Vancouver Courier February 4 2015 by Vancouver Courier

WEDNESDAY

February 4 2015

Vol. 106 No. 09

NEWS 8

Passion over depression CITY LIVING 12

Vintage threads STATE OF THE ARTS 18

Hunka hunka Berner love There’s more online at

vancourier.com MIDWEEK EDITION

THE VOICE of VANCOUVER NEIGHBOURHOODS since 1908

Mayors urge Yes vote Campaign kickoff for transportation plebiscite Mike Howell

mhowell@vancourier.com

Seven mayors, including Gregor Robertson of Vancouver and Linda Hepner of Surrey, kicked off a campaign Monday to urge Metro Vancouverites to vote Yes in a spring plebiscite on transportation that asks voters whether they approve of a 0.5 per cent sales tax hike to help pay for a $7.5 billion plan to ease congestion in the region. But the mayors, who gathered at the Waterfront transit station downtown, found themselves answering questions on why voters should trust TransLink to use the tax hike money for the mayors’ 10year plan, which includes a subway along the Broadway corridor and a light rail transit system in Surrey. The No TransLink Tax side has characterized TransLink as a “wasteful organization,” pointing to millions of dollars in cost overruns to Compass Card and fare gate systems and big payouts to executives. “We’ll obviously be watching very closely as TransLink manages all of its ﬁnances going forward — we’ll keep a close eye on that,” Robertson told reporters. The mayors have no governing power to ensure funds are matched to projects, although Robertson and Hepner, who are chairperson and vice-chairperson of the mayors’ council on regional transportation, have seats on TransLink’s board of directors. “There is clarity from the B.C.

government that there will be accountability and transparency,” Robertson added. “We’re looking at ensuring that that is built into the funding so that all taxpayers have assurances that this money is going directly into transit and transportation investments for the region for the future.” Hepner said an independent audit will be conducted every year to ensure the funding is going to the projects, which are planned to be built over 10 years and includes an immediate 25 per cent increase in bus service across Metro Vancouver, which reaches from West Vancouver to Langley. “We think this is the most efﬁcient and sustainable way to move this region forward,” said Hepner, who estimated congestion is costing the region $1 billion per year in losses to the economy. A 0.5 per cent increase to the provincial sales tax would raise $250 million a year to help pay for the $7.5-billion plan, which also includes increased HandyDart and SeaBus service, upgrades to roads and cycling infrastructure and a new Patullo Bridge. The plan relies heavily on funding from the provincial and federal governments. Robertson and Hepner will be in Toronto later this week for a Federation of Canadian Municipalities’ meeting, dubbed the Big Cities Summit, but don’t have meetings scheduled with federal ministers while in Ontario. Continued on page 9

TUPPER UP Chris Schneller (No. 7) rebounds for Tupper. Days after the Tigers squeaked out a 60-59 win over St. Thomas More on Jan. 31, the senior boys basketball team surprised their highly respected coach by celebrating his years of service and commitment. Read what former players had to say about Jeff Gourley on page 19. PHOTO REBECCA BLISSETT

Vancouver’s Top Five Family Day events

A roundup for the long weekend Sandra Thomas

sthomas@vancourier.com

There are many events taking place across the city to celebrate the second annual Family Day in B.C., Feb. 9, but we’ve narrowed the list down to the top ﬁve. OK, the Trout Lake Commu-

nity Centre should probably win a prize for offering the most performances, activities and events in one location in celebration of B.C. Family Day — thanks to funding from the provincial government. To that end, there will be dance. This free event kicks off at 11 a.m. with an opening ceremony including Dez Dancers, Chinese dancers and the Forest Dance. Activities also include

gym fun for all ages, soccer demonstrations and instructorled sessions including Music Together, Grow with Music, Middle Eastern dancing, break dancing, salsa, a big swing band, blue grass jam, storytelling, a drama performance, readings by members of the Seniors Writing Group, family photo shoot, Aikido and Kempo demonstrations and Contact made up of keen professional artists and

amateur dancers who are parents, grandparents, care givers and children up to and including the age of four. Don’t forget to check out arts and crafts in the pottery and art studios and Olympic art in the Willow Room. The Figure Skating Club will perform from 1:15 to 1:30 p.m. in the rink and a family skate takes place from 11:30 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. As well, hungry families can enjoy tasty

cooking demonstrations in the kitchen and celebrate with cake. The Trout Lake Community Centre Youth group is hosting a barbecue offering one hotdog, a drink and bag of chips for $3.50. The event ends with a grand ﬁnale of multicultural drumming and circle dance. The centre is located at 3360 Victoria Dr. Call 604 257-6955 or visit troutlakecc.com for more information. Continued on page 15

THE VANCOUVER COURIER W E DN E SDAY, F E B RUA RY 4 , 2 0 1 5

Give Hope Every year, hundreds of vendors like Stephen sell Hope in Shadows. They earn an income while showcasing their community. This year, buy a calendar and help create job opportunities for low-income people.

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W E DN E SDAY, F E B RUA RY 4 , 2 0 1 5 THE VANCOUVER COURIER

News

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As speculation mounts over whether Police Chief Jim Chu enters politics, former police board member Sheryl Williamson says the chief’s job already fits the description of a politician. PHOTO DAN TOULGOET

Police chief developed political chops on the job Former police board member praises change in policing

12TH&CAMBIE Mike Howell

mhowell@vancourier.com

You’ve probably heard the speculation: Police Chief Jim Chu, who plans to retire in the spring after almost eight years as head of the Vancouver Police Department, will take a run at politics. At his news conference a couple weeks ago, Chu wouldn’t say whether he was leaving his post to pursue a political career. Was he being coy? Maybe. Or maybe he’s just going to put his feet up and watch reruns of Adam-12 or Starsky and Hutch for the rest of his life. Probably not. Chu did acknowledge political parties have been interested in his candidacy, although he said he rebuffed offers with his standard line: “I’m still the chief and until I’m not the chief, I won’t be looking for another job.” With a federal election date scheduled for Oct. 19, and Chu’s resume surely to attract the federal Liberals and Conservatives — maybe even the NDP — I asked a former police board member what she thought about the city’s top cop becoming a politician. Sheryl Williamson was on the police board for six years until she retired last year. Williamson watched as Chu led a department

through the 2010 Winter Olympics, the Stanley Cup Riot, Occupy Vancouver, the Oppenheimer Park tent city and crisis involving his ofﬁcers, including a cop ﬁred for selling drugs and another one punished for pushing a woman to the ground with cerebral palsy. She knows, too, that Chu has met with politicians at all levels of government, appeared at news conferences and taken cabinet ministers on tours of the Downtown Eastside. He also built up connections in his role as head of the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police. As far back as 2008, Chu’s name appeared in a provincial government press release when the government announced it purchased six singleroom-occupancy hotels in the Downtown Eastside for renovation. I asked Chu about all this in February 2008. “If it’s a matter that involves improving public safety, and the link between public safety and supportive housing is there, then we will be advocates for it,” he said at the time. “What we’re doing is becoming advocates for issues or situations that affect the citizens of Vancouver. So if it’s appropriate, based on that criteria, then you will hear from the Vancouver Police Department.” I reminded Williamson

of some of that history and asked whether she thought Chu would make a good politician. Williamson, by the way, once ran for a park board seat with the NPA and was appointed to the police board under former NPA mayor Sam Sullivan. “I’ll put it to you this way: Find me anybody in a position of authority, like Jim is, who isn’t already a politician. Any person who has come through that and is in a position of accountability, a position of authority, a position that necessitates building strong and durable relationships, engaging people — look up politician, there’s the deﬁnition.” Added Williamson: “There have been — here and in other places — police chiefs who do only show up when there’s been a crisis, in a very reactive manner. What Jim has done and done exceedingly well is be able to look at some of the concerns that affect the citizens of this city and Canada at large, in his role as head of the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police, and say: ‘Where can we address this? Where can we call it out? Where can we make a difference proactively?’ That’s been a real change in the way that policing occurs.” So there you go, chief, you’re already a politician. Please call me when you make it ofﬁcial. twitter.com/Howellings

