar app or go to vancourier.com to see more photos.

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or Vancouverites planning to get a flu shot, now would be the time as some pharmacies are turning customers away due to a lack of doses. The Courier has heard from a number of people not able to get a flu shot, including intern Jennifer Thuncher who went to the busy Burnaby Costco for a shot only to be told the store pharmacy was no longer providing the vaccine. Dr. Meena Dawar, medical health officer with Vancouver Coastal Health, said it would be wrong, however, to describe the situation as a shortage. About 25,000 units of the vaccine are available in the region, she said. “They’ve distributed 390,000 doses so far, which is similar to last year,” said Dawar. “There has been a huge demand, which is great. But many pharmacies are getting to the end of their initial orders. They’ve had them filled and refilled and are now getting to the last bit of vaccine.” Dawar said in many cases pharmacies are no longer offering walk-in services but instead are requesting those wanting a flu shot to make an appointment. She added it might be perceived as a shortage of vaccine because the number of pharmacies offering flu shots in the Vancouver Coastal Health region has doubled from 100 to about 200 since last year so the supply is more spread out. See HEALTH on page 8

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F R I DAY, DE C E M B E R 6 , 2 0 1 3 THE VANCOUVER COURIER

GASTOWN

Historic highlights from Gastown

12TH & CAMBIE with Mike Howell

orty-three years ago this week, I was alive. Wow — there’s a

lead. Actually, I was just a kid. Now that we’ve got that out of the way, I wanted to tell you a scandalous story about what was going on in Gastown 43 years ago this month. If you can believe it, some maniac decapitated poor old Gassy Jack Deighton — not the person, but the copperand-concrete statue of the late bar owner. Deighton’s

sculpted head went missing in October 1970. Two months later, on Dec. 3, the Province newspaper reported that Gastown clown W.H. Stonehouse, who was looking for a pad for the night, found Deighton’s severed head in an East Side parking garage. Stonehouse was expected to collect a $50 reward for the recovery of said head. How do I know this? Because I came across the tale in an informative, just-released book called This Day in Vancouver authored by Jesse Donaldson. The 407-page book, with a whole bunch of cool photos from days gone by, tells stories of Gassy Jack and other I-didn’t-know-that tales of a more interesting time in the city. No suspects were charged in the theft of Deighton’s head, although no tears were shed by then-mayor Tom Campbell, who wanted the statue shipped to the city dump; apparently, four

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photo Dan Toulgoet

In October 1970, an unknown person decapitated the statue of Gassy Jack Deighton. The head was recovered two months later. businessmen installed the statue in Maple Tree Square

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police riot.” Fotheringham continued: “The solution to a trafﬁc tie-up was to break open heads. The mayor kept predicting a riot, it never came, so the police supplied him with one. If someone isn’t sacked over this one, we live in a rather unpleasant town. Pigs is a dirty word, and no one likes to use it, but there were some pigs loose in Gastown on Saturday night.” Interestingly, artist Stan Douglas recreated a scene from the riot in a huge photograph now installed in the atrium of the Woodward’s development. Back in January 2010, I asked Vancouver Police Chief Jim Chu what he thought about the image. “It’s a piece of art, and I don’t consider it anything else than a piece of art,” the chief told me. “Art is in the eye of the beholder and I’m not an art critic.” mhowell@vancourier.com twitter.com/Howellings

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without city approval. Since the Dec. 6 edition

of the Courier is devoted to coverage of Gastown, I thought I’d touch on another tale from the book on that part of the city — the infamous 1971 uprising known as the Gastown riot. Many of you know the basic details — cops bashed heads of marijuana enthusiasts during the Grasstown Smoke-in. But did you ever read the words of one of my favourite newspaper scribes, Allan Fotheringham, about the clash? Fotheringham was toiling for the Vancouver Sun as a columnist. Enraged by the ordeal that left 12 people hospitalized, he furiously pecked at his typewriter and this is some of what he came up with: “What did happen Saturday night in Maple Tree Square, by the accounts of dozens of sober and sensible adults who were witness, was a disaster for future police public relations in this town. What happened was a

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THE VANCOUVER COURIER F R I DAY, DE C E M B E R 6 , 2 0 1 3

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news

Vancouver unprepared for oil tanker spill, says city MIKE HOWELL Staff writer

unicipal and regional emergency planners do not have adequate information to develop response plans and ensure public safety in the event of an oil tanker spill in and around Vancouver waters. Deputy city manager Sadhu Johnston reached that conclusion in a report he presented to city council Wednesday that outlined how current response capacity to a spill is “complicated, uncoordinated, insufficient and untested.” “In summary, our emergency responders believe that we have insufficient information to plan a safe response — and we do play a role in that response,” said Johnston, who noted the job of responding to a spill and paying to clean it up is mired in a “complicated web” of regulatory bodies. “It’s unclear who’s responsible for doing what.” Even Western Canada Marine Response Corporation, which is based in Burnaby and funded by the oil shipping industry and Transport Canada, cannot handle a spill of more than 20,000 tonnes of oil, he said. Johnston pointed out a tanker leaving Kinder Morgan’s Westridge terminal in Burnaby transports an average of 82,000 tonnes of oil in one shipment through local waters and out to sea. “So there’s a huge gap there that we see — if there were to be a significant event in and around Vancouver — that we just don’t have the capacity to do it, and that’s the existing traffic that’s moving through these waters,” he said, noting the 28-boat marine response corporation is responsible for 27,000 kilometres of B.C. shoreline. The purpose of Johnston’s presentation was to update city council on the risks and impacts of increased tanker traffic in and around Vancouver waters. Council requested the report

because Kinder Morgan is preparing to file its application with the National Energy Board to almost triple the amount of oil it processes through its Burnaby terminal. Johnston said such an increase — from 300,000 barrels per day to 890,000 — will mean the average of five tankers per month passing through Vancouver Harbour and Burrard Inlet will jump to 34. Upon Johnston’s request, Mayor Gregor Robertson recommended council seek intervenor status at the National Energy Board hearings. Robertson said the staff report provided further evidence the threat of an oil spill poses unacceptable risks to the city’s economy and environment. “Based on the work done to date, this is the best next step we can take to look after the interests of our city and citizens,” said the mayor, whose recommendation will be debated at a Dec. 18 council meeting. If selected as an intervenor, the City of Vancouver can present evidence, question witnesses and make final arguments in the hearings, which are expected to commence next year. Johnston warned council intervenor status could be expensive and time-consuming, although he didn’t provide a cost. “But it does get you a seat at the table, so to speak,” he added. NPA Coun. George Affleck said the report pointed out the potential harm of increased oil production and tanker traffic but lacked any mention of benefits that increase might have for the economy. “From a Vancouver perspective, we really see the negative impacts above and beyond the positive impacts, given the jobs aren’t here and the activities aren’t actually taking place within our jurisdiction,” Johnston said. “So I think, at this point, we don’t see much positive economic impact for the city of Vancouver.” mhowell@vancourier.com twitter.com/Howellings

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Vancouver’s problem with homelessness is at an all time high, with many of those with no home of their own being under the age of 24. At the Courier, we decided to provide an opportunity to our readers to give a little cheer and kindness to the youth on our streets this holiday season.

Please note that we ask that all items be NEW! (please, no used goods at this time)

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When out shopping for those stocking stuffers this holiday season, see what’s on special and grab an extra something on top of your usual purchase.

SUGGESTED GIFTS INCLUDE: Socks, underwear, mittens, gloves, scarfs, toques, boots, jackets, blankets or sleeping bags, toothpaste, toothbrushes, dental ﬂoss, deodorant, soap etc... Transit tickets, grocery vouchers or restaurant/fast-food/coffee shop gift certiﬁcates. Directions to Youth Services centre, operated by Family Services of Greater Vancouver is our partner in this endeavour, and will distribute the goods to youth who are homeless or living in at risk situations. Anything you can give will help make the holidays a little easier for the youth on our streets.

* Offer valid from Saturday, October 26th to Tuesday, December 31st, 2013. Not valid in conjunction with custom or special ordered items, previously purchased merchandise, rentals and any other offers. 20% discount is based on our regular prices. Some exclusions apply. See cashier for details.

Thank you for your support!

Happy Holidays!

Simply drop your items off in the big box situated in the Courier lobby at 1574 West 6th Ave., near Fir St. between November 13th and December 18th. Hours are Mon-Fri, 8:30 am to 4:30pm.

F R I DAY, DE C E M B E R 6 , 2 0 1 3 THE VANCOUVER COURIER

GASTOWN

Continuum actress draws on Gastown community FEMALE-RUN TATTOO SHOP A CREATIVE, COZY HAVEN JENNIFER THUNCHER Contributing writer

uvia Petersen ranks making money last on her list of reasons for owning a business. For Petersen , co-owner of Liquid Amber Tattoo, having a place she likes to be and that’s owned and operated by women and where her employees and customers feel comfortable is more important. Petersen, otherwise known for playing scrappy Jasmine Garza on the Vancouvershot, TV hit Continuum, started her business 12 years ago after stumbling onto a female tattoo artist while backpacking in Paris with artist friend Justina Kervel. The pair, then in their early 20s, were so inspired by the woman they opened a tattoo studio of their own in Vancouver. The studio gave Kervel a day job doing the art she loved and gave Petersen a way to be a part of something fun and creative. “We aren’t going to be rich, and that’s OK. That kind of mentality, when you aren’t focused on money, then you can breathe and you can create,” Petersen said. While Petersen and Kervel intended their business to be female owned and operated, they never imagined they would one day employ ﬁve female tattoo artists. “Like minds attract each other and before we knew it we opened our eyes and said oh wow, we don’t have any men here anymore,” Petersen said with a shrug. Tattoo artist Jenny Jarrett, 30, has been at Liquid Amber for eight years and said she never thinks about the fact she is a female tat-

photo Dan Toulgoet

Luvia Petersen is the co-owner of Liquid Amber Tattoo at 62 Powell Street. She also stars in the hit TV show Continuum, which is ﬁlmed in Vancouver. too artist in a fully female business. She just appreciates the encouraging atmosphere at work. “We’re all friends,” she said. Customer Meana Kasi, 35, a project manager who had a tattoo of birds on a power line done on her forearm last year at the shop and is halfway through a half sleeve of a peacock, says a female-dominated business creates a nurturing environment. She recalled seeing one of the staff get a blanket for a customer who was feeling chilled while getting inked. “It is just a cozy, comfortable place,” Kasi said. According to Petersen, the business cozied

up with Gastown residents and neighbours as soon as it moved in ﬁve years ago. Gastown is its third location and the one where the owners believe they ﬁt best. “We aren’t a big scary corporation coming in to gentrify the neighbourhood,” Petersen said. “We are just like a mom and pop type shop. Well, mom and mom I guess.” Liquid Amber works with the residents as much as it can by offering work window cleaning and by donating to groups that help those in need in the community, such as Lookout Emergency Aid Society. Petersen has seen Gastown evolve over the

years. At first no customers would approach from the east. All traffic was people coming through Vancouver avoiding the Downtown Eastside. Now there are stores further down so they are seeing customers coming from that direction. The Gastown community has a definite mix of Downtown Eastside residents and a newer, hipster crowd. A few metres away from the shop a man pushed a grocery cart stuffed with his worldly possessions while on the other side of the street a group of 20-somethings, all wearing trendy neck scarves, moved down the cobble stone street with paper cups of coffee in the direction of Vancouver Film School. The grungy mixed with an artsy feel drew Petersen to the area. “It is an artist’s mecca,” she said. The inside, main floor of the shop reflects the artistic temperament outside its doors. At just 500 square feet it’s an intimate space. The exposed brick walls and thick wooden beams are covered with drawings and colourful paintings. There are three tattoo beds, two in the window —the shades are drawn so clients aren’t on display — and one on the back wall next to the podium-style reception desk. The basement is a cramped 495 square feet. Surrounded by cleaning and tattoo supplies, Petersen was relaxed and chatty during the Courier’s visit. Her white-blonde hair cropped short on one side, long on the other, wearing a black and white striped off-the-shoulder sweater, black leggings and canvass runners, Peterson easily fit in with the artistic Gastown crowd. It’s also a reminder of her creative side as a professional actress on a popular Canadian TV show. She said with the up and down nature of acting, another creative outlet is invaluable. It’s like having two kids, instead of one, she said. Thuncher@shaw.ca twitter.com/thuncher

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news

Revised Casa Mia plan meets with resistance RESIDENTS SAY PROPOSED CARE FACILITY DOESN’T FIT INTO NEIGHBOURHOOD

revised proposal for the redevelopment of the Casa Mia property in Southlands didn’t satisfy some of the project’s critics who attended an open house Dec. 4. The Care Group wants the site rezoned from sin-

gle-family residential to comprehensive development to build a care facility on the property. The well known Spanish Revival-style heritage home at 1920 Southwest Marine Dr. would be saved and an addition would be built. The facility would house

62 beds — less than an earlier proposal for 92 beds. The building height for the addition is lower than imagined in the earlier proposal. Parking spaces have dropped from 23 to 16. The mansion is not protected from demolition, so the city is willing to con-

sider a proposal from the applicant to conserve it. The city also sees the need for health care facilities that allow seniors to age in place. Joe McDermid, a spokesperson for the Southlands Community Association, said the proposal is still

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“a square peg in a round hole.” “I still don’t think it ﬁts in the neighbourhood,” he told the Courier. Jim Hall, a spokesperson for the Arbutus Ridge/Kerrisdale/Shaughnessy vision implementation committee, said his group opposed the initial proposal based on it being an institutional use in a residential area, which is not well served by transit or transportation. “The architect has done a good job [in the revised proposal] responding to some of the detailed issues with respect to height, loading, facilities, number of units and geotechnical issues,” Hall said. “However, I would expect our position remains unchanged in opposition.” Some committee members are worried about setting a precedent for development on other large estates in the area. The group will meet to discuss the proposal and come up with a formal position. Hall noted the committee supported the senior’s facility at Granville and 49th and expansion of Crofton Manor at 41st because those sites are well served by transit. Southlands resident Sheryl Spencer “adamantly” opposes the project. She said it’s in the wrong location and it goes against the city’s community care facility guidelines, which call for such facilities to be on transit routes and close to amenities, and it contravenes Southlands’ community plan, which has been in effect since 1988. “It’s also precedent-setting. If the city allows this single property to be zoned CD-1, [the area] will become open to development,” she said. Gavin McIntosh, administrator for The Care Group, said the company listened to concerns from the community and advisory committees to craft the new scheme. In addition to reducing the number of beds and reducing the height of the

DEVELOPING STORY

with Naoibh O’Connor addition by a floor, the revised proposal preserves the garage on the property and converts it into a dining room, increases the setbacks on the west side of the property and removes changes to the setback on the south-facing side of the site. While some critics have said they’d prefer something similar to Canuck House, McIntosh said that’s not possible. “It would be very difficult in Vancouver to run a smallscale facility in the sense that the rates you’d have to charge to operate a facility of that size would be exorbitant. We’re pressed with, in Vancouver, a general lack of free and available space, so land that is left is very expensive.” He maintains the project is a good fit for the neighbourhood and that it will allow some residents to grow old in their community and make it easier for their family and friends in the area to visit. The revised plans envision six bedrooms on the top floor of the mansion, while the rest of the house would used for dining, lounge space and activities. “From a heritage perspective, our proposal designates the exterior of the building. Our goal is to preserve as much of the interior as we can,” McIntosh said. The Casa Mia proposal goes before the Vancouver Heritage Commission Dec. 9 and the Urban Design Panel Dec. 18. noconnor@vancourier.com twitter.com/naoibh

F R I DAY, DE C E M B E R 6 , 2 0 1 3 THE VANCOUVER COURIER

GASTOWN

Artisans gather at Woodward’s atrium SATURDAY MARKET OFFERS OPPORTUNITY TO SELL CRAFTS GAVIN FISHER Contributing writer

hen artist Diane Johnston heard other artisans were struggling to make a living, she wanted to help. This 42-year-old single mother has brought a group of Vancouver artisans together to sell their crafts at a market in Woodward’s atrium. Every Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. the space between London Drugs and Nesters Market is buzzing with people selling everything from candles to hand-made dream-catchers. Johnston ﬁrst brought artisans together at Pigeon Park on Carrall Street in 2011. After a year and a half there, Johnston said she “outgrew the space” and felt the need to expand the market. Discussions with the Hastings Crossing Business Improvement Association and Westbank, the company that owns the Woodward’s Building, brought Johnston to

photo Dan Toulgoet

Diane Johnston organizes the Eastside Artists Company market at the Woodward’s atrium. the atrium at Abbott and Hastings streets. Johnston, who has supported herself since the age of 15, learned how to make First Nations crafts from an elder when she was 25. Johnston said the challenges she’s had to overcome — as a single-mother with

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three children — have made her want to help others. She put her own money into purchasing tables, tents and other supplies and looked for sponsors. “I kept on hearing there’s starving artists out there. I started this [market] to try to

change that.” Johnston is no stranger to the Woodward’s atrium. She used to work for the W2 Media Arts Cafe in the plaza, which closed its doors in December 2012 due to financial troubles. For Johnston, coordinating the market is a way of continuing the community work that W2 Media Cafe started. “The artists that I have are within this community,” Johnston said. “I’m giving an opportunity to other artists that have no space, or just like the idea of having this space [in the atrium], to be able to display their arts and crafts,” said Johnston. The Eastside Artists Company market is now in its eighth month, and will run yearround. It currently has 21 artisans in total, selling items such as medicine bags, dream catchers, jewelry, candles and pottery. It’s a group that Johnston has built over time. “I’ve been building connections for quite a few years now. I’m well known in the native community because my daughter is First Nations, so I built a lot of relations,” said Johnston. “With that you run into artists that want to jump on board.” Johnston said she is always looking for more artisans for the market, as the atrium space can accommodate many more stalls. info@gavinfisher.ca twitter.com/fisher_gavin

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news

Health officer pleased with number of people getting shots We re Listening.

A new #NPAlistens program of community engagement will provide an opportunity for Vancouver residents to have a real say in city hall decisionmaking.

Kitsilano Neighbourhood Forum

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Continued from page 1 “And some of the newer pharmacies might not have placed their orders early enough to complete the formal training that goes with it,” said Dawar. “In that case they might not have had the time to re-order.” Dawar said the fact this year some pharmacies were offering round-the-clock, drop-in immunization services made it convenient for the public to receive a flu shot. “There has been lots of accessibility this year,” said Dawar. “And from our perspective that’s great.” She added in some cases pharmacies didn’t plan for the large numbers they saw and simply didn’t order enough of the vaccine. “Now, as it’s getting to the last of the supply, the number they can re-order has been capped at 100 per week,” said Dawar. “So a pharmacy that was out of the vaccine last week might have it this week.” Vancouver Coastal Health is encouraging family members and friends of loved ones in the hospital or a care home to get a flu shot through a new policy that came into effect this week. As of Monday, anyone visiting a hospital or care home will have the choice of either having a flu shot or wearing a mask. Dawar said the policy is based on the honour sys-

Now, as it’s getting “ to the last of the

supply, the number they can re-order has been capped at 100 per week.

”

—Dr. Meena Dawar tem, but she believes family members and friends of loved ones with high-risk health problems will gladly comply. “There will be large posters at the entrance to these facilities offering information,” said Dawar. “I really think they’ll embrace the spirit of the policy.” She’s happy with the numbers of region residents who received ﬂu shots this year and with the way many pharmacies got on board by offering the vaccine. “Pharmacists have only been offering vaccines since 2009, but they’ve increased access in a big way,” said Dawar. “I am truly happy about that.” sthomas@vancourier.com twitter.com/sthomas10

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THE VANCOUVER COURIER F R I DAY, DE C E M B E R 6 , 2 0 1 3

THE VANCOUVER COURIER

1574 West Sixth Ave., Vancouver, BC V6J 1R2 604-738-1411 Twitter: @vancouriernews vancourier.com

WantVision to listen? Try court action

ate last month in the midst of Vancouver city council passing the West End Community Plan, Mayor Gregor Robertson was on CBC Radio being asked to comment on criticism of the plan by Randy Helten, the spokesperson for a group called West End Neighbours (WEN). Rather than deal with the substance of what Helten had to say, Robertson was dismissive. He said that Helten was just planning to run against him for mayor again, as he did last time out. In other words Helten’s motives were purely, thoughtlessly political. But the response by Robertson simply demonstrated once again his almost juvenile contempt for the public consultation process. Rather than accepting there is a diversity of considered views out there in the city he has been elected to govern, Robertson frames any opposition as “the enemy.” His first run-in with Helten and WEN was at a council meeting more than three years ago when the group was there to protest the implementation of a program called STIR, which was designed to speed up building of market rental housing. The STIR accelerants included spot zoning, waiving parking requirements and development cost levies and providing willing developers with density bonuses for taking on the task. It was during a subsequently much-publicized unguarded moment following the meeting that Robertson was caught referring to those West End delegates as “NPA hacks” while modifying his observations with the expletive “f**king.” As it turned out, Helten and the rest were either Vision or COPE supporters, members of the coalition of political forces that gave Robertson his majority on council. But that outburst was key to a perception, which has since grown among community groups right across the city, that “Vision” means never having to listen — unless they are threatened with court action. And that bring us to the report council considered this week: “Development Cost Levy By-Law Amendments to the definition for for-profit affordable housing.” The STIR program ran its course after 1,300 units of for-profit rental housing were built. It has been replaced by an ongoing program called Rental 100. But throughout, many beyond WEN criticized the process of approving developments because it of its discretionary nature, particularly when it came to defining what exactly “affordable rental housing” meant. Of course, there was the definition offered by Coun. Kerry Jang that “affordable means whatever you can afford.” But that only served to irritate and further highlight the arbitrary nature of the exercise. In fact, in spite of a crushing need for affordable rental housing in Vancouver, there was no transparent definition. All we got in the report from the committee on affordable housing was an annual income range of $21,500 to $86,500, which defined the cohort being targeted. Aside from that there was just the “discretion” overseen by the office of city manager Penny Ballem. And at one point, I was reminded approval for “affordable rental” was withdrawn for the Beach Towers proposal when staff accepted that a waterfront location in the West End was highly unlikely to be “affordable.” You have to wade most of the way through the report to council on the bylaw amendments before you hit the motive for staff’s proposed actions. It’s a notso-subtle way of saying “this is not the headline.” But here it is: “These amendments to the DCL By-laws would also address the legal Petition filed in the B.C. Supreme Court by the West End Neighbours, which challenges the City’s current process for determining eligibility for DCL waiver for affordable rental housing. The petition challenges the delegation of authority to the City Manager to determine eligibility for the waivers and argues that the DCL By-laws do not adequately define the meaning of ‘affordable.’” The report adds that the definition will “provide certainty around eligibility for DCL wavers” and the decision will “no longer be at the discretion of the City Manager.” You can decide if the “affordable” rent for a studio apartment of $1,443 a month is truly affordable. And you can also ponder the value of the city waving about $10 million in DCLs in order to entice developers to build 2,000 rental units instead of condos is worth it. But you can’t question that Helten and WEN got Vision to listen. We’ll have to see if this is a trend. agarr@vancourier.com twitter.com/allengarr

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F R I DAY, DE C E M B E R 6 , 2 0 1 3 THE VANCOUVER COURIER

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Reach us by email: letters@vancourier.com

Jer Thorp’s art belongs to data

n 1869, French engineer Charles Joseph Minard completed a chart depicting Napoleon’s 1812-1813 campaign against Russia: 422,000 French Army soldiers marched off to war in 1812; 10,000 returned home in 1813. The broad brown band in the chart shrinks to a thin line, representing the loss of French Army soldiers over time. It’s a graphic river of diminishing lives. Minard’s artwork was an early entry in the field of infographics: the visual display of quantitative information. In the Napoleonic era, numbers and letters were transcribed by hand — a bare trickle compared to the river of data coursing through today’s server farms, mobile devices and home computers, not to mention the mainframes maintained by the alphabet agencies of the surveillance state. The “eyes only” information of the latter is off the table, yet there are petabytes of data to play with in the nonclassified world. Government bureaucrats, business executives and NGO workers find a growing need to tame their Excel spreadsheets, web logs analytics and more. This is where the “cultural creatives” come in. Last week local graphic artists, bloggers, code jockeys, instructors and intrigued hipsters gathered at The Ironworks on Alexander Street to hear a sold-out talk by one of Charles Minard’s intellectual descendants. (The talk was part of the Practivism series held by the B.C. chapter of the Society of Graphic Designers Canada.) Jer Thorp is an artist and educator originally from Vancouver. According to the bio on his website, his digital work “explores the boundaries between science, data, art, and culture. Recently, his work has been featured by The Guardian, Scientific American, The New Yorker, and Popular Science.” From 2010 to 2012, the bearded, bespectacled whiz was the Data Artist in Residence at the New York Times. Explaining what designers can do with data, Thorp tells the crowd about NASA’s Kepler project, a satellite observatory that has mapped an area of the sky “about the size of your outstretched hand.” With the aid of supercomputers, scientists have discovered tiny, periodic fluctuations in the light of individual stars. The dimming is believed to be from the transit of orbiting planets, across the line of sight. This small patch of sky has yielded 134 confirmed exoplanets and more than 3,000 “unconfirmed planet candidates.” Extrapolating from this data, astronomers have concluded that our galaxy alone may have 40 billion Earth-like planets orbiting in life-friendly “habitable zones.” And here’s where the data visualization comes in. With the help of another programmer, Thorp took the Kepler figures and created an application that displays the 3,000-plus extrasolar objects, from small rocky planets to huge gas giants, in 3D orbit around one imaginary star. The planets can be arranged visually by all sorts of parameters and spun like a top with a swipe of the hand. You don’t have to be NASA scientist to do such things; a good laptop, the right software, and a steep learning curve are all someone needs to process immense volumes of data into eye candy graphics and YouTube-friendly animations. There’s a gold rush on right now with so-called “big data,” and graphic designers are the go-to smelters. The creative possibilities for business, art and activism are endless; Thorp mentions how a group of Scandinavian designers used a laser to project air quality readings on the plume of a smokestack. Several years ago, while working with MAC addresses and geotags provided by a mobile phone provider, the designer quickly understood the power attached to visualizing data. “I felt like I was looking at numbers in the Matrix,” he confesses. “Data rarely speaks the truth, it speaks an approximation of the truth,” Thorp said, drawing attention to a recent “sentiment analysis” using Twitter that supposedly identified the “saddest areas” in New York City (presumably a discovery that would bum out its residents even further). The study, which was published and then discounted by the New York Times, turned out to be completely flawed on multiple levels, including a small sample size and mistaken GPS coordinates. In other words, the “garbage in, garbage out” principle still prevails. Thorp and his number-crunching colleagues are not always measuring inanimate objects, but living human beings, the designer cautions. Or as sociologist William Bruce Cameron once observed, “not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted.” geoffolson.com

GEOFF OLSON

NEIGHBOURHOOD COALITIONS WORKING

To the editor: Re: “City forms truce with Marpole residents,” Dec. 4. We were interested to read this story about the new attitude city planners seem to have adopted regarding community engagement in Marpole. As your readers will recall, this summer and fall witnessed unprecedented levels of discontent with the City of Vancouver’s planning process. This was particularly evident in the neighbourhoods where the city is drawing up 30-year plans — the West End, Marpole, Downtown Eastside, and Grandview-Woodland — but also in many other districts where innumerable hours of residents’ participation has led to little but frustration. The loudly expressed anger of thousands of residents gave rise to the Coalition of Vancouver Neighbourhoods, which is now made up of 21 community associations from across the city. The prime goal of the coalition is to redesign the planning process to ensure that residents are actively involved in development decisions and that their views are respected. The coalition has engaged with the planning department and city council to argue for the

greater involvement of residents in land use, development and zoning issues. The apparently more respectful attitude by planners in Marpole is evidence that the efforts of the Coalition, along with those of the Marpole Residents who are part of our Coalition, are having a positive impact. We will continue to work on behalf of residents across the city, especially where development and zoning projects are being pursued in opposition to the expressed wishes of residents’ representatives and we look forward to better results right across the city. Jak King, spokesperson, Coalition of Vancouver Neighbourhoods

NO MEANS NO ON CASINO EXPANSION

To the editor: Re: “12th and Cambie: Vision Vancouver gambles with policy,” Nov. 6.