THE VANCOUVER COURIER W E DN E SDAY, F E B RUA RY 4 , 2 0 1 5

News

Grant a godsend for storage service

$40K Aviva grant awarded to facility offering storage space to the homeless Naoibh O’Connor

noconnor@vancourier.com

The First United Community Ministry Society landed a much-needed $40,000 grant last week to help its popular storage facility for the homeless continue operating for another year. The welcome news also highlighted the annual effort non-proﬁts exert to ensure program costs are covered. “Multi-year funding is a challenging thing to get and that is true for lots of people in the non-proﬁt sector. It is something we do have to put energy into year-toyear,” explained Heather Forbes, First United’s communications coordinator. “For this program, and for other programs, it’s always something we have to plan time for, but that’s just

Heather Forbes, First United’s communications coordinator, said the society was thrilled to win the $40,000 Aviva grant, which will help it continue operating the storage facility for the homeless. PHOTO DAN TOULGOET

part of the world we live in and I don’t think we’re in a unique situation with that.” First United earned the $40,000 grant through the Aviva community fund. The public votes on nominated projects and, if the project earns a place in the ﬁnals, a panel of judges chooses grand prize winners, according to criteria such as longevity and sustainability. The storage facility program, which launched

at the end of 2009, was established through onetime-only City of Vancouver funding related to the Olympics. It operates seven days a week and provides 200 units of storage for use by homeless people or those with precarious housing. Users are assigned a storage unit — a rubber bin that can hold up to 50 pounds, or a place for their cart or luggage. They must check in once a day so staff can ensure they haven’t

abandoned their belongings. Users can access their property as often as they like during operating hours. The facility is in First United’s underground parking and takes up about four to six parking spots. It costs roughly $60,000 to operate, with the bulk of the budget going towards staff who manage access during operating hours. Forbes said some people use the facility while they’re in crisis for less than a

month — perhaps if they’ve lost their home or if they just arrived in Vancouver. Some use it for less than three months, while a small number use it for more than a year. “They’re perhaps street entrenched or they don’t feel comfortable keeping their belongings where they are physically staying,” Forbes said. It’s such as well-used service that on some days First United has to turn people away because it’s full. But every year, the society has to seek funding from a variety of sources. Individuals contribute cash, as do various groups. One of its major funders has been Hockey Helping the Homeless, which provided $30,000 last year. “They have supported us in the past. We don’t have funding from them for 2015, but we’re very hopeful that they will support us again in 2015,” Forbes explained. First United resource development manager Natalie Lanoville managed the suc-

cessful Aviva campaign with help from volunteers with social media experience. Forbes said it definitely gets more difficult to attract funding for particular programs as the years go on and new programs capture the public’s attention and interest. “A lot of funding programs tend to go towards new projects, so it does become more difficult for projects that have been around for a long time.” What’s great about the Aviva fund, according to Forbes, is that it’s visible and driven by individuals. “We get individuals caring about [this project] specifically, so we get individuals starting to direct donations specifically to the storage facility. That helps with our long-term sustainability,” she said. “Although this grant is for only one year. It has returns in a lot of different ways because it makes individual donors more aware of us and it makes potential partners more aware of us in the future.” twitter.com/naoibh

Notice of Development Permit Application - DP 15001

Public Open House

Wesbrook Place Lots 27 & 29 Faculty & Staff Rental Housing You are invited to attend an Open House on Tuesday, February 17 to view and comment on the proposed faculty & staff rental residential development in consolidated Lots 27 & 29 in Wesbrook Place. Plans will be displayed for two adjacent 6-storey residential buildings, with a total gross ﬂoor area of 18,312m2.

Date: Tuesday,February17,2015 Time: 4:30 - 6:00 PM Place: Wesbrook Village Welcome Centre, 3378 Wesbrook Mall Representatives from the project team and Campus + Community Planning will be available to provide information and respond to inquiries about this project. The public is also invited to attend: Development Permit Board Meeting Date/Time: March 18 from 5:00-6:30pm Location: Classroom, Tapestry Building 3338 Wesbrook Mall

For more information on this project, please visit: planning.ubc.ca/ vancouver/projects-consultations This event is wheelchair accessible.

For further information: Please direct questions to Karen Russell, Manager Development Services karen.russell@ubc.ca 604-822-1586

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W E DN E SDAY, F E B RUA RY 4 , 2 0 1 5 THE VANCOUVER COURIER

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Join our LOOKING BACK Black History Month kicked off in city hall council chambers last Friday with a celebration that included music by

Kia Kadiri and Perla Nicole Galvan. The event recognized the career of Justice Selwyn Romilly, who is retiring from the Supreme Court of B.C. after a distinguished career, and included the unveiling of new stamps by Canada Post. PHOTO DAN TOULGOET

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THE VANCOUVER COURIER W E DN E SDAY, F E B RUA RY 4 , 2 0 1 5

News

East Side emerges as B.C. microbrew hub Parallel 49 triples its revenue to become the largest of nearly a dozen East Side brewers

Glen Korstrom

gkorstrom@biv.com

The proliferation of small craft brewers across B.C. is stealing market share from once-dominant big brewers while producing an ever-expanding range of innovative beers. B.C. now has at least 53 breweries and 22 brew pubs, according to the B.C. Beer Guide website. Entrepreneurs launched more than a dozen of those ventures in the past two years. British Columbia Liquor Distribution Branch (BCLDB) statistics reveal how successful these startups have been. Annual revenue for domestic breweries that produce less than 1.5 million litres of packaged (bottled or canned) beer per year jumped 57.92 per cent in the year that ended Dec. 31, according to BCLDB data. That compares with a 0.73 per cent rise in revenue for domestic brewers

Parallel 49 Brewing Co. partners (left to right) Scott Venema, Graham With, Anthony Frustagli, Michael Tod and Nick Paladino. PHOTO ROB KRUYT

that produced more than 16 million litres of packaged beer annually during the same two time frames. Parallel 49 Brewing Co.

THE NEW

is one of the fastest-growing of the craft brewers and it leapt onto Business in Vancouver’s 2015 list of largest brewers in B.C. at

CANADA APPRENTICE LOAN

No. 15, thanks to a 223.5 per cent increase in annual sales during the year ended March 31, 2014. “When we opened in

2012, we basically planned on growth,” said Parallel 49 principal Anthony Frustagli. “We looked at the landscape of B.C. craft beer and how it was shaking out over the past couple of years. We realized there was huge demand that wasn’t being met.” He involved partners Scott Venema, Nick Paladino, Graham With, Mike Sleeman and Michael Tod. Each invested varying amounts to equip the 16,000-square-foot brewery with six 5,000-litre fermenting tanks. The owners have since added 17 10,000-litre tanks. Investments in both canning and bottling lines have enabled 65 per cent of the brewery’s sales to be packaged. Parallel 49 also sells kegs to restaurants and ﬁlls growlers and pint glasses at its 50-seat pub at 1950 Triumph Street in East Vancouver.