In days of public hearings, the people of Vancouver voiced their concerns about a casino attached to BC Place. PavCo and the Nevada owners trotted out the tired old arguments, but they were countered by the public. City council listened to the public and unanimously rejected the proposal in April 2011. Vision Vancouver campaigned on this issue in the subsequent civic

election. In January 2013, the Wellesley Institute issued a study of gambling in Ontario The Real Cost of Casinos: A Health Equity Impact Assessment estimating that the annual cost associated with each problem gambler ranges from $20,000 to $56,000. Dr. Perry Kendall, B.C.’s Chief Medical Health Ofﬁcer, issued a report in October showing the number of problem gamblers in B.C. increased between 2001 and 2007 from 13,000 to 31,000. Municipalities bear the brunt of these costs, while the B.C. government rakes in about $2 billion from gaming. Perhaps democratic action killed only one of the snakes on this Hydra-headed monster. PavCo, the Las Vegas masterminds and the Christy Clark government have evidently made Vancouver city council cave in and betray the will of the citizens of Vancouver. The whole casino scheme is now being approved with no public hearings. The development permit hearing is scheduled in the middle of the Christmas season. Will Vancouver citizens have the backbone to demand council keep its promise? Let Heracles be our inspiration. When we said no, we meant no! Colin Miles, Vancouver

ON YOUR MIND ONLINE COURIER STORY: “School closures one way to cut hydro bills says B.C. education minister,” Nov. 28 Patti Bacchus @pattibacchus: Not enough excess capacity to address #bced funding shortfall. Shortsighted & disingenuous response from @FassbenderMLA. Vini Jelicic Edy @volimhvar: Seems like they’re forgetting best interest of students and only thinking of dollars Jodie Wickens @jbtwickens: A SHAMEFUL suggestion! Massive Headwound @massivhedwound: What a great solution. Brilliant. What a visionary leader. Charles Menzies @charlesmenzies: Don’t you just love those guys. One stop solution: close schools. Is this really Ministry of Education? Paul Nixey @paulnixey: Imagine how low the hydro bills would be if we shut down all the schools! That’s innovative thinking. COURIER COLUMN: “Jack Munro never forgot workers’ struggles,” Nov. 21 Rospat @rospat: This is well written and profound. The income gap and its consequences is getting like the horror movie, the Hunger Games COURIER STORY: “Food banks part of the problem, says UBC prof,” Nov. 19 I Am The Truth @mierzwei: With all the rich people wasting dollars in this world there should never be a need for a foodbank. Poverty is the norm now. COURIER STORY: “12th & Cambie: Victoria Park has generated 900 calls to police since 2008,” Nov. 29 Lani Russwurm: So I guess the Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) renovation was a big waste of time and money. That’s the real story here. The park has been a popular gathering place for Italian bocce ball players, natives, latinos, and homeless people long before the complaining homeowners moved to area. Follow us on Facebook: The VancouverCourierNewspaper and Twitter: @VanCourierNews

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A11

initials), home address, and telephone number (neither of which will be published), so authorship may be veriﬁed. Send to: 1574 West Sixth Ave., Vancouver BC V6J 1R2 or email letters@vancourier.com

A12

THE VANCOUVER COURIER F R I DAY, DE C E M B E R 6 , 2 0 1 3

GASTOWN

Bartenders reveal (almost) all in calendar PROCEEDS TO BENEFIT PROSTATE AND BREAST CANCER RESEARCH GAVIN FISHER Contributing writer

ove over ﬁremen. Bartenders are taking over. Fifteen bartenders from the Gastown neighbourhood took a break from pouring drinks to volunteer their time to model for the 2014 Gastown bartender calendar. The calendar, which raises money for charity, features bartenders from Keefer Bar, The Portside Pub, Pidgin and more. Some got as risqué as they could — no full-frontal nudity though — while others kept it classy. “Some of the [dive] bars are much more risqué … then some of the cocktail bars wanted to keep more clothing on,” said Sean Hewlett, Mr. February and bartender for Bambudda at 99 Powell St. Hewlett came up with the vision for the calendar and enlisted the help of bartenders he knew in the neighbourhood. “Bartenders don’t necessarily have the best image within the community as a whole. “[This was] a way for us to show that we really care about the area that we work in and we want to support it.” Hewlett teamed up with Robyn Jenkins, who produced the 2011 and 2013 Vancouver Firemen calendar, and photographer Asher Jones. Hewlett said that Jones, whose

photo Dan Toulgoet

Lenny “Mr. April” McLelland, bar manager at the Metropole Pub, posed in the charity calendar along with fellow Gastown bartenders. interest is in hip-hop photography, was a perfect ﬁt for the job. “The majority of hip-hop artists are male, so he really knows how to bring out masculine features,” said Hewlett, who liked Jones’ use of harsh lines and long exposure to create a gritty picture. Jones said he enjoyed the project, but it was not what he was expecting.

“I had the image of suave bartenders, in a nice suit, slicked-back hair, pouring a drink, lighting a girl’s cigarette over the bar.” Instead it turned out to be “shooting half-naked dudes being goofy,” Jones laughed. Hewlett let the bartenders choose their theme. Some chose to come up with a theme relating to their month, while others chose ideas

such as copying the cover of a Led Zeppelin album or donning a bearskin rug. Lenny McLelland, bartender for the Metropole Community Pub, insisted on wearing his Metropole Adidas high tops while posing on top of the bar’s pool table. “That was my only stipulation for the picture. I’ll do whatever you need me to do as long as I get to wear

my high tops,” McLelland said. The calendars are selling for $20 and are available from each participating bartender. All the money raised will go to the B.C. Yukon Breast Cancer Foundation and B.C. Prostate Cancer Foundation. The bartenders and artists involved volunteered their time, and were sponsored by local businesses. McLelland and Hewlett said the calendars have been well-received by customers, as well as the larger community. “The Gastown businesses and community as a whole, I think everyone recognizes that it’s a good thing for the area,” said Hewlett. Creative director Robyn Jenkins said she’d like to see the calendar project expand to other areas of the city. “It would be awesome to do a Yaletown bartender’s calendar,” she said. Hewlett is already thinking ahead. “We’ve already starting compiling a to-do list for the 2015 calendar,” he said. “I can’t wait to approach it next year and it’s my hope that it will get bigger and better every year.” But if you want to get your hands on one of the 2014 calendar, act fast. As bartender turned calendar model McLelland says, “Nobody really wants to buy a calendar after January.” info@gavinﬁsher.ca twitter.com/ﬁsher_gavin

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A13

news Lowe tellsVPD to reduce ticketing in DTES POLICE COMPLAINT COMMISSIONER UNHAPPY WITH POLICE BOARD MIKE HOWELL Staff writer

.C. Police Complaint Commissioner Stan Lowe is not satisfied with the Vancouver Police Board’s decision to dismiss a complaint that accused officers of unfairly targeting Downtown Eastside residents in a ticketing blitz. Lowe now wants the police board to implement a policy to ensure the number of tickets issued by police for minor offences such as jaywalking and illegal vending does not prevent vulnerable residents from seeking police protection. In a Nov. 21 letter to Mayor Gregor Robertson, who doubles as chairperson of the police board, Lowe recommended the policy incorporate a recommendation made by Wally Oppal when he was commissioner of the Missing Women Commission of Inquiry. Oppal recommended the City of Vancouver and the VPD take “proactive measures” to reduce the number of court warrants issued for minor offences by: • Reducing the number of tickets issued and charges laid for minor offences. • Developing guidelines to facilitate greater and more consistent use of police discretion not to lay charges. • Increasing the ways in which failures to appear [in court] can be quashed early in the judicial process. “General support for minimizing charging for minor offences was expressed to the Commission because overcriminalization results in a more adversarial relationship between police and the community,” Oppal wrote in his report. Oppal noted the concern that vulnerable women avoiding a court fine would likely not seek the assistance of police — when in danger — for fear of being arrested on the outstanding court matter. Lowe’s call for adoption of a policy comes two months after the police board dismissed a complaint from Pivot Legal

Society that was supported by the Vancouver Area Network of Drug Users. Pivot lodged the complaint in June after revealing — via a Freedom of Information Act request — that 76 per cent of 2,699 jaywalking tickets issued in the city between 2008 and 2012 were to people in the Downtown Eastside. Pivot lawyer Douglas King noted Oppal’s recommendation when he lodged the complaint with the police board. King said Wednesday that having Lowe refer to Oppal’s recommendation validated the agency’s belief that the VPD should have a policy related to ticketing marginalized people. “It’s a clear message that [the board] has to come up with something,” King said. “They just can’t take the Missing Women’s report and digest it and that’s the end of it. They actually have to create something policy-wise to make it real.” A VPD report that went before the police board in September stressed the department’s mass ticketing, which also saw 95 per cent of 1,529 vending tickets issued to Downtown Eastside residents, was warranted to “change behaviour” and prevent accidents and deaths in the neighbourhood. At the police board’s meeting in September, the mayor said the police department has since worked with city hall and VANDU to implement safety measures in the Downtown Eastside and decrease the number of vending tickets. The mayor, who is the designated spokesperson for the police board, said in an emailed statement to the Courier that Lowe’s “input could be constructive in our work to make the Downtown Eastside safer for all residents and to ensure the recommendations from the Missing Women Commission of Inquiry are fully implemented.” Added Robertson: “I look forward to discussing his suggestions with the police board.” mhowell@vancourier.com twitter.com/Howellings

photo Dan Toulgoet

In September, the Vancouver Police Board dismissed a complaint related to allegations of unfair ticketing practices of people in the Downtown Eastside.

Public Hearing: December 17 Tuesday, December 17 at 6 pm City Hall, 453 West 12th Avenue Third Floor, Council Chamber Vancouver City Council will hold a public hearing to consider zoning amendments for these locations: 1. a) 1262-1290 Burrard Street To rezone 1262-1290 Burrard Street from DD (Downtown District) to CD-1 (Comprehensive Development) District to permit a mixed-use building with retail, service and ofﬁce uses. A ﬂoor area of 19,715.4 square metres (212,222 square feet) and a maximum height of 55.5 metres (182 feet) are proposed.

1. b) 1229-1281 Hornby Street To rezone 1229-1281 Hornby Street from DD (Downtown District) to CD-1 (Comprehensive Development) District to permit a mixed-use development including two residential towers connected by a podium, with market strata and rental residential units, and office, retail and service uses. A floor area of 67,430 square metres (725,837 square feet) and a maximum height of 167.6 metres (550 feet) are proposed. 2. 516 West 50th Avenue and 6629-6709 Cambie Street To rezone 516 West 50th Avenue and 6629-6709 Cambie Street from RS-1 (One-Family Dwelling) District to CD-1 (Comprehensive Development) District to permit two six-storey apartment buildings as well as two-storey townhouses and amenity buildings along the rear lane, with a total of 128 dwelling units. A height of 21 metres (69 feet), a floor space ratio (FSR) of 2.49 and a residential floor area of 10,797.2 square metres (116,224 square feet) are proposed. 3. 5675 Manson Street, 665-685 West 41st Avenue and 5688 Heather Street To rezone 5675 Manson Street, 665-685 West 41st Avenue and 5688 Heather Street from RS-1 (OneFamily Dwelling) District to CD-1 (Comprehensive Development) District to permit two six-storey residential buildings with a total of 114 dwelling units. A height of 22.3 metres (73 feet), a floor space ratio (FSR) of 2.87 and a residential floor area of 9,475 square metres (101,987 square feet) are proposed.

4. 304 East 28th Avenue (Walden House) To add the existing building to the Vancouver Heritage Register, designate it as a protected heritage property, and approve a Heritage Revitalization Agreement (HRA) for the site. This application proposes variances to the Zoning and Development and Subdivision by-laws to allow for the creation of two new parcels for the site: one to contain the heritage building and one to contain a new one-family dwelling with secondary suite. FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THESE APPLICATIONS: vancouver.ca/rezapps or 604-873-7038 Anyone who considers themselves affected by the proposed by-law amendments may speak at the Public Hearing. Please register individually before 5 pm, December 17 by emailing publichearing@vancouver.ca or by calling 604-829-4238. You may also register in person at the door between 5:30 and 6 pm on the day of the Public Hearing. You may submit your comments by email to mayorandcouncil@vancouver.ca, or by mail to: City of Vancouver, City Clerk’s Department, 453 West 12th Avenue, Third Floor, Vancouver, BC, V5Y 1V4. All submitted comments will be distributed to Council and posted on the City’s website. Please visit vancouver.ca/publichearings for important details. Copies of the draft by-laws will be available for viewing starting December 6 at the City Clerk’s Department in City Hall, 453 West 12th Avenue, Third Floor, and in the Planning Department, East Wing of City Hall, Third Floor, Monday to Friday from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm. All meetings of Council are webcast live at vancouver.ca/councilvideo, and minutes of Public Hearings are available at vancouver.ca/councilmeetings. (Minutes are posted approximately two business days after a meeting.)

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON PUBLIC HEARINGS, INCLUDING REGISTERING TO SPEAK: vancouver.ca/publichearings

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THE VANCOUVER COURIER F R I DAY, DE C E M B E R 6 , 2 0 1 3

news Community plan pushback Newsmaker contender NAOIBH O’CONNOR Staff writer

he backlash erupted in June. The source: emerging details about two of four community plans the City of Vancouver was updating to guide change and development in those neighbourhoods over the next 30 years. Grandview-Woodland residents condemned draft proposals unveiled in June that envisioned a tower up to 36 storeys for the Safeway site at Broadway and Commercial Drive and news that

other locations in the surrounding area were cited for future highrises between 22 to 28 storeys. Marpole residents were irate to learn a so-called thin street was being considered for a stretch of Ash Street between 59th and 64th and proposals to upzone single-family areas.

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Residents from both neighbourhoods, as well as groups like the Grandview-Woodland Area Council, criticized the city’s consultation efforts and called for timeline extensions. The city backed off some controversial proposals but the uproar community plans generated guaranteed them as a candidate for the Vancouver Courier’s 2013 Newsmaker of the Year. In early July, more than 200 residents packed a communityorganized meeting in Grandview-Woodland. City planner Andrew Pask told the crowd the plan was in the early stages and noted one of the more contentious proposals, the 36-storey tower, had already been taken off the table. The city then held more workshops focusing on particular areas of the plan. In Marpole, meanwhile, city staff almost immediately abandoned the idea of a thin street, but the possibility of it drew attention to the overall community plan, which many residents claimed they didn’t even realize was being updated despite the fact the city had been holding workshops and open houses. Objections centred on single-family areas being rezoned to allow for uses such as stacked townhouses, duplexes and low-rise apartment buildings. The Marpole Residents’ Coalition formed to challenge the proposals and to demand an extension. Community plans being updated in the West End and the Downtown Eastside didn’t garner as much protest, but they attracted opposition and those critics joined in criticizing city hall. City staff report released a report about the progress of the community plans in mid-September and recommended delays for the Grandview-Woodland and Marpole plans, but a protest on the steps of city hall, timed for a day before council voted on the staff recommendations, went ahead anyway and attracted about 200 people. Council ultimately extended Grandview-Woodland’s timeline by at least a year to create a “Citizens’ Assembly,” which will offer input on all areas of the plan. Council granted Marpole’s plan a shorter extension for further consultation on revisions such as amending it to focus change on arterial streets and to limit change in singlefamily areas, as well as to remove a deﬁned area west of Cambie Street from the plan for further planning work. No delays were approved for the Downtown Eastside or the West End plan. Council passed the West End Community Plan in late November, while the Downtown Eastside draft plan is expected to be released at the end of the year. Grandview-Woodland residents remain frustrated by the time it’s taking for the Citizens’ Assembly to form and start meeting, while the city created some peace with Marpole residents by holding the additional consultation sessions. Most of the contentious parts of the plan (though not all) have been removed and the ﬁnal draft will be released for public consumption at the end of January. Council will vote on it before the end of March. The Vancouver Courier’s Newsmaker of the Year will be announced Dec. 11. To participate in our Newsmaker of the Year Reader’s Choice vote, go to the web poll at vancourier.com, email us your vote at letters@vancourier.com or drop a letter to 1574 West Sixth Ave., Vancouver, V6J 1R2. You can also make your vote or view known through Twitter at #VanNewsmaker or on Facebook at The Vancouver Courier Newspaper. noconnor@vancourier.com twitter.com/naoibh

HOLLY BAZAAR CRAFT SALE

The South Granville Seniors Centre is holding its Holly Bazaar this Saturday, Dec. 7 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Admission is free to the event, which promises many bargains and holiday offerings for sale, including fresh baking, books, jewellery, antiques, artwork, hand-knitted items, crafts, household goods, preserves and more. All proceeds raised beneﬁt programs at the seniors centre, 1440 West 12th Ave., at Hemlock.

F R I DAY, DE C E M B E R 6 , 2 0 1 3 THE VANCOUVER COURIER

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news Provincial election candidate for Newsmaker MIKE HOWELL Staff writer

f the pollsters were right, Christy Clark and her Liberals would be a note in political history for having been trampled by an NDP stampede in the May 14 provincial election. But, as British Columbians learned, the pollsters were embarrassingly wrong in predicting the outcome of the big vote and were left to answer for it. And it’s one reason why the provincial election is among the candidates for the Courier’s Newsmaker of the Year. “It’s the ﬁrst time in 36 tries that I’ve done this that something went as dreadfully wrong as it did,” said Mario Canseco, who was working for the Angus Reid polling company during the election campaign. Canseco, who spoke to the Courier earlier this year, is now employed as vice-president of public affairs for Insights West. He and other pollsters ﬂummoxed by the Liberals winning 49 of the province’s 85 seats might have done well to listen to Colin Hansen. The former Vancouver-Quilchena Liberal MLA, who was co-chair of the Liberals’ campaign, said in February that predictions from pollsters don’t always come true. He noted elections across Canada where prognosticators were wrong in picking winners or, at least, landslides. He pointed to Jean Charest’s Liberal government in Quebec, which came within a few seats of being re-elected. He said the ruling governments of Dalton McGuinty in Ontario, Alison Redford in Alberta and Greg Selinger in Manitoba were all supposed to be “annihilated” but were re-elected. That said, the fallout in Vancouver from the NDP-winthat-wasn’t didn’t change much on the city’s political landscape — except for one notable and dramatic result: David Eby toppled the premier in her own riding of VancouverPoint Grey. The NDP candidate’s victory came almost two years after

he lost by a mere 564 votes to Clark in a 2011 byelection. In May, Eby ended up with 47.5 per cent of the ﬁnal vote and won by a margin of 1,063. Three months later, Clark ran in the riding of WestsideKelowna in a byelection and handily beat her NDP challenger, Carole Gordon. Clark garnered more than 60 per cent of the vote. History was against Eby winning the riding, a Liberal stronghold since then-Liberal leader and future premier Gordon Campbell won Point Grey in the 1996 election after defeating NDP candidate Jim Green. On election night, Eby didn’t have any answers why NDP leader Adrian Dix and his roster of candidates had such a poor showing across the province.

“It’s hard for me to understand,” he said, noting the low voter turnout of 52 per cent. “One of the big questions we’ll be asking as a party is how do we engage more people in the democratic process so that they just don’t only respond to poll questions but come out and vote.” Eby’s win overshadowed the victories of former NPA civic politicians, Sam Sullivan (now Liberal MLA for VancouverFalse Creek) and Suzanne Anton (Liberal MLA for Vancouver-Fraserview and attorney general). The Vancouver Courier’s Newsmaker of the Year will be announced Dec. 11. To participate in our Newsmaker of the Year Reader’s Choice vote, go to the web poll at vancourier.com, email us your vote at letters@vancourier.com or drop a letter to 1574 West Sixth Ave., Vancouver, V6J 1R2. You can also make your vote or view known through Twitter at #VanNewsmaker or on Facebook at The Vancouver Courier Newspaper. mhowell@vancourier.com twitter.com/Howellings

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F R I DAY, DE C E M B E R 6 , 2 0 1 3 THE VANCOUVER COURIER

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THE VANCOUVER COURIER F R I DAY, DE C E M B E R 6 , 2 0 1 3

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BRIGHT GIFT IDEAS

hile youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re shopping up a storm or attending various festive events around the city, remember that there are still those who cannot afford such things. For those in need, a gift for a child or teen, or funds towards a hearty meal, mean everything. Why not help a neighbour in need this holiday season? Drop off a new, unwrapped toy or nonperishable food item until Dec. 13 at seven locations in Marpole: the Marpole Branch Library, the Royal Bank, TD Bank, VanCity, BMO, Scotiabank, and Marpole Neighbourhood House. You can also drop off your item to the Bank of Montreal branch in Oakridge Mall. All donated items will be collected and distributed in hampers to approximately 25 to 30 local families, including a full turkey meal with funds donated by developer Westbank. Through the help of volunteers at Marpole Oakridge Family Place and the Cornerstone Community Church. Tracy Beshara, Executive Director of Marpole Oakridge Family Place, says this community effort is now in its fifth year. The community of Marpole thanks you for your generous support! Marpole Oakridge Family Place began 35 years ago in a private living room. From there it moved to a small room at Marpole Oakridge Community Centre where it was operated twice a week by volunteers who relied on donations. Today Marpole Oakridge Family Place occupies its own expansive premises in the heritage building that used to be the old Marpole Fire house on Hudson and West 70th Ave. MOFP.org for more info.

F R I DAY, DE C E M B E R 6 , 2 0 1 3 THE VANCOUVER COURIER

Season’s Greenings: Eco-friendly gift-giving reative gift-giving doesn’t have to be a major undertaking if you plan your shopping list with environmental responsibility in mind. “Gift-giving is a part of our holiday culture,” says Brock Macdonald, chief executive officer of the Recycling Council of British Columbia (RCBC). “But giving in an environmentally responsible manner is the gift that keeps on giving to future generations – and that is something to celebrate.” Macdonald advises making your own contribution with gifts like an experience, event tickets, homemade gifts, or by giving only energy-efficient products complete with instructions about how to dispose of them properly. In 2011 alone, small household appliances and electronics accounted for $1.3 billion in sales, according to a Statistics Canada report. That number is 113 per cent higher than the monthly average for the year— and as Macdonald suggests, this holiday buying trend can have a significant impact on electrical waste generation. Furthermore, in its most recent electronic devices disposal survey, Statistics Canada reports that 43 per cent of British Columbians had unwanted electronic devices in need of disposal. Of that, 57 per cent took them to a depot or drop-off centre. “It’s a positive start, but there is room for improvement,” Macdonald continues. “Especially considering we have access to more recycling programs in B.C. than anywhere else in the country.”

This convenience is largely due to the extended producer responsibility (EPR) movement that began in 1990, an approach that tasks industry with establishing a recycling system for its products at end-of-life. “Most people are aware of the recycling system for cans and bottles, but similar programs also exist for a wide range of other consumer products,” explains Julie Robertson, the program coordinator at ElectroRecycle, a program for recycling small appliances and power tools in British Columbia. “Our program alone accepts more than 300 types of electrical products, from sewing machines to toaster ovens.” For creative gifts with added value, join a growing number of Canadians who go “green” when it comes to holiday shopping.

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THE VANCOUVER COURIER F R I DAY, DE C E M B E R 6 , 2 0 1 3

F R I DAY, DE C E M B E R 6 , 2 0 1 3 THE VANCOUVER COURIER

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THE VANCOUVER COURIER F R I DAY, DE C E M B E R 6 , 2 0 1 3

GASTOWN

A group of tourists gather around the Gassy Jack statue in Gastown.

photo Dan Toulgoet

Gastown tourist shops enjoying uptick in visitors STORE OWNERS SAY VIBRANCY OF AREA HAS IMPROVED OVER THE YEARS JENNIFER THUNCHER Contributing writer

im Strang remembers a time when Gastown seemed empty. “I remember when you would stand out the front door and it was like a ghost town,” said Strang, the marketing manager for Hill’s Native Art ﬂagship store for 11 years. “You would look both directions and you wouldn’t see a soul, particularly in February. Now that never happens. There isn’t a time of day when you walk out and you don’t see people walking down the street. And the mood has really changed. It felt like there were desperate times back then, and it just doesn’t feel like that anymore.” The increased crowds are one change seen by Gastown’s most stalwart businesses: its tourist shops. Just steps away from the iconic Gastown steam clock is the newly renovated Jade Vancouver, which claims to have one of the largest selections of jade in the world. StoremanagerMitziPayiesaidtheneighbourhood and clientele have changed in the eight years she has been with the specialty store. Cruise ship trafﬁc has died down, but the legacy of the 2010 Winter Olympics and the new convention centre has brought new visitors to replace well-heeled cruisers. Payie cringes at the misconception that Gastown is a tourist trap. It is a heritage area and, unlike in other Vancouver shopping districts such as Robson Street where chain stores dominate, Gastown has many locally owned and operated unique shops like hers, she said. A two-minute walk east of Vancouver

Jade is the more stereotypical souvenir shop, Imperial Furs and Gift Co., which Ken Chau has owned and operated with his wife Anita since 1982. The bric-a-brac store is packed to the rafters with stuffed moose, postcards, pens, T-shirts, small jade carvings, maple syrup and just about anything else that can be embossed with Canadiana. Chau has no idea how many pieces he has for sale in his store, because he doesn’t count it, but he said most of his suppliers are local. He marvels at the many changes he has seen in Gastown since he ﬁrst bought his store over 30 years ago. Many buildings have been renovated, such as The Landing and the Gastown Hotel. “Big changes,” he said. What hasn’t changed is his clientele: the tourist looking for an inexpensive gift to take home, he said. He sells something for every visitor’s budget, his cheapest items are postcards, which sell for under $1. Hill’s, which opened in Gastown in 1975, is at the other end of the price spectrum. The high-end store offers First Nations and Inuit arts and crafts ranging from a $20 Tshirt to totems in the thousands of dollars. Strang said the type of buyer has changed in the last decade. It used to be “rubber tire trafﬁc,” he said, referring to Americans who’d drive up for the day just to shop for inexpensive souvenirs. “Now customers are in town for conferences or business, not on holiday. Many have already gone online and sussed out what is available and many are collectors.” thuncher@shaw.ca twitter.com/Thuncher

feature

F R I DAY, DE C E M B E R 6 , 2 0 1 3 THE VANCOUVER COURIER

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GASTOWN a journey through our city’s neighbourhoods Vancouver Special is a year-long journey through each of Vancouver’s unique neighbourhoods. Join us every two weeks in our weekend issue for another look at a different community in our city.

Binners market still going strong three years on

THE NEIGHBOURHOOD AT A GLANCE It’s ironic that a city famous for it’s old-fashioned liquor laws owes its origins to an unlicensed saloon. Back in the mid-1800s, New Westminster was the Lower Mainland’s only bustling city while the area now known as Gastown was a sparsely populated neck of the woods called Luck Lucky (or Luk’luk’i, meaning “grove of maple trees”) by the Coast Salish people and populated primarily by a few dozen millworkers. This all changed in 1867 after a Yorkshireman and former Fraser River steamship captain by the name of John “Gassy Jack” Deighton pulled up in a canoe with a barrel of whiskey and told locals they could drink their fill if they helped build him a pub. The story goes that the Globe Saloon — located near where a statue of its founder now stands at the corner of Water Street and Carrall — was open for business less than 24 hours later, and a makeshift community soon sprung up around the new watering hole that became known as Gassy’s Town. (“Gassy,” it should be noted, was a former colloquial term for being talkative, and the hard-drinking Deighton was known for his loquaciousness rather than for gastrointestinal reasons.) A massive fire burnt the settlement to the ground in 1886 but a new community quickly reappeared due to the arrival of the transcontinental Canadian Pacific Railway on the nearby waterfront the same year. The actual boundaries of Vancouver’s earliest neighbourhood aren’t strictly defined but are generally considered to stretch eastward from Richards Street between Water and Hastings streets as far as Main Street. Gastown eventually fell on hard times after becoming overshadowed by the downtown area and was set to be demolished back in the ‘70s until a group of citizens successfully lobbied the city for a heritage preservation order. A dedicated effort to clean up the area has since pushed the grittier elements to the Downtown Eastside. While some decry the gentrification of the city’s historic district, whose cobblestone streets and antique street lamps provide a one-of-a-kind ambience, others take pride in the area’s recent emergence as both a tourist attraction and hotspot for upscale businesses and restaurants.

photo Rebecca Blissett

Downtown Eastside Street Market volunteer Lorna Bird stands with coordinator Roland Clarke during the Nov. 24 edition of the three-year-old market. Scan this page with Layar to see more photos.

REBECCA BLISSETT Contributing writer

hey came for the finds, they came for the deals. The crowd perusing the Downtown Eastside Street Market on Carrall Street in Gastown Nov. 24 was a mix; some walking old bicycles with flat tires, some out for peoplewatching with coffee in hand, others with their hoods pulled so low it was like looking into a cave to make out their faces. While the origin of some of the goods on display will never be known as they were rescued from landfill death by

a binner, they reﬂect our disposable society. But this has created a micro economy for those acutely familiar with the city’s garbage schedules and junk days. An old Pentax ﬁlm camera perched lopsided on a tripod, a cat carrier next to a wooden bookshelf, rows of shoes neatly lined up and working electronics jumbled with a mass of chargers are just a few of the hundreds of things for sale. Downtown Eastside resident Lorna Bird, who volunteers at the market that runs every Sunday throughout the year since its beginning three years ago, said she is always amazed by what

people chuck into their garbage bins, especially the artwork. “And once I found six pairs of nylons, unopened, in a bin!” she marveled. One of the most famous items at the market, also called the binners market, was an ultrasound machine. “It had paddles and everything,” remembered market coordinator Roland Clarke. “A clinic goes out of business in a hurry, it might’ve been sitting outside, who knows? But it was gone by the end of the day, sold.” A vendor can rent a tent for $5, but it’s free to bring a blanket to lay on the ground to display the wares. Continued on next page

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THE VANCOUVER COURIER F R I DAY, DE C E M B E R 6 , 2 0 1 3

GASTOWN

Market gives vendors a legal place to sell goods If a blanket covers the boundary lines chalked on the street, one of the volunteers will nudge the vendor and mention, “Hey, watch your space.” It may not look like it at ﬁrst, but there are market rules. “We don’t allow people to sell booze here or meats or cheese,” said Bird. “Yup,” added Clarke, “No weapons, no pornography. And you’re supposed to live in the Downtown Eastside to be a vendor.” A large sign at the top of the corner of Carrall and Hastings also asks people to help keep Pigeon Park clean, and keep the market family-friendly — no swearing, adult humour or drugs. The sign also includes “No Selling of Stolen Items!” although, according to police, stolen goods sometimes do make their way in. As the market is run by vendors and volunteers (who do get paid —$3.50 an hour and $7 for those in charge), it is self-policed. “The thing about this is that it’s empowering people to make their own money in their own way. We don’t impose any rules that aren’t necessary,” said Clarke. “So many other services around here, it’s all about showing up and waiting in line for a sandwich. It’s not ever run by the people

photo Rebecca Blissett

Checking out the goods for sale at the Downtown Eastside Street Market Nov.. 24 was Chris Norman who “didn’t see too much today.” it’s trying to serve. The thing is with the market, everybody’s involved. The wages are so low it’s ridiculous, so you have to really believe in it. And it works because people believe in it.” The market started June 13, 2010 as a

protest against police who were handing out street vending tickets to people selling along the streets, said Clarke, adding that many of the vendors at the market had received multiple $250 ﬁnes. “Nobody on welfare can afford to pay that, there’s no way.”