Whether stimulated by Parallel 49’s success or simply by coincidence, East Vancouver has since increased its stature as a craft beer hub within the province. The area has long housed brewers such as Storm Brewing Ltd. and R&B Brewing Co., but in late 2013, Powell Street Brewery launched near Parallel 49. In September, that Powell Street brewery moved a few blocks west to a bigger space on the same street. Doan’s Craft Brewing Co. then moved into Powell Street Brewing’s old space. Other newcomers to the neighbourhood include Bomber Brewing and Strange Fellows. Callister Brewing aims to launch in spring 2015; other East Vancouver brewers include Coal Harbour Brewing, founded in 2009, and Main Street’s growleronly Brassneck Brewery. twitter.com/GlenKorstrom

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W E DN E SDAY, F E B RUA RY 4 , 2 0 1 5 THE VANCOUVER COURIER

by Cheryl Rossi, inspired by Brandon Stanton’s Humans Of New York

Development Permit Board Meeting: February 10 The Development Permit Board and Advisory Panel will meet: Tuesday, February 10, 2015 at 3 pm Vancouver City Hall, 453 West 12th Avenue Ground Floor, Town Hall Meeting Room to consider the following development permit applications: 8580 River District Crossing: To develop the site with a five-storey, mixed-use building containing retail on the ground floor, a three-storey townhouse podium, and a total of 65 dwelling units over two levels of underground parking with vehicle access from the lane. 8538 River District Crossing: To develop the site with a 19-storey, mixed-use building with a three-storey podium containing retail and grocery stores on the first two storeys, and a total of 296 residential units over three levels of underground parking with vehicle access from the lane. 3488 Sawmill Crescent: To develop this site with a five-storey, mixed-use building containing retail on the ground floor, a three-storey townhouse podium, and a total of 61 dwelling units over two levels of underground parking with vehicle access from the lane. PHOTO CHERYL ROSSI

8533 River District Crossing: To develop this site with an 18-storey, mixed-use building consisting of retail use on portions of the ﬁrst four storeys and a total of 258 dwelling units over three levels of underground parking with vehicle access from the lane.

I’d just put together an old bike and then the second day I took it out to work I got smooshed by a car… I’ve ridden my bike to work for like, seven or eight years. I’m from Toronto so I’m used all the nitty gritty traffic there and no worries. But here, bad luck so far. I moved here in the summer and then,

[after] a week at work, I got my bike stolen outside, and then I went and put this other bike together, and then I got hit by a car a couple of days later. I’m a little pissed off so far with the biking situation in Vancouver.

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THE VANCOUVER COURIER W E DN E SDAY, F E B RUA RY 4 , 2 0 1 5

News

Passion for life could fight the blues Cheryl Rossi

crossi@vancourier.com

Alarmed by the rising rates of depression worldwide, a Vancouver psychologist is offering a free talk on cultivating a more passionate life. Dr. Patrick Myers believes living exuberantly reduces the risk of depression. The World Health Organization predicts depression will be the second leading cause of disability, for all ages and sexes, by 2020. The Public Health Agency of Canada estimates that one in ﬁve Canadians will face a psychological disorder in their lifetime. The Mental Health Commission of Canada notes more than 6.7 million people in Canada live with a mental health problem. By comparison, 2.2 million people in Canadian have type 2 diabetes. Experts don’t agree on the causes of rising rates of depression, but Myers believes the world is becoming more stressful and that people are taking behavioural shortcuts that can contribute to despair. He’s offering a free talk Feb. 4 and Feb. 22, called How to Cultivate a More Passionate Life, which includes practical tips to help avert depression. Myers’s talk is one in a series. February marks Psychology Month in B.C. and the B.C. Psychological Association is working to highlight the role psychology plays in our lives and

Dr. Patrick Myers touts cultivating passion, gratitude and moments of reflection to help dodge depression. PHOTO DAN TOULGOET

communities with a public education campaign. Myers talk will include some of the following tips.

Gratitude

Myers, who has worked as a psychologist for 15 years, says appreciating what you might otherwise take for granted can improve your outlook. “One of the most powerful interventions that has come out of the ﬁeld of positive psychology is the idea of gratitude,” Myers said. “This is the opposite

of trying to keep up with the Joneses, always comparing yourself to others. This is, instead, taking a look at yourself and realizing how lucky you are to have what you have.” For example, when the only parking spot available in a lot is the furthest one from an entrance, Myers recommends focusing on the positive. “Are you grateful for the fact that you’re healthy enough to be able to walk across that parking lot?” he said.

The million-dollar question

If you don’t know what would make you feel more fulﬁlled, ask yourself what you would do if you won a million dollars, Myers says, and then start working towards making your fantasy a reality. Would you travel more? Return to school? Myers had a friend who was passionate about art and decided to take one art class per term so she would retire with a ﬁne arts degree and paint for

the rest of her life. Pursuing this dream actually motivated her to make this happen sooner.

Reflection

Myers recommends taking time to reﬂect on where you’ve been and what you’ve accomplished. “And take a little bit of time to take a look at where you think you weren’t doing quite as well as you should have and ask yourself, ‘Well I wonder how I could do that a

little bit better?’” he said. Don’t have time to meditate? Start small. Take three deep breaths. Notice the sensations in your body with the first breath, your thoughts with the second and your environment with your third. “When people start getting into the habit of stopping just a moment to reflect, things start changing and they start seeing opportunities to be able to change their life,” Myers said. “Instead of paying for six sessions, if you come to some of these presentations, maybe you’ll only have to see me for four sessions,” he said. “Considering the fact that we’re expensive buggers, that’s quite a savings.” Most of the psychologists he knows charge $150 to $175 an hour. Other talks include Building a Better Brain, Effective Coping Strategies for our Fast-Paced World, both on Feb. 16, and Imagine Empathy for Parents on Feb. 23. The psychological association states every Canadian will be directly or indirectly affected by mental illness through a family member, friend or colleague at some point and asserts psychologists can help people find solutions to their challenges. For more information, see psychologists.bc.ca. The BCPA operates a free referral service online and at 604-730-0522. twitter.com/Cheryl_Rossi

A new point of view.

CBC News Andrew Chang

Vancouver Weeknights at 5 & 6 pm cbc.ca/bc

@cbcnewsbc

W E DN E SDAY, F E B RUA RY 4 , 2 0 1 5 THE VANCOUVER COURIER

News Mayor pledges to lobby Ottawa

Continued from page 1 “We’ll obviously be back in Ottawa in the near future to talk to ministers and make sure that they understand our needs as they go into the federal budget,” Robertson said. “We’re talking to all the parties as they put their election platforms together.” The mayors’ Yes campaign kick-off came the week after West Vancouver Mayor Michael Smith garnered widespread media attention for an opinion piece he wrote for the No TransLink Tax campaign’s website. Though he argued transit and transportation upgrades are needed for the region, Smith said transit has been treated far too long like a po-

litical football, being “kicked back and forth between the province and the region.” “The proposed plebiscite offers no relief from this,” he wrote. “I fully support an efﬁcient and effective transit system but to make it a reality we need local control to plan, operate and fund the system and be accountable for results. Metro Vancouver now provides water, sewer, garbage and other essential services. Transit can certainly join the list.” Coquitlam Mayor Richard Stewart, Port Coquitlam Mayor Greg Moore, Langley Township Mayor Jack Froese and Langley City Mayor Ted Schaffer all spoke at Monday’s news conference

in support of a Yes vote. The provincial government announced over the weekend that money collected under a 0.5 per cent sales tax would be harmonized with the existing provincial sales tax to avoid confusion for businesses collecting the tax. Metro Vancouver residents can expect to begin receiving mail-in ballots in March for the plebiscite. Results are expected in June, with a positive result needing more than 50 per cent of the vote. twitter.com/Howellings