The Downtown Eastside Street Market gives vendors a legal place to sell, thanks to a permit and a $30,000 grant from the City of Vancouver. The money goes to paying the many volunteers; the tents and tables are all purchased through the 50/50 draw as well as coffee and pop sales. “If you look around at these tents that are set up, these people essentially couldn’t get other jobs,” said Clarke. “Other people in other sectors would look down on them but, well, we build this every weekend. It’s an incredible thing.” With his individually wrapped bead and leather necklaces carefully spread on a table, vendor Carey Molzel said he appreciates the independence of working as a binner to support his wife and cat. “There’s not a lot of jobs out there and this gives me the opportunity of being an entrepreneur,” said the soft-spoken man, who said he once found a pile of money in a dumpster (he realized it was counterfeit and turned it into the police). “I ﬁnd as long as you’re reasonable, it’s good. And this market, it’s one of the best things to ever happen to the Downtown Eastside.”

F R I DAY, DE C E M B E R 6 , 2 0 1 3 THE VANCOUVER COURIER

This one-bedroom Gastown condo faces the North Shore mountains.

OPEN HOUSE

For more photos or information about the house , scan this page with

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photo submitted

Property: #204- 27 Alexander St. $374,900 MLS # V1024144 Anyone who has spent any time in historic Gastown knows the area never gets dull. Whether it’s tourists snapping photos in front of the Steam Clock on Water Street or Gassy Jack statue, locals detouring around ﬁlm or TV shoots, strolling through the Sunday Binners’ market on Carrall Street or checking out the latest restaurant or bar, tiny Gastown has huge appeal. Sleepy it’s not. Realtor Maria Senajova says Gastown tends to attract hip professionals who work in the area, love the lifestyle and are looking for uniqueness and spaces that inspire, such as heritage and loft spaces. “The area tends to attract design-conscience, creative individuals. Spaces are not your typical cookie cutter condos,” she says. “They all are different, some have original brick walls and high ceilings, others are modern and slick spaces inside the shell of 100-year old buildings. [It’s] a refreshing change from the rest of the concrete condos in the heart of town.” Senajova says 27 Alexander is unique in that when it was seismically upgraded in 1997, it connected two heritage buildings — the Alexis and Alexander, which share an elevator, hallways, roof top deck and one address. But they function as two stratas. The 662-square-foot one bedroom, one-bathroom suite (complete with gas stove and in-suite laundry) has stunning views of the North Shore mountains, which also means it faces the train tracks. But Senajova says facing the tracks has two advantages: You have privacy and you don’t hear the sometimes loud urban sounds of vehicles and people on Alexander Street. “You can hardly hear the trains,” she says. For more information, email maria@vancouverurbanhomes.com

neighbourhood numbers

1867 0 1977 1,500 12 1991 2009

The year “Gassy” Jack Deighton arrived to open the area’s ﬁrst saloon. The number of gas stations in Gastown.

The year Raymond Saunders built the famed Gastown steam clock. The prize in dollars, in a London Drugs gift certificate, filmmaker Joel McCarthy collected for winning the Vancouver Courier’s first-ever Vancouver Minute short film contest. McCarthy submitted Gastown Rap.

There’s a revolution taking place in how businesses are marketing themselves, and the Vancouver Courier is at the forefront of that revolution. Through print, digital and mobile, the Courier is now a multi-platform experience – helping businesses stand out from the crowd by offering marketing expertise, unrivalled local circulation and an extended reach throughout Metro Vancouver and beyond. If you have a brand, product or service that needs to stand out, contact Manon Paradis today at 604.630.3536.

The price in dollars at PiDGiN restaurant for a pork belly rice bowl with Asian pear kimchi, bamboo and quail egg. The year disgraced American cyclist Lance Armstrong won the Gastown Grand Prix. The year Gastown was designated a National Historic Site of Canada.

VANCOURIER.COM THE VOICE OF VANCOUVER NEIGHBOURHOODS

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feature

Then and now...

GASTOWN

Above, a parade on Cordova Street near Carrall Street in 1890. Then photo: Photographer/studio: Bailey Bros., courtesy of the Vancouver Public Library, 19825.

Above, looking east on Water Street near Carrall Street in 1885. Then photo: Erskine Beveridge, courtesy Vancouver Public Library, 13229. Right, looking east on Powell Street near Carrall Street today. Now photo: Dan Toulgoet

Left, Cordova Street near Carrall Street today Now photo: Dan Toulgoet See more Then and Now photos at vancourier.com

For more photos, scan this page with your smartphone or tablet using the Layar app.

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PICKS DEC. 6-10

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1 2 3 4

If you’ve even been to a Cirque du Soleil show and found yourself wishing they’d somehow found a way to incorporate dozens of horses into the act, CAVALIA’S ODYSSEO might just be for you. Billed as the world’s largest touring production and featuring screens three times bigger that IMAX’s (not to mention a 80,000-gallon waterfall), ODYSSEO kicks off Dec. 7 and runs until Jan. 5 under the Big Top set up between the Cambie Street bridge and the Olympic Village. Tickets range between $30-150. More info at cavalia.net.

Vancouver’s newest venue, the refurbished York Theatre on Commercial Drive, makes its grand debut with the world premiere of Theatre Replacement’s JACK AND THE BEANSTALK: AN EAST VAN PANTO. Written by local comedian Charles Demers and featuring music by Veda Hille, the hyper-local take on the classic fairy tale runs until Dec. 29. Tickets start from $18. Visit thecultch. com to ﬁnd out more. Alt rock elder statesman and Sonic Youth co-founder LEE RANALDO brings his new band THE DUST to town Dec. 7 at the Biltmore Cabaret. Tickets are $15, available in advance at Red Cat, Zulu, Highlife, Neptoon Records and ticketweb.ca. Chris Brokaw (ex-Codeine, Come) opens the early evening show. American roots rocker and frequent Sons of Anarchy soundtrack contributor THE WHITE BUFFAL0 (a.k.a. JAKE SMITH) lumbers into the Biltmore Cabaret Dec. 10 in support of new album Shadows, Greys and Evil Ways. Advance tickets are $18 from Red Cat, Zulu and northerntickets. com.

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GASTOWN

KUDOS& KVETCHES FLOATING AN IDEA

A Charlie Brown Christmas

A Little Jazz and Joy

8pm Friday, December 13 & 3pm Sunday, December 15, 2013 Ryerson United Church (Kerrisdale) Vancouver Chamber Choir | Michael Creber, piano | Jodi Proznick, bass Pippa Johnstone, reader | Peter Carlone, reader | John Voth, reader Jon Washburn, conductor Add a little jazz and joy to your Christmas, as Charlie Brown and the other Peanuts characters lead you through their holiday dilemmas towards finding the true spirit of the season. Carols and other music for choir and jazz duo by Vince Guaraldi and other popular composers.

www.vancouverchamberchoir.com 1-855-985-ARTS (2787)

After many years of proofreading Dr. Davidicus Wong’s Healthwise column, the members of K&K would like to think we’ve become a bit more spiritually open and aware. We’ve gone on to try raising our consciousness levels and/or balance our chakras in a variety of new and exciting ways, ranging from hot power reiki classes, essential oil enemas, combining standup paddleboarding with yoga and chai tea with tai chi, and even by licking the occasional toad. The Courier’s latest neighbourhood profile recently provided an opportunity to follow our bliss even further by visiting a new sensory deprivation tank facility called Float House. Not to be confused with the floating houses moored off Granville Island, Float House is located, as kismet has it, on Water Street in Gastown. It offers a spa-like vibe with several specialized pods filled with warm water and hundreds of pounds of dissolved Epsom salts that allow you to float effortlessly on the surface. The owners describe the experience as “an amazingly simple yet powerful tool that can enhance one’s overall living experience. Whether you use it for personal development, physiological benefits, psychological benefits or a combination of sorts, we believe it has the abil-

ity to deeply aid and impact anyone who sets forth into the warm, cozy, silky blackness.” “Floating” has recently exploded in popularity after a podcast extolling its virtues by unlikely champion Joe Rogan, who most people know as the guy who used to make people do really gross stuff as the host of Fear Factor. The idea is, after donning earplugs and stripping naked, to cut off all external sensory stimulation and relax into a state allowing lucid daydreams or altered levels of consciousness. “Just lie back as if you were floating in the Mediterranean Sea,” explained an earnest young man who was on duty during our visit. He probably meant the low-lying Dead Sea, whose high saline levels are famous for facilitating floatation. The idea is to focus on your breathing and allow your mind to wander slip off into a trance-like zone called “theta” — the technical term for the brainwaves pattern you typically experience just before falling asleep or waking. So ideally you probably don’t want to spend the 90 minutes inside the tank thinking about what’s to blame for the Canucks’ sputtering offence, worrying what would happen if the building caught on fire, humming Modest Mouse’s big 2005 hit Float On or mentally writing a column about the experience of floating in sensory deprivation tank to help pass the time. And while you may want to keep your Third Eye open, it’s best to keep your other two closed as getting highly concentrated Epsom saltwater in your eyes stings like hell. Namaste.

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The Courier’s got all the info you’ll need to entertain, shop, celebrate and enjoy all Vancouver has to offer. Bookmark these dates! HOLIDAY GUIDES Nov. 15 - Dec. 24, Wed & Fri FESTIVE HOMES: Fri. Nov. 22 / Dec. 13 KERRISDALE CHRISTMAS: Wed. Dec. 4

NEW YEAR’S PLANNING: Fri. Dec. 13 SEASON’S GREETINGS: Fri. Dec. 20 BOXING DAY SPECIALS Tues. Dec. 24

arts&entertainment

Classic Christmas movies worth a look

JULIE CRAWFORD Contributing writer

hings have changed a lot since my childhood, when if you missed the Christmas special on TV, you had to wait an entire year to see it again. It’s an alien concept for the sevenyear-old in our household, fond of watching Santa Paws in the heat of July. Our choices in the age of DVDs and Netflix are wider, much wider, as the list of self-proclaimed “holiday classics” grows by a half-dozen titles every year, if you factor in theatrical and straight-to-DVD releases. This season’s theatrical offerings are strictly for the big kids. Tyler Perry has yet another Madea movie coming out, Madea’s Christmas, featuring a holiday-themed clash of cultures. Aunt Madea meddles in a friend’s daughter’s interracial relationship, complete with Larry the Cable Guy as a potential in-law. Still playing in theatres are Best Man Holiday and Black Nativity. Best Man Holiday meets all the criteria for holiday schmaltz: grand house, family feuds, terminal illness. Reuniting the stars of The Best Man from back in 1999, the film features a mix of feel-good and PG moments, as well as a killer New Edition dance routine. And Black Nativity, a musical based on Langston Hughes’ play, tells the story of Langston (Jacob Latimore) who is sent by his single mother (Jennifer Hudson) to spend the holidays with his grandparents, a pastor and his wife (Forest Whitaker, Angela Bassett). Here’s a look at other not-for-kids holiday films to enjoy after you’ve assembled that giant dollhouse: Love, Actually just came out with a 10th anniversary DVD. It’s definitely not for prudish eyes: I made the mistake of taking my Granny only to discover that one storyline features two sex-scene doubles (Martin Freeman and Joanna Page) who try to make small-talk while

they’re buck-naked. The film’s seven or so storylines run the gamut from tragic (Emma Thompson discovers her husband is having an affair, Liam Neeson is a widower trying to move on) to silly (Hugh Grant as Prime Minister, busting a move). It all ends on a high note: Mariah Carey’s, to be exact. Billy Bob Thornton is Bad Santa, a criminal with a nefarious reason for donning the red suit. Enter a sweet barmaid with a thing for Santas (Lauren Graham) and a bullied kid who’d fit the suit much better than Thornton does, and the profane, liquored-up Bad Santa might just be in for a makeover. It’s almost Christmas in a large country manor, where the man of the house is found dead. There are eight suspects, all women, all with secrets to hide. Ah, but what suspects! Catherine Deneuve, Isabelle Huppert, Fanny Ardant and Emmanuelle Beart lead the stellar cast of 8 Women (2002). Kiss Kiss Bang Bang is a crime-comedy set during the holidays starring Robert Downey Jr. as a crook who stumbles into an audition and finds himself with an acting gig. He’s assigned a real-life policeman (Val Kilmer) to give him lessons on how to be a convincing cop, and the bodies start piling up. My favourite movie to watch while I’m sick is still While You Were Sleeping, starring a freshfaced Sandra Bullock. Lucy (Bullock) is a train station employee who never leaves her booth, until she rushes out to save her crush-from-afar (Peter Gallagher) from certain death. Suddenly the girl who never had a family has a whole tree, who think she’s comatose Peter’s fiancée. But maybe Peter’s brother (Bill Paxton) is a better love match? Who doesn’t love John McClane and the first Die Hard at Christmas? Bruce Willis destroys a 40-storey building, goes toe-to-toe with baddie Alan Rickman (appearing twice on this list) and saves a bunch of hostages just in time for Christmas.

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“Laughout-loud funny” —John Jane, Review Vancouver

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“VERY FUNNY STUFF”

arts&entertainment Holiday round-up part two

—Jerry Wasserman, The Province

PLAYING AT

Star of the Season Program November 1st – December 24th

Your donation of only $2 supports the growth of healthy communities. Now in its 12th year, Choices’ Star of the Season Program enriches the lives of families all across Metro Vancouver and the Okanagan. Kindly donated by Calabar Printers, Choices’ Holiday Stars may be purchased between November 1st and December 24th for a donation of $2.00.

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STATE OF THE ARTS

with Cheryl Rossi

ancouver’s entertainment scene affords the satirical, sparkling and heartwarming for the holiday season. Here’s the Courier’s second non-exhaustive list of what’s on.

DEC. 10 TO 22

ENTER TO WIN!

2 TICKETS TO THE VANCOUVER CHRISTMAS MARKET Email your entry to: contest@vancourier.com (Subject line: GERMAN) Include your name, email address and phone number for a chance to WIN! Name: _______________________ Email: _____________________ Phone: _________________ • Contest deadline: Dec. 10 by noon. Winners will be contacted by phone.

MOVIE LISTINGS

online

vancourier.com theatre for living liv (headlines theatre)

Artwork & Graphic Design: Dafne Blanco

presents

BC/Alberta Tour

22 Communities between Oct 16 & Nov 30, 2013 Theatre for Living continues a 32-year legacy of innovation with a project about the corporate messages that live within our collective psyche.

Theatre without a net. No actors. No play. No script. Joked by: David Diamond The event takes 2.5 to 3 hours.

Hotel Bethlehem If you’ve ever thought there was something a little ﬁshy about a very pregnant woman being turned away from an inn, Ruby Slippers Theatre’s satire could be the perfect show for you. Fawlty Towers and Monty Python fans will love the mash-up of farce, satire and holiday fare, promises a press release about the revived production. Hotel Bethlehem features shepherds contemplating sheep lotteries, three kings evading taxation, virgins, ridiculous Roman soldiers, a blind censustaker and a couple of births. Firehall Arts Centre, 280 East Cordova St. Tickets and information: 604.689.0926 or ﬁrehallartscentre.ca.

ily-friendly show runs at the Fei & Milton Wong Experimental Theatre, Goldcorp Centre for the Arts, SFU Woodward’s, 149 West Hastings St. Tickets: $25/$15. Preview tickets for Dec. 11 are $5. For more information, see sfuwoodwards.ca.

DEC. 11 TO 14

DEC. 14 TO 22

Bah! Humbug! 2013 This reading of Dickens’ A Christmas Carol features Juno awardwinning musician Jim Byrnes as Ebenezer Scrooge, First Nations actor Margo Kane as the narrator and blues singer Tom Pickett as Bob Cratchit. This contemporary adaptation that’s directed by Max Reimer updates the economic disparities of Victorian England to Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside where Scrooge owns a pawnshop on Hastings Street. The music in Bah! Humbug! includes pop songs, folk, blues, gospel and industrial rock along with traditional seasonal favourites. The production includes an audience sing-a-long and seasonal refreshments. The fam-

The Nutcracker Goh Ballet’s The Nutcracker is going ahead at the Centre in Vancouver with principal dancers from the Royal Danish Ballet and live music performed by members of the Vancouver Opera Orchestra. Tickets start at $28 through Ticketmaster. 777 Homer St.

at various venues across Metro Vancouver

Winter Harp, 20th Celebration Winter Harp’s musicians, clad in medieval attire, perform a collection of music, songs and stories in celebration of winter and Christmas. Their repertoire includes carols and Celtic, medieval and world music. Dozens of candles light the stage, highlighting the golden Celtic and classical harps, drums, tambourines, temple bells, ﬂutes and ancient and rare instruments. St. Andrew’s-Wesley United Church, 1012 Nelson at Burrard Street, 7:30 p.m. Winterharp.com Ticketstonight.ca or 604-684-2787.

DEC. 28 TO 31

DEC. 21

The Nutcracker Alberta Ballet performs The Nutcracker with live music by the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra. Queen Elizabeth Theatre. Dec. 28 to 30, 7:30 p.m. Dec. 29 and 31, 2 p.m. Tickets $26.50 to $85. Family packs and child prices available. Ticketmaster.ca or 1-855-985-2787. crossi@vancourier.com twitter.com/Cheryl_Rossi

A Christmas Reprise XI The award-winning Vancouver Cantata Singers present traditional and contemporary songs that span cultures and end with Franz Biehl’s arrangement of Ave Maria. Holy Rosary Cathedral, 646 Richards St., 2 p.m. Tickets $18, vancouvercantatasingers. com or 604-730-8856.

CRUISE FROM FAIRYTALE CASTLES TO GILDED PALACES IN RUSSIA

For full schedule please visit:

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For more information call: 604.871.0508

photo Tim Matheson

John Murphy stars in Ruby Slippers Theatre’s satirical biblical fable Hotel Bethlehem at the Firehall Arts Centre.

Photo: Stockholm, Sweden

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urban parents’ guide

KEEP YOUR PETS SAFE DURING THE HOLIDAY SEASON

elebrating the holidays is exciting for most families, but small changes in the environment can be stressful for pets. From holiday feasts to decorations, the holidays present many exciting and potentially dangerous situations for our furry friends. To protect them take a look at these tips from leading retailer, PetSmart:

people and noise. Learn to notice behavioural cues in your dog. If he is feeling anxious he may begin to quiver, whine, or cry and will probably have his ears back and his tail between his legs. • Pet parents should provide a quiet place to retreat so the little ones can choose whether to come out and visit or keep to themselves. Using a 'Thundershirt' can also calm down a nervous dog by applying gentle pressure to the body. Similarly, a calming collar for your cat will release soothing pheromones.

• Deck the halls with tape and cord covers: Holiday decorations mean extra electrical cords, plugs and plenty of tempting new “chew toys.” Pet parents should take the extra time during decorating to tape down or cover cords to help prevent shocks, burns or more serious injuries.

• Human holiday feasts are not for the pets: Cats and dogs love rich table scraps such as drippings gravy and poultry skin. This, however, can cause pets to suffer from severe upset stomach, diarrhea and even pancreatitis, which is not only terribly painful, but can be fatal.

• How anchored are your trees? Seasonal trees are sure to attract a pet's attention and should be secured to keep from toppling over if a pet should try to climb them, use them as a scratching post, or simply bump into them. Since cats are inclined to eat tinsel and/or ribbons hanging from trees, these decorations should be placed high on the tree or not used at all. • Bells are ringing, children singing, butpets need a quiet place to retreat: During the holidays, pets may not understand why their usually quiet home is ﬁlled with

• Giving your dog poultry bones is also a bad idea as they can splinter and form sharp points that can get stuck in the gastrointestinal tract. Give them a pet-friendly treat like the Elk Antler dog chew, which come in a variety of holiday ﬂavours including cinnamon apple. Tips courtesy newscanada.com.

SANTA CLAUS VISITS CHILDREN WHO HAVE SPECIAL NEEDS

anta Claus is comin’ to town and he’s spending the afternoon with some very special kids. On Sunday, Dec. 8, from 11:30 am to 2 pm, over 150 children who have special needs will get a chance to share their Christmas wishes with St. Nick at the annual Variety Children’s Christmas Party. Every year, families come from all over the Lower Mainland to reconnect and celebrate the season with friends and families who understand the challenges faced by parents with children who have special needs.

CELEBRATE WITH US visit

www.bcchf.ca/fot

for more information.

VENUE SPONSORS

The line-up of entertainment includes performances by magicians, singers, choral groups and dancers, all volunteering their time to bring Christmas joy to the kids. Event location is the Hellenic Community Centre of Vancouver, 4500 Arbutus Street. Variety - The Children’s Charity raises funds and distributes grants throughout British Columbia to inspire hope, enrich lives and build a better future for children who have special needs.

Marpole Cares

Help a neighbour in need this holiday season. Drop off a new, unwrapped toy or non-perishable food item until December 13th, at seven locations in Marpole: the Marpole Branch Library, the Royal Bank, TD Bank, VanCity, BMO, Scotiabank, and Marpole Neighbourhood House. You can also drop off your item to the Bank of Montreal branch in Oakridge Mall. All donated items will be collected and distributed to local families, through Marpole-Oakridge Family Place and the Cornerstone Community Church. Thank you for your support.

Tune into our

WEEKLY NEWS RECAP WOWtv and the VANCOUVER COURIER bring you 15 minutes of local community news, lifestyle, culture and entertainment. Thursdays 10am–10.30am, reruns Saturdays 10am–10.30am Telus TV Channel 2828 and YouTube @wow1tv

For more information on how you can support Variety – The Children’s Charity, visit variety.bc.ca or call 604-320-0505.

at the 27th annual Festival of Trees in the Four Seasons Hotel Vancouver and Pacific Centre Mall. Trees on display from November 20, 2013 until January 2, 2014.

Bir thday Club WINNER NIRVANA BANDI

turns 8 on December 2 December 2

Nirvana Bandi 8

December 20

Corey Cheng 2

December 23

Maxwell Nguyen 1

MEDIA SPONSORS

We’ll publish your birthday for FREE plus you’re entered into the monthly prize draw sponsored by H.R. MACMILLAN SPACE CENTRE Email us your name, phone number, and the name & birth date of the child celebrating the birthday. If you choose to add a photo, email that too! (you will be charged $9.95 + tax for photo publication.) Email: jstafford@vancourier.com (deadline is Friday, Dec. 20th. Next Birthday Club publishes on Friday, Jan. 3rd.

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THE VANCOUVER COURIER F R I DAY, DE C E M B E R 6 , 2 0 1 3

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Model Behaviour

Barneys Via Bowen island

Kate LeGresley

Maria Tallarico

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Caught in a Delicious Cycle

May Globus

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You Scream, Ice Cream

This Black Friday’s sales were the worst since the ﬁnancial crisis began — down 2.8 per cent from last year. Perhaps someone out there follows astrology, for a fair number of the large retailers initiated a Black Thursday sale. The National Academy of Sciences published a study in February 2001 that demonstrated that longevity of life depends on the month a person was born. Evidently people born October-December live longer than those born April to June. Nowhere, though, is astrology mentioned. Just last month, The Atlantic magazine ran a long article encapsulating scientiﬁc research on disease and birth month. These studies, overall, show that your season of birth (spring, summer, fall, winter) gives you a higher or lower risk for Type 1 diabetes, multiple sclerosis, bipolar disorder, allergies, sleep disorders, glaucoma, S.A.D., epilepsy, Down syndrome, Parkinson’s, autism and schizophrenia. The schizophrenia-birth date study included 86 million subjects in 27 countries. If you google this article, read the comment by Kristof — it’s dry and abstract, but makes some good points.

The emphasis continues on higher learning, intellectual pursuits, far travel, foreign-born people, cultural, religious and philosophical involvements, and gentle love. This is a nice, smooth week, with some slow but very beneﬁcial progress (or opportunity) in real estate, ﬁnancial, sexual and health zones. If you’re in love, this can be a good time to house hunt.

The wheel of your life revolves now around a hub of errands, paperwork, communications, short trips, siblings and casual friends. This week and next are a good time to buy a car, if you need one – also, update telephony, ofﬁce systems, your stationery, etc. Until March, your home brightens, affection and beauty prevail. If you must change homes, now (or January, NOT February) is a good time to do so.

The focus remains on secrets, dreams, hunches; your subconscious bursts to the surface. Research, do detective work. Large or signiﬁcant ﬁnancial, intimate, health and lifestyle choices face you. It’s better to do something than nothing; it’s also better to seek advice than not, and it’s preferable to work in tandem or for a mutual goal, than alone.

The two weeks ahead focus on money, and they’re smooth weeks ﬁlled with rather easy progress. Chase new clients, ask the boss for a raise, buy needed items, sell unwanted ones, etc. Now to March, friends, siblings are affectionate, gracious. Travel, visits, communications go well. Now to July, like Taurus you might face some quite large task or “duty project.”

Relationships continue to attract the majority of your time and attention. You could ﬁnd that any interlude you have now brings a certain sweetness with it, or that you walk away feeling sweet, ﬁlled with romantic optimism. This trend continues to next July, as your romantic sector heats up for seven months in a way that lifts your spirits into “The Land of Hope.” If single, you could establish/enter a major love affair.

Your energy, charisma and clout remain at a yearly high, Sage. During the next two weeks, start something signiﬁcant (unless you already have since late November). Be open, seek others, show yourself off, put on your good clothes. Like Gemini, you will have a constantly- ﬁring optimism about romance (and/or a creative, speculative, teaching or beauty project) all the way to July 2014.

The focus remains on work, health and care of dependants. Eat and dress sensibly; sleep regularly. Your home can suffer some conﬂict or friction until next July – soft-pedal disputes and be gentle with children. This inﬂuence also offers you a chance to work from home, or to advance your status by repairing/renovating your home, or dealing in real estate.

The focus remains on the background, on administrative chores, civil service, institutions, charities. Lie low, rest and recuperate, contemplate and plan. After Christmas, you’ll be ready to charge forth: for now, during this smooth, easy week, gather your energy, visualize how you’ll come bursting out the gate late month. Be spiritual, pray or meditate. You remain ambitious, affectionate, mellow and attractive.

The emphasis continues on romance, creativity, selfexpression, courage, sports and games, speculation, beauty, and joys from children. Until July, you might be speaking much more than usual with a lover or “special friend” about marriage, about a wedding. You could surge into a heedless but joyful commitment in March. Be alert, study what this means to you down the road.

Wishes can come true over the two easy, smooth lucky weeks ahead. Your popularity shines, someone is at least fond of you (or might be really hungering). (But you’re so stubborn you might even refuse to accept this due to some principle or resentment – or simply a negative, but wrong, view of your own circumstances, your “worth.”) Social delights, entertainment, light romance, these ﬁll the days also.

The emphasis lies on home, parents, kids, security, real estate, retirement plans, gardening, Mother Nature. Sleep as often as you want: this is a sluggish, hibernation period for you. Hug the kids, plan adventures in the neighbourhood. You are beginning to make more money. Now to July, the money spout could really turn on. But you have to turn it off, when income turns to outgo. Bank your money or you’ll end up poorer than you are now.

The accent remains on career, ambition, prestige and status during the two weeks ahead. You’ll make headway if you work steadily toward your goal — no need to rush or panic. Your friends remain sweet, affectionate until March. You could make a good new friend. Now to July, your sexual and ﬁnancial interests heat up. You could enter a sexual affair that is also romantic AND adds to your “prestige progress” and/or somehow increases your income.

May Globus

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Monday: Judi Dench (79). Tuesday: Raven Symone (28). Wednesday: John Kerry (70). Thursday: Jennifer Connelly (43). Friday: Taylor Swift (24). Saturday: Vanessa Hudgens (25). Sunday: Adam Brody (34), Julie Taymor (61).

MORE AT ASTRALREFLECTIONS.COM

F R I DAY, DE C E M B E R 6 , 2 0 1 3 THE VANCOUVER COURIER

GOT SPORTS? 604-738-1411 | mstewart@vancourier.com

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GASTOWN

Smilin’ Buddha gets reincarnated MEGAN STEWART Staff Writer

ust after 8 p.m. on a Tuesday in December, a police cruiser pulled a Uturn in the middle of the 100 block of East Hastings. Next to a fenced-in urban garden and down from the Insite safe injection site, half a dozen young men stood around, smoking and handling skateboards outside two bright red doors. Inside, 12 skaters dropped into a 45-foot-long ramp build into the narrow brick hall. The SBC Restaurant — an indoor skate park at the former Smilin’ Buddha Cabaret — is the only one of its kind in Vancouver since opening at 109 East Hastings Dec. 1. A hand-printed sign on the door reads “everyone’s welcome” and the address is sprayed on the door in black paint. “We anticipate that there’s going to be a lot of people who are going to want to skate at this place,” said Andrew Turner, one of three founders and owners of the SBC. “We’ve had about 100 people skating around in the three days that we’ve had it opened. And the ramp can handle about 20 people at a time max, so it’s been operating at close to capacity for most of the time that it’s been open.” Parks board chairperson Sarah Blyth, who got her political start organizing the Vancouver Skateboard Coalition, said SBC is a welcome addition, especially as the temperature drops and wet winter weather sets in. “We’ve needed one for a very long time,” she said, noting one of the early goals of the coalition was to create an indoor park. Leeside, a

photo Dan Toulgoet

Andrew Turner (right) and Malcolm Eric Hassin opened the SBC skate park in the former Smilin’ Budda Cabaret. sheltered tunnel near Hastings Park, is a popular destination but it’s not heated. SBC runs in two-hour sessions from 3 to 5 p.m., 5 to 7 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. Each session costs $10. Famed in the 1950s as the Smilin’ Buddha Dine & Dance, the venue became a cabaret

favoured by seasonal labourers (it hosted “girlie” shows and served cheap bar liquor) and then emerged as a destination for psychedelic and experimental rock as well as the underground punk and hardcore scenes in the ’70s and ’80s. Jefferson Airplane, Jimi Hendrix, 54-40 and DOA all played the Smi-

lin’ Buddha. This week, the Heritage Vancouver Foundation recognized the Smilin’ Buddha, “the destination for edgy music in Vancouver,” for helping shape the city’s identity and named it a place that matters. Its famous neon sign of a reclining, large-bellied Buddha sitting beside a steaming hot pot, is in the permanent collection of the Museum of Vancouver. A skate park is a natural reincarnation for the neighbourhood cabaret, said Bev Davies, a photographer who arrived in Vancouver in 1968 and became a talented, blonde fixture in the city’s music scene. “It’s part of that same underground culture,” she said. “It maintains its street cred. Culturally, it’s the same anti-establishment culture that punk rock was part of. Did I say was? I mean is.” The hall today is a long corridor of painted brick, sparse lighting, stenciled posters and graffiti. A large poster of the illustrious namesake neon sign hangs on the wall. The children of the late former cabaret owners, Nancy and Lachlan Jir, are divided in their support of the reincarnation of the Buddha title. Two of their daughters were expected at the SBC on Wednesday for a Vancouver Heritage presentation. A “place that matters” plaque will be installed at a later date. The space was forgotten as a derelict dump until it was revived. Turner, his brother Justin and Malcolm Hassin approached city officials nearly three years before signing the lease. “We wanted to make sure it was going to go over,” said Turner. “We didn’t want them to be alarmed or surprised that we were here.” See SKATEPARK on page 36

Urquhart ineligible to play for Seattle school MEGAN STEWART Staff writer

Vancouver athlete who moved to Seattle to attend Eastside Catholic, a private suburban religious school, was ruled ineligible by the school to play basketball for his new team. The school’s president, Sister Mary E. Tracy, decided Drew Urquhart was ineligible to play because his transfer raised “too many red ﬂags.” “I decided to take the cautious approach,” she said. The family is disputing the decision and has hired a lawyer. Urquhart, a Grade 12 student, moved to Seattle in the summer and is living in Bellevue with a member of the school’s board of trustees. In an interview Monday,

he said he transferred to the Washington State school for academic and religious reasons and to accelerate his transition to the U.S. since he’d committed to play for the University of Vermont, an NCAA Division 1 school in the American East Conference. Urquhart was accepted at Eastside Catholic as a student but not as an athlete. “It was a decision we made last spring when we accepted Drew,” said Tracy. “We accepted him with our understanding that he was not going to be eligible [to play basketball].” She said her misgivings were conﬁrmed after she consulted the Washington Interscholastic Athletic Association. The consequences of having an ineligible player are serious, she added.