Mayors Gregor Robertson and Linda Hepner helped kick off a campaign Monday to urge Metro Vancouver residents to vote Yes in a spring plebiscite on transit and transportation. PHOTO DAN TOULGOET

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THE VANCOUVER COURIER W E DN E SDAY, F E B RUA RY 4 , 2 0 1 5

Opinion

Taking the beer out of Building form should the beer leagues follow ‘fit’ not ‘finance’ Les Leyne Columnist lleyne@timescolonist.com There’s one corner of B.C. life where the new Age of Enlightenment as far as liquor policy is concerned has yet to take hold. It’s hockey rink dressing rooms. For all the government’s preoccupation with farmers’ markets, beer gardens and grocery stores, the reformers have missed the one place where the old policies overlook the blindingly obvious. In hockey dressing rooms taken over by adult players after the kids have departed, it’s not unheard of for the occasional cold beverage to be consumed after a game. They don’t call it “beer league” hockey for nothing. B.C. Liberals have been avidly trumpeting their various reforms of liquor policy for the past two years. But they haven’t ventured to recognize the gap between theory — dressing rooms aren’t licensed for alcohol — and the reality — a post-game beer in the dressing room is as Canadian as apologizing for Justin Bieber. Although at least 22 separate liquorpolicy announcements from the government herald the arrival of a new sophisticated, tolerant outlook on booze, the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy still holds in dressing rooms. In some cases, the policy is actually moving in the opposite direction. The Alberni Valley Times reported last fall a crackdown on drinking in dressing rooms at the local multiplex, on orders from liquor inspectors. Those orders in turn arose from a complaint that prompted them to check out the dressing rooms. The Times filed a freedom-of-information request to learn more about how it all came about. The documents, made public a few months ago, show the full scope of the problem. The file brings to mind Claude Rains as the police captain in the movie Casablanca, shaking down saloon owner Humphrey Bogart: “I’m shocked, shocked to find that gambling is going on in here!” The complainant wrote to inspectors: “Was just wondering why Nanaimo has been fined for alcohol beverages in locker rooms yet [sic]… There is drinking in all adult leagues in Port Alberni … Any night you will observe coolers rolling in and there’s no Coca-Cola or Gatorade

in there. The consumption of alcohol is rampant in the Alberni Valley Multiplex.” The offended individual even took mobile phone videos with apparently smoking-gun proof and forwarded it to the branch. Liquor inspectors checked it out and determined some beer-league hockey players were indeed drinking beer in the dressing room. That’s like finding dope being smoked at a Cheech and Chong concert. They met the supervisor and his superior and took action to “ensure this practice ceases immediately.” “They may consume liquor only in the licensed area of the establishment or teams may get special-occasion licences for the odd event in the change room. Otherwise, there can be no liquor in the dressing room.” So Port Alberni might have achieved some kind of parity with Nanaimo when it comes to strict application of liquor laws. But not many middle-aged skaters would regard it as a bright day in the grand history of Canadian hockey. After the inspector’s warning, the Times reported a city official’s observation that more communities and arenas are moving in the zero-tolerance direction. Another option would be to license the dressing rooms. But that would involve servers going into the dressing rooms to take orders and then serve the beer, which doesn’t sound workable. Teams could also go to the licensed lounge after the game, but that isn’t always convenient. As it stands, the crackdown has been in effect for a few months and teams are on a three-strike watch — first a warning, then loss of ice time, then full suspension. There are understandable reasons to be careful about liquor consumption in those circumstances. But the crackdown is a far cry from the general tone of all the changes that have been rolled out recently. The beer corrals at public events are gone. B.C. has a happy hour now. Special-occasion licences are easier to get. There are provisions for family times with kids in certain pubs. B.C. Liberals are confident they’re riding a popular winning streak with the reforms. If they want to keep that going, they might want to look at the plight of the thirsty beer leaguers. twitter.com/leyneles

Michael Geller Columnist

michaelarthurgeller@gmail.com

The last week of January 2015 was not a happy week for some people at Vancouver City Hall. Those supporting Cadillac Fairview’s major office proposal next to the CPR Station must have been disappointed when the city’s Urban Design Panel agreed with critics, including me, who worried that the large building was not fitting in with the historic station and small site. But of greater concern was a B.C. Supreme Court ruling that stopped construction on a major Yaletown project because the judge did not think the public had been provided with sufficient information prior to the public hearing that rezoned the site. For planners, developers and lawyers involved with Vancouver property development, this decision was simply astounding. Coincidentally, I once had concerns about this project too, so much so that in spring 2013, I encouraged SFU City Program Director Gordon Price to organize a noon-time “City Conversation” with the title: Where is big TOO big? With hindsight, it is interesting to read the program description prepared by SFU: “Vancouver has had periodic debates over heights of new buildings, first in downtown, then in some neighbourhoods like Mt. Pleasant. Successive councils have allowed developers to build taller buildings than zoning would otherwise allow, in trade for developers’ donations of parks, preservation of historic buildings, day care centres, recreation facilities and other public amenities. “But where is the trade-off inappropriate? That’s the discussion around an interesting proposal on Helmcken St. at Richards St. Brenhill Developments is proposing to replace a deteriorating city social house, with a far larger social residence and other amenities, in trade for constructing a much taller residential tower than zoning now allows. “Public benefits? Too tall? To frame the discussion, we’re very pleased to host Vancouver City Councillor Raymond Louie, former planning director Brent Toderian, and architect/developer Michael Geller. Then it’s your turn. Feel free to bring your lunch.” At the time, my concern was not the business deal, but rather the project design.

The Helmcken tower was proposed at a 17.4 FSR (the ratio of building to lot area) or about three times the permitted density for the surrounding neighbourhood. As an aside, this is equivalent to 10 times the density of Kerrisdale’s highrise district. While I often advocated for projects with greater height or density, I was becoming increasingly concerned that developments in Vancouver were being approved at inappropriate heights and densities given their context and good planning. That was because the developers were offering community amenity contributions (CACs) being sought by the city, especially affordable housing. To paraphrase the American architect Louis Sullivan who famously said “form follows function,” the city was allowing building design and form to follow finance. I anticipated that Toderian and Louie would dismiss my concerns by assuring the audience that planners and politicians would never approve a building that was too large just because of the financial benefits for the city. And this is precisely what they said. During the SFU discussion, the details of this very complex transaction were reported. The developer had negotiated an arrangement with the city whereby he would acquire a city-owned site containing older public housing in exchange for building a 162-unit social housing project and a 36-storey condo and rental tower along with other financial considerations. Many concerns were expressed by local residents at the public hearing about the project design and business deal. However, the project was approved. The Community Association of New Yaletown subsequently took the city to court and to the surprise of many, won. Lawyers are now reviewing the ramifications of the court decision and the city is quickly proceeding to set dates for new public hearings so that construction can proceed. However, despite the hundreds of millions of dollars the city is receiving in CAC payments, many continue to worry that in too many instances we allow the pursuit of community amenities to unduly influence building designs to the detriment of neighbourhood planning. Whether it is an office building next to the station or new housing in Yaletown, form should follow fit, not finance. Hopefully the city got the message last week. twitter.com/michaelgeller

The week in num6ers...