“What has happened to other schools is if we played an ineligible payer, we could end up forfeiting all the games for the whole season.” The executive director of WIAA, which is Washington’s equivalent to B.C. School Sports, said Urquhart’s eligibility was under review. At the moment, however, he is ineligible to play but has been training with the school team. “Essentially, the issue is the fact that there is some recruitment issues involved here,” said Mike Colbrese. “That’s all I can comment on at this time.” Neither Urquhart’s family nor their lawyer could be reached before deadline. B.C. School Sports was not involved in this eligibility review. mstewart@vancourier.com twitter.com/MHStewart

photo Dan Toulgoet

Seen here last March with St. George’s, Vancouver’s Drew Urquhart played with the Saints for one year before he transferred to Seattle’s Eastside Catholic in the summer. He committed to the NCAA Div. 1 University of Vermont Catamounts for 2014.

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THE VANCOUVER COURIER F R I DAY, DE C E M B E R 6 , 2 0 1 3

Winter is beautiful... unless you’re driving in it

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F R I DAY, DE C E M B E R 6 , 2 0 1 3 THE VANCOUVER COURIER

sports&recreation

Tis the Season! Transit service changes begin Monday, December 16

HOHO North Pole

photo Dan Toulgoet

A GAME WITH BITE: Tupper Tiger Saurav Acharya (No. 14) chases the ball and is

sandwiched between Vancouver College’s Jay Cruz (No. 13) and Chris McApline (No. 5) in the opening day of the Telus Classic Dec. 4 at Tupper. VC won 97-65. Churchill secondary hosts the semiﬁnals Friday: the girls tip off at 4 p.m. and the boys at 7:30 p.m. UBC hosts the ﬁnals Saturday: the girls play at 5:45 p.m. and the boys at 7:30 p.m. at War Memorial Gym.

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A36

THE VANCOUVER COURIER F R I DAY, DE C E M B E R 6 , 2 0 1 3

sports&recreation

SBC owner Eric Hassin in action on the ramp.

photo Dan Toulgoet

Skatepark launches in Gastown Continued from page 33 The centrepiece of the SBC, the six-foot ramp with pool coping and a seven-foot wall ride scales down to three feet to accommodate different skill levels. The ramp is actually a hybrid creationfromotherdismantledparks,including, Turner said, “parts of the Richmond skate ranch, Expo 86 ramp, Kevin Harris’s ramp, Malcolm’s little back yard ramp .... We built everything. It’s

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recycled, salvaged materials because we did it with no money.” There’s also pieces of the “crack pipe,” a Powell Street ramp built indoors by the folks at the Antisocial skateboard shop. “So there’s like six or seven different ramps that went into making this place, which is pretty cool,” Turner said. The SBC can also host live music.

F R I DAY, DE C E M B E R 6 , 2 0 1 3 THE VANCOUVER COURIER

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A37

THE VANCOUVER COURIER F R I DAY, DE C E M B E R 6 , 2 0 1 3

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A38

ModelloByBoffo.ca 604.456.0688 Modello Presentation Centre #118 – 5021 Kingsway Located on Marlborough, one block West of Royal Oak – across from London Drugs on Kingsway

OPEN DAILY 12 – 5PM (CLOSED FRIDAYS) MARKETING BY

NOW SELLING

F R I DAY, DE C E M B E R 6 , 2 0 1 3 THE VANCOUVER COURIER

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CarCare

Winter 2013

Do I need winter tires in rainy Vancouver? EXPERTS SAY YES.

FALL MAINTENANCE SPECIAL + FREE* DELUXE LAPTOP KNAPSACK

$11495

*For customers with older Hyundai vehicles, who are no longer covered by a Roadside Assistance Program, ask your Service Advisor about an optional premium (12 month Roadside Assistance).

FRONT BRAKE SPECIAL**

$145 $155 $165 HF947 !/HFD9C;2 H/!AD4/ 8959I/! >DFG ?+ 7/9!H$ /;0/!D/54/ 9F 49!F/! G35192 3A/!H//H 9 >D5F/! FD!/ D5HF9<<9FD35 9F FG/ HG30 35 >/HF ?!1 9A/. 0G3F3 67- G/</5 0/F/!H35

BCAA vice president Ken Cousin says Metro Vancouver gets cold enough for icy road conditions, which are better handled with snow tires. When temperatures approach zero, all-season tires harden and lose traction. A winter tire has up to 25 per cent better grip than an all-season tire.

ACCENT, TIBURON & VELOSTER ELANTRA & TUCSON SONATA, GENESIS, AZERA, EQUUS, SANTA FE, VERACRUZ & ENTOURAGE (Genesis Coupe GT not included)

From Nov. 20 or 15 Vancouver’s only Hyundai dealer!

15% OFF CABIN AIR FILTER 15% OFF COOLING SYSTEM MAINTENANCE SPECIAL 15% OFF TIMING BELT SERVICE 15% OFF ACCESSORIES & WIPER BLADES

‡

445 Kingsway near 12th Ave in Vancouver Phone (604) 292-8188 • Service Direct (604) 292-8190 www.DestinationHyundai.com

The Hyundai names, logos, product names, feature names, images and slogans are trademarks owned by Hyundai Auto Canada Corp. Offers end December 31, 2013. Coupon(s) must be presented at time of appointment.*Limit one per coupon. Offer only available with purchase of $114.95 Fall Maintenance Special. $10 additional for V6 and V8 engines. Environmental handling charges may apply. Synthetic oil extra. Hyundai vehicles only. ‡Electronics and alloy wheels not included. **Rotor replacement and machining extra.

Data from Canadian Tire has shown that cars driven at 60 km/h with winter tires on ice will have a stopping distance that’s 45 feet less than a car with all-season tires.

BC WINTER TIRE LAWS

Outside the city, many BC highways require drivers to either use winter tires or carry chains from Oct. 1 to Apr. 30. Failing to do so may have police issuing you a ticket and sending you back the way you came.

WINTER TIRE TIPS

Tires marked with a mountain and snowflake symbol meet traction performance requirements, and have been designed specifically for use in snow. BC’s Motor vehicle Act says a winter tire must have at least 3.5 mm of tread depth across the surface of the tire that makes contact with the road.

Employee Pricing

Be sure to install a complete set of four winter tires to ensure control and stability of your vehicle in icy conditions. Mixing tires with different tread patterns, construction, and size can be dangerous. Also check for proper air pressure. This will extend tire tread life, reduce fuel consumption, and improve overall safety. Check air pressure often, preferably after your car has been unused overnight.

WORTH EVERY PENNY

Winter tires can cost roughly $700 for a full set. But they quickly prove their worth if they save an accident. Even more so if they save a life. Article supplied by Kelley Stewart of slatervecchio.com.

1502 West 3rd Ave., Vancouver, BC l 1-888-415-2205 l www.carterhonda.com All offers and promotions are available only at Carter Honda from November 22nd, 2013 to December 14th, 2013 while stocks last or otherwise stated. Information is correct at the time of publication and is subject to change without prior notice. Some images presented herein are for illustration purposes only; the actual appearance of the items may differ from these images. In the event of any dispute,, the decision of Harter Honda is ﬁnal. Other terms and conditions apply, see dealer for details.

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THE VANCOUVER COURIER F R I DAY, D E C E M B E R 6 , 2 0 1 3

CarCare

IRVING

TIRE

Preventative Auto Maintenance Beneﬁts

your local

1750 Clark Drive @ 2nd Ave.

WinterTires

Installed

Daily! CALL TO HAVE YOUR TIRES INSTALLED

604.255.8494

Advances in materials and technologies have certainly extended the required intervals for many automotive service operations – no question. And for this reason “low maintenance” has also become a popular claim in new car marketing. However, when you talk to the guys who actually fix cars the message hasn’t changed – frequent and good servicing is still the best way to protect your auto investment.

WISHING YOU A SAFE AND HAPPY

HOLIDAY SEASON.

Tom, STeve & RichaRd. • iRving TiRe.

Attn: Honda Owners SAVE UP TO

100

ON YOUR SERVICE You spend: $500.00-$599.99, You save $50.00 You spend: $600.00-$699.99, You save $60.00 You spend: $700.00-$799.99, You save $70.00 You spend: $800.00-$899.99, You save $80.00 You spend: $900.00 or more, You save $100.00

WITH GENUINE HONDA OIL CHANGE $

WINTERMULTI-POINTINSPECTION • Oil & ﬁlter change. Check for ﬂuid leaks • Battery load/charging test • Inspect coolant level and freezing point • Check cooling system, inspect hoses and clamps • Inspect all brakes for wear % and condition • Inspect brake calipers, wheel cylinders and parking brake • Inspect tire wear and pressure and tire rotation • Inspect drive belt condition (if applicable)

88*

• Top-up washer fluid • Inspect transmission fluid level, power steering fluid level (if applicable), brake fluid level, clutch fluid level (if applicable) • Inspect windshield wipers, washer jets and blades • Inspect all lights and bulbs • Inspect and lubricate door locks, latches and handles • Wash and vacuum, plus shuttle service

Reg $169.95

Ultra fuel-efﬁcient vehicles that require 0W20 oils are additional cost.

FREE SERVICE SHUTTLE (DOWNTOWN CORE) COURTESY CAR WASH FOR ALL SERVICE CUSTOMERS * All offers are effective until December 31, 2013. Taxes not included. Environmental levies extra. ˚Not to be combined with other offers. Please consult Kingsway Honda for more details. Please present coupon during write-up. Valid at Kingsway Honda only. Limit one per person. Coupon does not apply to prior purchases.

12th and Kingsway, Vancouver, BC

Member of Dealer the # D8508

CALL 604-873-3676

On the other hand, virtually all manufacturers specify two maintenance schedules for their vehicles: one for those operated under ‘normal’ driving conditions, and the other for vehicles subjected to ‘severe’ service.

SERVICE CHECKLIST: COMMON SERVICE ITEMS

HERE’SHOWITWORKS:

You spend: $50.00-$99.00, You save $5.00 You spend: $100.00-$199.99, You save $10.00 You spend: $200.00-$299.99, You save $20.00 You spend: $300.00-$399.99, You save $30.00 You spend: $400.00-$499.99, You save $40.00

Today, many engines come with platinum-tipped plugs that can last as long as 150,000 km, which is about six to eight years of normal driving – huge difference!

www.kingswayhonda.ca

The time and distance intervals will vary depending on the make of vehicle, driving habits and vehicle use. Check your owner’s manual for vehicle specific numbers.

LUBRICATION SERVICE

(Every 5,000 to 12,000 km or every 6 months): A lubrication service is the most frequent form of vehicle maintenance. The service typically includes changing the engine oil and oil filter, lubricating the chassis grease fittings (where present) and an under-hood check of various other fluid levels.

TIRE ROTATION

(Every 8,000 to 12,000 km): Easy to combine with seasonal snow tire fit/remove and it extends tire life.

COOLING SYSTEM FLUSH

(Every 50,000 km or 2/3 years): Long-life coolant in many new vehicles extends it to every 80,000 km or 5 years.

BRAKE FLUID FLUSH

(Every 50,000 km or 2 years): Not always on the service schedule - but brake fluid absorbs moisture that wreaks havoc on costly anti-lock brake hydraulic control components.

FUEL FILTER REPLACEMENT

(Every 50,000 km – plus): Again not always on a service schedule and gasoline quality is a factor.

SPARK PLUG REPLACEMENT

(Every 50,000 to 150,000 km): If it’s an option – go platinum!

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SERVICE

(Every 25,000 to 150,000 km): Wide range and not always on a service schedule - type, use and abuse are the variables.

ENGINE TIMING BELT

(Every 100,000 to 150,000 km or 5/8-years): If fitted it’s in the manual – some engines use a (no-maintenance) timing chain.

DRIVE BELT

(80,000 km or 3/5 years): Exposed to the elements, a single serpentine belt generally drives all engine accessories. Three basic owner checks should be performed, preferably once a week, but at least once a month: engine oil level; tire air pressures (don’t forget the spare); all the lights. Remember – preventive maintenance always pays for itself in the long run! Tips provided courtesy Lower Mainland Honda and GM service departments.

dashboard

F R I DAY, DE C E M B E R 6 , 2 0 1 3 THE VANCOUVER COURIER

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INTERESTED IN ADVERTISING IN DASHBOARD? Contact Janis Dalgleish:

604-738-1411 | jdalgleish@vancourier.com

Subaru stays on track with new WRX BRAKING NEWS

with Brendan McAleer

f you’ve been wondering, as I have, how much the new WRX is going to deviate from the current Impreza, then wonder no longer after images were revealed at last week’s Los Angeles Auto Show. What Subaru’s done this time is so revolutionary, so gamechanging, such a complete about-face, it’s going to blow your mind. See, what they’ve gone and done — wait for it — is put a hood-scoop on a sedan. *crickets* OK, so this is pretty much what the WRX always was, but permit me at least to breathe a sigh of relief. As a family man with the irrational need to get from pointto-point as quickly as possible, the thought that the WRX might get all weird and impractical was a sad one.

When my old bucket kicks the, er, bucket, I’m just going to stuff another one of these cars in the driveway. They’re safe, they ﬁt the child seat; it’s basically all of that rally car sideways crazy stuff in a nice practical package you can sneak past the Ministry of Finance (i.e. one’s spouse). Details about what’s going on under the hood are still not out yet, but expect the Impreza-based hot rod to have the ubiquitous Subaru symmetrical all-wheel drive and a 2.0-litre turbocharged engine making around 270 horsepower, with a bit better fuel economy than the outgoing car. I can’t wait to strap in a car seat and start coating the interior with cat hair.

HYUNDAI EXECS AXED Embarrassed by two major recalls regarding the braking systems of the Genesis sedan (nothing too major, just internal corrosion), Hyundai’s head of R&D stepped down this week, joined by two other executives. “Resigned” is the word used, though there’s occasionally little choice given in these circumstances. A face-saving measure as the recall expands to include nearly 50,000 vehicles?

Perhaps, though there’s something to be said here for a corporate culture that actually presents consequences for quality failures. All too often in the automotive industry, someone’s failures just get them transferred to ruin a different part of the company. Kudos to Hyundai for being tough on its leadership.

TOYOTA READIES RALLY RACING GT-86 Speaking of rally rockets, Toyota’s motorsports wing just revealed their intent to take the rear-drive Toyobaru coupe rallying. Built by Subaru but with some Toyota DNA in there too, the GT-86 is Toyota’s version of the Scion FR-S. Changes will include suspension toughening and a sequential gearbox, but the GT-86 will remain rear-drive and probably a great deal of fun to thrash through the gravel. The World Rally Championship has a class perfect for this sort of thing, and hopefully the competition leads to some interesting special editions, as it did last time Toyota went rallying in earnest.

MERCEDES-BENZ READIES INLINE-SIX ENGINE Think of a German-made straight-six and the image of a blue-and-white roundel immediately pops into mind. You tend not to think of the three-pointed star. Even so, Mercedes-Benz is reportedly in development with a new inline-six-cylinder engine to ﬁt under the hood of the new EClass. They already have a series of V-6s as well as four-cylinder turbo diesels or twinturbo V-8s, so the obvious question is: why bother? It’s not so much to do with the inherent balance of an inline-six as much as the potential for a modular engine that can be cut back to four or even three cylinders. That’s right, the premier Germanic luxury marque is moving towards a future where some of its cars sport three-bangers. That’s not luxury. That barely qualiﬁes as “entry-level.” However, if a three ever shows up in a MB outside of European taxicab specials, it might be as just a range-extender on some electrically propelled limousine. brakingnews@gmail.com twitter.com/ brendan_mcaleer

The fastest car

off the lot .

smart fortwo passion shown

>> The smart fortwo sign-and-go promotion. This leader in urban mobility will cost you a lot less than you think. With fuel sipping efficiency, agile handling, compact profile and an eye-popping price point, the smart fortwo makes discovering the city easier. And now with zero down payment, zero security deposit and zero first payment, you’ll have the fastest car off the lot. Visit your local smart Centre to test drive the smart fortwo today.

0 $0

down payment* security deposit*

www.smart.com

0 $0

first payment* due at signing*

*Fees and taxes are extra

smart - a Daimler brand

smart Centre Vancouver - 1395 West Broadway, Vancouver - 604-736-7411

D#6276

2013 smart Canada, a Division of Mercedes-Benz Canada Inc. Vehicle shown is the 2013 smart fortwo passion coupe with optional equipment at an extra cost. Total price is based on a 2013 smart fortwo pure coupe, National MSRP of $14,400. Total price of $16,660 includes charges of freight/PDI of $1,495, dealer admin fee of $595, air-conditioning levy of $100, PPSA up to $50.48 and a $20.00 fee covering EHF tires, filters and batteries (taxes are extra). Vehicle options, fees and taxes extra. Lease offer based on the 2013 smart fortwo pure. Available only through Mercedes-Benz Financial Services on approved credit for a limited time. Lease example based on $209 (excluding taxes) per month for 36 months (STK#V1300462). *$0 Down payment, $0 Security deposit, $0 first payment, and $0 due at signing, on the condition of approved credit only through Mercedes-Benz Financial Services. Lease APR of 1.9% applies. Total cost of borrowing is $576, total obligation is $8,461. 12,000 km/year allowance ($0.20/km for excess kilometres applies.). Vehicle license, insurance, and registration are extra. Dealer may lease or finance for less. Offer ends December 31st, 2013.

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THE VANCOUVER COURIER F R I DAY, DE C E M B E R 6 , 2 0 1 3

0 AWD 5 0 NO CHARGE

SEASON OF

SAVINGS

FINANCING FOR

36 MONTHS

‡

($2,000 IN VALUE)

YEAR COMPREHENSIVE WARRANTY

ON SELECT MODELS

%†

2013 CANADIAN UTILITY VEHICLE OF THE YEAR

HWY: 8.4L/100 KM CITY: 11.0L/100 KM▼

2013

FINANCING FOR 36 MONTHS

SANTA FE

2.0T LIMITED AWD

NO CHARGE

AWD

AVAILABLE FEATURES INCLUDE: PANORAMIC SUNROOF • REARVIEW CAMERA • HEATED FRONT/REAR SEATS

Limited model shown

HWY: 8.0L/100 KM CITY: 11.7L/100 KM▼

2013

%†

PREMIUM AWD

FINANCING FOR 36 MONTHS

PASSENGER SEATING

NO CHARGE

AWD

AVAILABLE FEATURES INCLUDE: 3.3L GDI V6 ENGINE • POWER LIFTGATE • 5,000 LBS TOWING CAPACITY

Limited model shown

‡

($2,000 IN VALUE)

SANTA FE XL 7

†

‡

($2,000 IN VALUE)

THE NEW 2014 TUCSON HAS ARRIVED HWY: 7.2L/100 KM CITY: 10.0L/100 KM▼

2014

TUCSON

STANDARD FEATURES INCLUDE: AIR CONDITIONING • EZ LANE CHANGE ASSIST • BLUETOOTH® HANDS FREE PHONE SYSTEM • FRONT HEATED SEATS

122 1.9 0 23,259 $

AND

DOWN

Limited model shown

5-year/100,000 km Comprehensive Limited Warranty†† 5-year/100,000 km Powertrain Warranty 5-year/100,000 km Emission Warranty

OWN IT FOR

WITH

BI-WEEKLY

FINANCING FOR 96 MONTHS

%†

SELLING PRICE:

♦

TUCSON 2.0L GL FWD MT. DELIVERY & DESTINATION INCLUDED.

HyundaiCanada.com

TM The Hyundai names, logos, product names, feature names, images and slogans are trademarks owned by Hyundai Auto Canada Corp. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. †Finance offers available O.A.C. from Hyundai Financial Services based on a new 2013 Santa Fe 2.0T Limited AWD/2013 Santa Fe XL Premium AWD/2014 Tucson 2.0L GL FWD MT with an annual finance rate of 0%/0%1.9% for 36/36/96 months. Bi-weekly payments are $493/$448/$122. $0 down payment required. Cost of Borrowing is $0/$0/$1,831. Finance offers include Delivery and Destination of $1,760. Registration, insurance, PPSA, fees, levies, charges, license fees and all applicable taxes are excluded. Delivery and Destination charge includes freight, P.D.E., dealer admin fees and a full tank of gas. Financing example: 2014 Tucson 2.0L GL FWD MT for $23,259 at 1.9% per annum equals $122 bi-weekly for 96 months for a total obligation of $25,090. Cash price is $23,259. Cost of Borrowing is $1,831. Example price includes Delivery and Destination of $1,760. Registration, insurance, PPSA, fees, levies, charges, license fees and all applicable taxes are excluded. Delivery and Destination charge includes freight, P.D.E., dealer admin fees and a full tank of gas. ▼Fuel consumption for 2013 Santa Fe 2.0T Limited AWD Auto (HWY 8.4L/100KM, City 11.0L/100KM), 2013 Santa Fe XL Premium AWD (HWY 8.0L/100KM, City 11.7L L/100KM), 2014 Tucson 2.0L GL FWD MT (HWY 7.2L/100KM, City 10.0L L/100KM) are based on Energuide. Actual fuel efficiency may vary based on driving conditions and the addition of certain vehicle accessories. Fuel economy figures are used for comparison purposes only. ♦Price of models shown: 2013 Santa Fe Sport 2.0T Limited AWD/2013 Santa Fe XL Limited AWD/2014 Tucson 2.4L Limited AWD are $40,259/$44,659/$35,359. Prices include Delivery and Destination charges of $1,760. Registration, insurance, PPSA, fees, levies, charges, license fees and all applicable taxes are excluded. ‡No Charge AWD Offer: Purchase or lease a new 2013 Santa Fe 2.0T Limited AWD or Santa Fe XL Premium AWD and you will be entitled to a $2,000 factory to dealer credit. The manufacturer’s estimated retail value for Santa Fe AWD is $2,000. Factory to dealer credit applies before taxes. Offer cannot be combined or used in conjunction with any other available credits. Offer is non-transferable and cannot be assigned. No vehicle trade-in required. No Charge AWD Offer not available on the 2013 Santa Fe Sport 2.4L FWD, 2.4L Premium FWD or 2.0T Premium FWD, or the 2013 Santa Fe XL FWD. †‡♦Offers available for a limited time, and subject to change or cancellation without notice. See dealer for complete details. Dealer may sell for less. Inventory is limited, dealer order may be required. ††Hyundai’s Comprehensive Limited Warranty coverage covers most vehicle components against defects in workmanship under normal use and maintenance conditions. Do

445 Kingsway near 12th Ave in Vancouver

wn to wn

E 12thh Ave A Kin gs wa y

Vancouver's only Hyundai dealer!

call 604-292-8188 www.DestinationHyundai.com

F R I DAY, DE C E M B E R 6 , 2 0 1 3 THE VANCOUVER COURIER

LANGLEY 20429 Langley By-Pass 604.530.8248

VICTORIA 661 McCallum Rd 250.475.2233

NANAIMO 1711 Bowen Rd 250.753.6361

EA R

CEL RICHMOND 12551 Bridgeport Rd 604.273.2971

604.524.3444

R AT

*Donations benefit the local Food Bank and The Gaby Davis Foundation.

COQUITLAM 1400 United Blvd

Donateto charityand SAVEBIG

A47

KELOWNA 1850 Springfield Rd 250.860.7603

Brighton Sectional

Now 25% OFF

A48

THE VANCOUVER COURIER F R I DAY, DE C E M B E R 6 , 2 0 1 3

WEEKLY SPECIALS 100% BC Owned and Operated Prices Effective December 5 to December 11, 2013.

We reserve the right to limit quantities. We reserve the right to correct printing errors.

Grocery Department

Meat Department Theobroma Organic Chocolate Bar

The Granola King Granola

assorted varieties

gourmet or hazelnut hemp

21.99

SAVE

31%

4.29

SAVE

34%

225ml

product of France

3.29 142-213g

product of USA

6.49

assorted varieties

2.49

SAVE

42%

SAVE

36%

3.99

SAVE

340 – 342g product of USA

32%

9.99

SAVE from

100g product of Germany

product of USA

Organic Broccoli from Double D Farm California Grown

3.49

WOW!

PRICING

227g • reg 4.99

Indulge in Swiss Cheeses Save 1.00/100g on these varieties Emmental (organic and conventional), Gruyere (organic and conventional) Cave Aged Gruyere, Appenzeller or Raclette

1.98lb/ 4.37kg

12.99

4.49

33%

236ml product of USA

O’Dough’s Frozen Loafs or Buns Gluten Free

Gold Seal Oysters, Clams or Crabmeat assorted varieties

assorted varieties

2.49 to 3/3.99 85-142g

product of Asia

4.59

Kitchen Basics Stock

Eco Max Ultra Dish Liquid

2/5.98

2/7.00

400-700g • product of Canada

946ml • product of USA

bags or bins

20% off regular retail price Mountain Sky Love Thy Lips Lip Balm

2/5.00

assorted varieties

Herbatint Hair Colour

14.99

Multiseed or Multigrain Bread assorted varieties and sizes

Rice Bakery

AHM Camu C

19.99

Rice Rum Balls

1.50 off regular retail price 180g

740ml • product of Canada

each

A more natural approach to colouring your hair. Choose from a variety of exciting colours.

1.00 off regular retail price 260-600g

4.25g

Mountain Sky Love they lips balm is a super creamy lip protector made with all natural ingredients to protect your sensitive lips and can even be used to moisturize dry skin spots.

retail price 12 pack

assorted varieties

Dark or Milk Chocolate Covered Almonds

1.00 off regular

assorted varieties

SAVE

Bulk Department

Bakery Department

OrganicVille Gluten Free Organic Dressing

24 roll product of Canada

90 capsules or 100g Powder

Camu C offers astringent, anti-oxidant, antiinflammatory, emollient, and nutritive properties and contains numerous phytochemicals such as natural beta-carotene, calcium, iron, niacin, phosphorus, protein, riboflavin, and thiamin.

WOW!

Choices’ Star of the Season Program

PRICING

November 1st – December 24th Your donation of only $2 supports the growth of healthy communities. Now in its 12th year, Choices’ Star of the Season Program enriches the lives of families all across Metro Vancouver and the Okanagan. Kindly donated by Calabar Printers, Choices’ Holiday Stars may be purchased between November 1st and December 24th for a donation of $2.00. 2010 - 2013 Awards. Your loyalty has helped Choices achieve these awards. Thank you!

2.98lb/ 6.57kg

Health Care Department

from 4.99

907g product of USA

21%

Cascades Bathroom Tissue

23%

2/2.98

assorted varieties

340g product of USA

SAVE

PRICING

Lundberg Organic Rice

assorted varieties

33%

WOW!

PRICING

Efruiti Gummies

assorted varieties

Dazbog Organic Coffee

SAVE

Organic Sweet Meyer Lemons

product of USA

Dr. Praeger’s Frozen Pancakes assorted varieties

PRICING

assorted varieties

product of Canada

11%

1kg product of Canada

5lb box product of Japan

WOW!

Summer Fresh Dips 1L

6.98

WOW!

California Grown

Deli Department

Valley Pride Organic Egg Nog

Rogers Porridge Oats

SAVE

6.99lb/ 15.41kg

assorted varieties

32%

Organic Sirloin Tip Steaks or Roasts

Annie’s Cheddar Bunny Crackers

St. Dalfour Jams

SAVE

9.99lb/ 22.02kg

35g

product of Canada

23%

product of Canada

Original Sun Brand Satsuma Mandarin Oranges

Wild Coho Salmon Fillets previously frozen, value pack

1.99

SAVE

2 kg

Produce Department

Look for our

WOW! PRICING Find us on Facebook: facebook.com/ChoicesMarkets

Best Organic Produce

Best Grocery Store

2010-2013

www.choicesmarkets.com Kitsilano

Cambie

Kerrisdale

Yaletown

Rice Bakery

South Surrey

2627 W. 16th Ave. Vancouver 604.736.0009

3493 Cambie St. Vancouver 604.875.0099

1888 W. 57th Ave. Vancouver 604.263.4600

1202 Richards St. Vancouver 604.633.2392

2595 W. 16th Ave. Vancouver 604.736.0301

3248 King George Blvd. South Surrey 604.541.3902

Burnaby Crest

8683 10th Ave. Burnaby 604.522.0936

Kelowna

Floral Shop

1937 Harvey Ave. Kelowna 250.862.4864

2615 W. 16th Vancouver 603-736-7522