The number of Metro Vancouver mayors who turned out at Waterfront Station on Monday to urge residents to vote Yes on the upcoming transportation plebiscite.

2 200 200 9

The number of Metro Vancouver mayors — Burnaby’s and West Vancouver’s — who are urging citizens to vote No on the upcoming transportation plebiscite.

The number of storage units operated by First United and available to homeless people. The society recently received a $40,000 Aviva grant to continue providing the free service.

The number of seats at the Kay Meek Theatre in West Vancouver, where Nicola Cavendish is appearing in the North American premiere of The Goodnight Bird.

The number of Backstreet Boys albums that made the Top 10. Backstreet’s back tonight (Feb. 4) with a documentary about Florida’s biggest boy band at the Rio Theatre.

In dollars, the cost of a Winter Wander passport giving preFamily Day access to a variety of museums and other city attractions this Saturday.

W E DN E SDAY, F E B RUA RY 4 , 2 0 1 5 THE VANCOUVER COURIER

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Inbox LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Sour on tower design

CO U R I E R A R C H I V E S T H I S W E E K I N H I S T O R Y

Beloved lifesaver loses his life

Fed. 4, 1922: Seraphim “Joe” Fortes, 59, one of Vancouver’s most popular citizens dies at Vancouver General Hospital after suffering a stroke. Born in the West Indies, Fortes became a self-appointed lifeguard at First Beach in English Bay, where he taught countless children how to swim and is credited with saving more than a hundred lives. The city honoured him by arranging the largest public funeral ever held four days later at Our Lady of the Holy Rosary Cathedral, with thousands of people lining the downtown streets and a moment of silence held in the city’s schools. He was buried in Mountain View Cemetery, where a flat stone marking his grave is simply inscribed “Joe.”

Four Continents comes to town

Feb. 4, 2009: The annual Four Continents figure skating championship kicks off at the Pacific Coliseum and offers a preview glimpse of some of the top skaters who will be competing in Vancouver again the following year at the Winter Olympics. Canadian skaters earned medals in all four events. Patrick Chan earned gold in the men’s singles, Joannie Rochette came in second in the women’s singles, Jessica Dubé and Bryce Davison picked up silver for pair skating, while Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir came in second in the ice dancing category.

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Re: “Proposed ‘origami’ tower goes before design panel,” Jan. 28. The ﬁrst thing that popped through my head when I saw this tower design in the paper was, “Oh no, you have got to be kidding … Is this a joke?” I’m not going to criticize the architects. The design is unique and the “overhang” concept is possibly creative — for somewhere else. Honestly, I don’t feel the space does the design justice. It needs more breathing room to really be effective. As it looks right now, it is an overbearing monstrosity ready to gobble up the heritage Waterfront Station. But is it just this tower, or would any tower garner criticism? I am going to criticize the City of Vancouver for even contemplating the idea of a tower in this location. What were they thinking? Do we really need another downtown ofﬁce tower? Is this development necessary or is it development for development’s sake? Rents in the downtown area can be stratospheric. I can just imagine that leases in this waterfront location would be almost in the catastrophic range. Sometimes the city confuses me. On the one hand, ‘greening’ and sustainability, providing low-cost housing for residents, etc. are major commitments, and on the other hand, certain things are allowed to go ahead that seem to directly oppose this mandate. Please tell me, at least, that this tower proposal is meant to be self-sustainable, that it will be powered by solar panels, or geo-thermal energy and will be able to recycle whatever there is to recycle. And also, it is meant to include some reasonable rental facilities for low income citizens. Otherwise, it’s just a meaningless piece of expensive construction. I hope that, despite what the city may approve, the “recent onslaught of criticism” will become a public outcry. No disrespect to the architects, but this kind of development for that space is simply awful. Frances Dietz, via email

Booking a complaint over the end of Chapters store

Re: “Kudos & Kvetches: Final Chapter,” Jan. 21 You said, “when it comes right down to it, Chapters is a crappy bookstore.” OK ﬁne, although it actually has pretty good stock and is doing its damndest to compete against the behemoth Amazon by charging less for books ordered through ChaptersIndigo online. But here’s a kvetch that gets no ku-

Barry Link

ddhaliwal@vancourier.com

blink@vancourier.com

PUBLISHER

EDITOR

Tara Lalanne

DIRECTOR SALES & MARKETING

tlalanne@vancourier.com

TheVancouverCourierisadivisionofLMPPublicationLimitedPartnership. Canadian Publications Mail Sales Product Agreement No. 40025215. All material in the Vancouver Courier is copyrighted and cannot be reproduced without permission of the publisher. This newspaper reserves the right to reject any advertising which it considers to contain false or misleading information or involves unfair or unethical practices. The advertiser agrees the publisher shall not be liable for damages arising out of error in any advertisement beyond the amount paid for such advertisement. We collect, use and disclose your personal information in accordance with our Privacy Statement which is available at vancourier.com.

Tech programs teach the children well

Re: “STEM program blends learning with practical skills,” Jan. 30. I’d just like to say that I’ve really appreciated the articles about some of the great work being done in Vancouver schools. I used to teach a robotics and engineering program at David Thompson Secondary, but now I teach new technology education teachers how to “teach shop” at BCIT. There are some very exciting initiatives taking place in technology education these days, and whether the goals are trades oriented, like at Tupper, or tech-oriented like at Templeton, it is great to see them getting the recognition they deserve. Thanks for the great articles, I look forward to reading more. Jason Brett, via email

ONLINE COMMENTS Seeing red over Seahawks support at city hall

Re: “Vancouver salutes Seahawks with 12th Man ﬂag,” online only. What the hell does an American football team have to do with our city? Have the mayor and council not got bigger more important issues to deal with? Stop wasting my tax dollars. lrothney, via Comments section

Parking meters provide possibilities for cyclists

Re: “Parking shortage puts brakes on cyclists,” Jan. 30. For those wondering, yes, you are permitted to lock your bike to a parking meter. Parking meters are often safer (e.g not afﬁxed with just bolts and more difﬁcult to cut). And there are a lot of them. Source: “Lock your bike frame to a bike rack, signpost, or parking meter for short term parking” from the last page of the British Columbia Bicycle Operator’s Manual posted on the City of Vancouver’s website. RainbowNowOpen, via Reddit

have your say online...

FLYER SALES

Dee Dhaliwal

dos from me: “But we suspect Chapters customers will search out ever cheaper and [more] convenient book-buying options online, if they haven’t already,” the only aggrieved customers being the buyers of candles, notepads, diaries, and the like. So, good riddance Chapters — who needs them? It’s a sad day when shoppers, somehow preferring the “convenience” of Amazon, can’t support a Canadian bookstore to the point where the store can pay its rent. To them I say, enjoy the vacuum. Eric Ball, via email

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THE VANCOUVER COURIER W E DN E SDAY, F E B RUA RY 4 , 2 0 1 5

Community 1

1. F as in Frank Clothing held its Fill A Bag vintage clothing sale this past Saturday at Cambrian Hall. The first people in the line-up have the first pick of the piles of clothing but it came at a cost as the line started at 1:30 a.m. 2. The first wave of people were shooed out after they had 15 minutes to shop during the sale. The clothing was reorganized into four rows before the second wave was allowed through the doors minutes later. There were three waves of people altogether, and the sale was over by noon. 3. About 400 people lined up for a crack at a vintage score. The local store is known for its good vintage selection, including snapback hats. 4. Owners Jesse Heifetz and Drew Heifetz say the sale is all about clearing out old stock and not having it end up in a landfill. See photo gallery online at vancourier.com. PHOTOS REBECCA BLISSETT

Vintage clothing the prize in annual hunt Retro fashionistas ﬂock to Fill A Bag

CITY LIVING Rebecca Blissett

rvblissett@gmail.com

The thrill of the hunt is the reason why Abdul and Dante were first in line at 1:30 in the morning for F as in Frank Clothing’s Fill A Bag vintage shopping insanity at Cambrian Hall Saturday. The two friends were joined by six others halfan-hour later, one of whom was Mary Erasto who kindly lent a blanket to the freezing Abdul who huddled in the warmth of penguin-print fleece earphones doing double-duty as earmuffs. “It’s not because we had to be here then,” said Abdul about being first at the door,

“But it was because we had nothing better to do.” The pair didn’t give up too much information about themselves, perhaps too tired from being up all night (or, perhaps, as one store employee who couldn’t have been older than 25 herself, wondered if their parents knew where they were). But, at the end of the day — which was by noon for the annual Fill A Bag event — they were just two kids with a sharp eye for retro streetwear. The sale started at 10 a.m. and F as in Frank Clothing owners, brothers Jesse and Drew Heifetz stood at the door to take ten dollars from each shopper in exchange for a blue, plastic bag. Two trips in 17-foot-long cube vans the night before resulted in four rows of clothing heaped in two-foot-high rows on the ﬂoor giving reason for the

mostly young crowd to lose their collective minds. “Holy crap, I don’t know if I can handle this!” and “Oh, wow. OK, it really is a free-for-all” summed the reactions of those who walked into the hall and froze for a second at the possibilities. Then it was scavenging madly through the piles, some jumping in to sit in the middle of the clothing chaos to snatch anything of personal value with the same intensity of people in those whirlwind money grab machines on game shows. The crowd was let in through three stages. The first 100 in line were part of the first wave, and had the first pick while the first people in the second wave watched with both mournful and anxious expressions for 15 minutes before shoppers were cleared out and the next 100 were let in. Three waves of people got their pick with a few end-of-

sale stragglers, altogether a far more manageable experience than last year when three thousand showed up. “Basically what we say is that if you can hold the handles of the bag together, then you’re OK. We’re somewhat lenient,” said Jesse. “It’s a great event, we get tons of kids and adults out to have a great time, sorting though the clothes. A lot of people outﬁt themselves for one entire season through the sale. For us, it’s an opportunity to clear out stock and give back to the community.” Vintage clothing has been in the brothers’ lives for as long as they can remember. Their father, David Heifetz, started in the business back east in 1967 when ﬂower power blossomed, which included turn-of-the-century clothing and military style (look no further than the Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’s Hearts Club Band album cover released the same year as an

example of inﬂuence). When the brothers were children, they used to play in massive crates of Levi jeans. When they were older, they modelled for dad’s clothing catalogs. Heifetz senior always did things differently, said Jesse, whether it was hiring breakdancers to perform in front of a store or holding midnight madness sales. The nature of the business drew in cool people, and counterculture for Jesse and Drew was part of life’s normal scenery. But before the brothers followed their dad’s path, they took their own. Jesse pursued a music career while Drew was a snowboarder during the mid to late 1990s. Neither option was ﬁnancially viable so they turned to what they grew up with, starting out as pickers and supplying other vintage stores before discovering the eBay market

and opening retail locations in Whistler (since closed), Toronto and Vancouver. “We can’t thank our parents enough for allowing us to figure out our paths on our own,” said Jesse. “We don’t have any fancy degrees, our parents were lenient with us. Rather than have us go to university, they told us to do what we’re passionate about.” They’re also passionate about giving back which is why unsold items go to charity. True to fashion’s 20-year cycle, most of the sold items hark from the 1990s (think vintage T-shirts and camouflage pants) along with 1940s military coats and leather jackets. And if you’re old enough, like the Heifetz brothers, you’ll remember the first time the L.A. Raiders and vintage Adidas track jackets that went into Abdul’s bag were cool. twitter.com/rebeccablissett

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Are Your Relationships Healthy?

Davidicus Wong, M.D.

davidicuswong.wordpress.com.

The family doctors of Burnaby have been presenting free talks in our campaign to raise health literacy called the Empowered Patient. Our goal is to provide the information everyone in our community needs to live a healthy life and get the most out of our healthcare system. A key message is that healthcare is self-care. How you live today is the best predictor of your future health. The four foundations of self-care are: 1. what you eat (consume, drink, smoke or inject), 2. what you do (physical activity, risky behaviour), 3. how you feel (managing your emotions) and 4. how you relate (your important relationships). When you think about it, you shouldn’t be surprised that your relationships can foster or harm health. Every week, I see patients who are distressed by conﬂicts at home – either with their spouses or their children. When patients request a stress leave from work, the problem isn’t just the workload. It’s usually difﬁculties with co-workers and supervisors. Bullying is common in our schools and in our workplaces.

When I see people with depression, I always inquire about friends. They can be a crucial support or they may contribute to maladaptive behaviour, including excessive drinking or abusing drugs. Attending to your most important relationship is fundamental to your health and happiness. Work can consume as much of your life as you allow. Consequently, you may invest less time and energy in what you value most. For any of your relationships to thrive, you must attend to them. Nowhere is this more important than in your relationship with your signiﬁcant other. Here are ﬁve tips to focus your attention:

Nurture emotional intimacy

After a busy day of work and looking after children or household chores, we may save nothing for our partners. Agree on making a habit of checking in with one another each day. How are you feeling? How was your day?

Be affectionate

Express positive feelings. Remember that every person expresses love and has a need to feel loved in different ways. Some use words, some prefer

physical affection, some appreciate kind gestures and some like presents.

Schedule regular dates

When we get busy with the rest of life, time together to have fun can be postponed indeﬁnitely. Write it in both your calendars. Commit your time to what matters most. When things get stale, have an affair – with your own partner.

Text each other during breaks throughout your day

Couples should consider a refresher on communication. PHOTO DAN TOULGOET

Leave love letters. Sneak in a date during your lunch breaks.

Consider a refresher on communication

Too often, cohabitation morphs from co-operation to competition. We may begin to see our partners as competitors, and we may keep a running tally of who gets their way and who’s giving in. If you’re not sure who’s winning, ask your friends who’ve been listening to your complaints. Many couples develop negative stereotypes of one another. We may begin seeing the other in a negative light and misinterpret every action negatively. Common thought distortions include mind reading (we make negative assump-

tions on the other’s intentions without checking them out), all or nothing thinking (we see all the bad and none of the good in the other) and excessive blaming (when something goes wrong or is left undone, it’s the other’s fault. That’s the risk of being the only other person around). It takes a very reﬂective, honest and insightful person to recognize these thought distortions. The rest of us may need a refresher on communication or couples counselling. Dr. Davidicus Wong is the Physician Lead of the Burnaby Division of Family Practice. For more on achieving your positive potential in health: davidicuswong.wordpress.com.

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February 13,14,15,2015 Vancouver Convention Centre,East Building Exhibit Hall B & C

Exhibits,Seminars,Cooking Demos,Prizes,Plus Lots More Cutting-edge presentations on today’s most pressing health and wellness issues. Some of Canada’s top chefs and cookbook authors will host healthy cooking demonstrations. Fitness gurus will show us the latest trends on getting fit,staying well and more than 250 exhibitors will be displaying products and information related to traditional,complementary, alternative and spiritual health,fitness,nutrition, and recreation.

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THE VANCOUVER COURIER W E DN E SDAY, F E B RUA RY 4 , 2 0 1 5

Family Day Free Family Day fun at the YMCA Families play and stay active together at the YMCA

Sandra Thomas

sthomas@vancourier.com

Family Day is an ideal opportunity for families to spend time together, says Gordon Goldsmith, communications manager of the YMCA of Greater Vancouver. He adds spending the day at the YMCA is a great way for every member of the family to be together, even if they have different interests. “While the son is in the weight room, playing basketball or swimming, mom can be doing yoga, Zumba or lifting weights of her own,” said Goldsmith. “It’s a way to spend time together even if they’re doing different things.” To ensure families of all ages can explore everything the YMCA has to offer, locations in Vancouver, Chilliwack and Camp Elphinstone on the Sunshine Coast are opening their doors Feb. 9 between 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. to the public for free. “It’s one more way for families to be active together so the Y is happy to open its

The YMCA is offering special programs and activities to celebrate Family Day, including swimming.

doors,” said Goldsmith. He adds because it’s common for many family members to spend more time in front of a screen than being active, the Y can be essential in helping them get off the couch or desk chair. “Many families don’t have a plan to get active, but the Y can help,” said Goldsmith. That’s not to say Family Day at the Y is focused strictly on exercise. Free events at Langara Family YMCA on West 49th Av-

enue also include a bouncy castle, face painting, arts and crafts and a session on making healthy snacks. Free activities include swimming, family ping pong, soccer, relay races, ﬂoor ball, family/ kids yoga and an open swim. At the Robert Lee YMCA on Burrard Street, activities include an open swim, bouncy castle, tumbling, face painting, a healthy snack making session, parachute songs and games, music and movement and circle time.

Participants visiting the Y on Family Day also have an opportunity to win a yearlong membership. Meanwhile, existing members can add a spouse or child in February and they’ll receive a 30-day free membership. New members who join in February can add their family free for the ﬁrst month. For a complete Family Day schedule and more information about the YMCA visit vanymca.org. twitter.com/sthomas10

How do you spell family? YMCA

Come to the Y and find out how your family can stay active together. Join the YMCA on Family Day and pay no joiner fee. Free Family Day Celebration on Monday, February 9th from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. • healthy snacks

• bouncy castle

• swimming • family gym time

• games and much more • enter to win a YMCA Family Membership for a year!

• family fitness classes

Robert Lee YMCA 955 Burrard Street T: 604.689.9622

Langara Family YMCA 282 W 49th Avenue T: 604.324.9622

robertleeymca.ca

langaraymca.ca

W E DN E SDAY, F E B RUA RY 4 , 2 0 1 5 THE VANCOUVER COURIER

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Family Day Science World is open, visit the VAG

Continued from page 1 Despite the large number of coffee drinkers enjoying the January sun on patios across the city last weekend, the ice skating rink at Robson Square is still open and will remain in operation until Feb. 28. Skating is free if you own your skates and rentals are available if you don’t. Warm drinks and food are available to purchase from the concession. For more information, visit robsonsquare.com. This Family Day weekend, bring the gang down to Vanier Park for music, history, science and art — with live performances by Vancouver Academy of Music students and Bard on the Beach’s Young Shakespeareans. The action is all part of the Winter Wander program, which allows participants to purchase a $5 passport that allows them entrance into the Museum of Vancouver, H.R. MacMillan Space Centre, City of Vancouver Archives and Vancouver Maritime Museum on Feb. 7. Take your Winter Wander Passport to each location to receive a stamp and enter to win prizes at each of the

The ice rink at Robson Square is open Family Day through the end of the month. PHOTO DAN TOULGOET

attractions. Children aged ﬁve and younger are admitted free. Purchase your Winter Wander Passport at Museum of Vancouver, H.R. MacMillan Space Centre, or Vancouver Maritime Museum on the day of the event. Visit museumofvancouver.ca. The Vancouver Art gallery is open and free to children ages 12 and younger on Family Day, Feb. 9, from noon to 4 p.m. Celebrate the day with an exciting range of activities to participate in throughout the day, including live music, interactive shadow play, tours and hands-on art making

activities. Kids will also get a gift bag courtesy of the Ministry of Community, Sport and Cultural Development. Visit vanartgallery.bc.ca. Every day is Family Day at Telus World of Science, but while the attraction is typically closed on Mondays, it will be open Feb. 9 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. so let the games begin. Shows and demonstration can change, so make sure to check the website for a daily schedule, but one photo clearly shows that at least one pickle will explode. Visit scienceworld.ca/centrestage. twitter.com/sthomas10

TROUT LAKE COMMUNITY CENTRE FAMILY DAY – MONDAY, FEBRUARY 9

Bring your family and friends to this FREE event featuring: live music • dance • performances • instructor demos • family skate • story time for kids • art for kids • gymnastics circuit • family play gym • pottery • cooking demonstrations • cake • BBQ • photography display • free books and more Monday, February 9th, 11am-3pm. 3360 Victoria Drive More info 604.257.6955 • troutlakecc.com Brought to you by Grandview Community Centre Association Photo credits: Jhaymee Hizon, Nadine Loeffler, Diane Smithers

We acknowledge the financial support of the Province of British Columbia

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THE VANCOUVER COURIER W E DN E SDAY, F E B RUA RY 4 , 2 0 1 5

Arts&Entertainment

GOT ARTS? 604.738.1411 or events@vancourier.com

Feb. 4 to 6, 2015 1. Experimental Argentinian playwright and director Mariano Pensotti returns to the PuSh International Performing Arts Festival with Cineastas Feb. 5 to 7 at the Fei & Milton Wong Experimental Theatre, SFU’s Goldcorp Centre for the Arts. Staged in a two-level metal structure, the comedic farce inventively tells the story of four filmmakers in Buenos Aires and the four movies they create, with each floor representing different realities: one shows us the filmmakers’ lives, the other their fictions. Details at pushfestival.ca

2. Judy Chaikin’s toe-tapping documentary The Girls in the Band tells the poignant, untold stories of female jazz and big band musicians from the late 1920s to the present day. See it Feb. 5, 7 p.m. at the Cinematheque. Details: thecinematheque.ca. 4. Billed as a multimedia blues/rock musical, The Road Forward is inspired by B.C.’s groundbreaking Native Voice newspaper and pays tribute to the aboriginal women murdered or vanished on the Highway of Tears and Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside. It runs Feb. 5 to 7 at the York Theatre. For more information, go to pushfestival.ca. 5. It’s the movie we didn’t think ever needed to be made, Backstreet Boys: Show ‘Em What You’re Made Of offers a behind-thescenes look at everyone’s favourite Orlando, Fla. boy band for the 1990s, Backstreet Boys. Even better, you can learn about the highs and lows of A.J., Howie, Nick, Kevin and Brian while enjoying a stiff drink. The Rio Theatre offers bar service to those 19 and over for the Feb. 4, 7 p.m. screening. Sweet relief. Details at riotheatre.ca.

W E DN E SDAY, F E B RUA RY 4 , 2 0 1 5 THE VANCOUVER COURIER

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Arts&Entertainment

Cavendish leaves comfort zone in funny Bird Unlikely visitor disturbs retired couple’s nest in The Goodnight Bird THEATRE REVIEW Jo Ledingham

joled@telus.net

Sometimes it takes a cataclysmic event to jar us out of our comfort zone. And, if you’re over, say, 60 and married to the same partner for 40 years, give or take a few, that comfort zone can be downright predictable. In The Goodnight Bird, how many times has pyjama-ed Lilly nagged husband Morgan before she joins him in bed about his toothpaste spit on the bathroom mirror or his “dribbles” on the ﬂoor by the toilet? She’s obsessed with death and dying on this particular night because a friend has suddenly died at 56 and Morgan, not quite retired, has recently suffered a heart attack. And then whump! A body lands on their recently purchased condo balcony and drags itself right into their bedroom. A young,

scruffy, foul-smelling young man — Parker — has attempted to fly from the rooftop and, like Icarus, failed miserably. Unlike Icarus, however, Parker has only sustained a small head wound. Sure, they should call the police or, at the very least, the building manager, but there is something about this young man that stops them from doing that. And Morgan and Lilly are decent people. A childless, retired teacher, Lilly is initially appalled that Parker is “bleeding on the Persian” but she’s the first to soften up. And when Parker talks to her about her legs spread and her hands “fluttering between her thighs,” he’s got her blushing. But he really has her on the ropes when he quotes Ralph Waldo Emerson: “I am a lover of uncontained and immortal beauty.” The line is beautiful and very funny at the same time because Parker has been on the roof to free

Graham Cuthbertson and Nicola Cavendish appear in The Goodnight Bird at Kay Meek Centre Studio until Feb. 14.

the container-grown trees that are “crying” to him. Nicola Cavendish, at 62 and not often enough seen on stage, can still blush and twinkle. And twinkle she does. Shock, curiosity and admiration are written all over Lilly as Parker, naked as a jaybird, hops around the bedroom. But Lilly also has a backbone that Cavendish makes absolutely ap-

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parent in the no-nonsense way Lilly scolds the intruder: “Don’t swear. I told my students it was a failure of language.” Cavendish makes completely plausible the transformation that Lilly makes over the course of the evening. Her world has been shaken like those rooftop trees in a windstorm and her husband will either change along with

her or he won’t. Roy Surette, artistic director of Montreal’s Centaur Theatre directs and he brings back Christopher Hunt, a veteran of the Vancouver Playhouse and now a resident of Calgary, for this Centaur Theatre/ Kay Meek Centre coproduction. Hunt makes a likeable, pragmatic foil for Lilly’s swings from hostility and suspicion to something akin to sensual and spiritual attraction. Graham Cuthbertson makes his West Coast debut in The Goodnight Bird and it’s a tricky role: Parker can’t be too scary or it’s game over — Lilly or Morgan will call the police. But he can’t be too appealing or the play goes all soft and gooey. It’s a ﬁne line and Cuthbertson ﬁnds it: his character is unbalanced but not dangerous. Written by Canadian playwright Colleen Murphy, The Goodnight Bird premiered in 2011 at London, England’s Finborough

Theatre where Murphy was playwright-in-residence at the time. This Centaur Theatre/Kay Meek Theatre production is the play’s North American premiere and represents an exciting ﬁrst collaboration between the two companies. The Goodnight Bird doesn’t pretend to be profound, but it’s darkly funny and very entertaining. It’s wonderful to see Cavendish on stage again, and it’s always rewarding. For those who have never been to the Kay Meek Theatre in West Vancouver, it’s a beautiful, state-of-the-art venue. The Studio is downstairs (there’s an elevator for those needing it). Seating a maximum of 200, the Studio is an intimate space, perfectly suited to plays like The Goodnight Bird. For more reviews, go to joledingham.ca. The Goodnight Bird runs until Feb. 14 at Kay Meek Centre Studio. For tickets, call 604-981-6335 or go to kaymeekcentre.com.

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Arts&Entertainment

Fellow musicians celebrate beloved Berner STATE OF THE ARTS

we all went to the same open mics and are part of the community of musicians and songwriters,” Garton said. “He’s been having a rough time and it’s been a really hard year for Geoff Berner, so we thought, ‘What can we do to help out?’” Berner’s dad died in September. His mom the year before, and his latest recording project has faced delays. Ten artists and groups the musician has worked with and inﬂuenced will each cover three of their favourite Berner songs. The ﬁnale will see a super group perform a

sing-along of “Light Enough to Travel,” a Berner song made popular by the Be Good Tanyas, along with his klezmer number about police brutality, “Dalloy Polizei (F*** the Police).” “I’ve been part of organizing the Tom Waits tribute night that happened at Café Deux Soleils many years in a row, I’ve been part of Bob Dylan tribute nights and Neil Young tribute nights,” Garton said on the phone from Galiano Island. “And Geoff is a songwriter that we all happen to know, who’s not dead and who lives locally,

but his songs are great and they’ve been the soundtrack to a lot of our lives, our parties and our festivals.” Those gathering to cover songs by, and tell stories about, Berner, at what’s reportedly his favourite venue, include Rae Spoon from Calgary, Jason Webley from Seattle and Victoria’s Carolyn Mark and the New Best Friends, and Dave Lang and the Twin Oughtas. They’ll perform Berner’s songs alongside Jack Garton and the Demon Squadron, E.S.L., Ford Pier, the Burnettes, the Creaking Planks

and Andrew. “It’s kind of a celebration, kind of a roast, kind of a tribute and hopefully something to give him a little boost,” Garton said. “There’s been no real problem with choosing songs,” Garton continued. “Everybody’s got a different Geoff.” Berner’s oeuvre includes country, klezmer, punk, political and portrait songs. “Some people like the funny songs or the shocking songs and some people like the elegiac songs, because he can write a beautiful portrait song or narrative song, as well,” Garton said. “Geoff is special. Most people would kill to have just one, one of those songs in their catalogue… that would be like a major accomplishment, but he’s got albums full of them.” The Burnettes have selected songs from Berner’s ’90s punk band Terror of Tiny Town, Garton believes Pier is performing an early Berner song, “We All Gotta Be a Prostitute Sometimes,” and Garton’s band will bust out raucous and heavy renditions of ditties that include the title track from Berner’s 2011 album, Victory Party. So how does the guest

has made outstanding contributions to his/her community and has developed a vision for urban living and working that is relevant to towns and cities across the world.” We’re not sure whether Nenshi receives any cash, cars or crown for his international win, but he does have the satisfaction of beating runners-up Ghent mayor Daniël Termont and Surabaya mayor Tri Rismaharini. Incidentally, Ghent is in Belgium, Surabaya is in Indonesia and we failed Grade 10 geography. Sadly, Vancouver’s grass-fed beefcake mayor

Gregor Robertson didn’t even crack the top 10 — further proof that killing a hobo with your bare hands while on a cough syrup and Pad Thai bender does have consequences.

with its latest tear-jerker promotional campaign. Until Feb. 14, random McDonald’s customers won’t have to pay for their sadness meals or shame nuggets if they fulﬁll an equally random heartwarming challenge issued to them by a gregarious employee working the cash register for minimum wage. According to the “Pay with Lovin’” ad spot, payment can range from calling your mom on your cellphone just to say that you love her (provided she’s still alive) to telling your child what you love about them (for instance,

they never judge you for buying McDonald’s instead of preparing a healthier sit-down meal at home) to performing a dance in the restaurant or taking part in a family hug. Don’t get us wrong. We’re all for McDonald’s establishing a cashless barter system. It’s about time, really. But the exchange should ﬁt the setting. For instance, if you a want a free Big Mac with fries and a Coke, you should have to write a letter to yourself 10 years in the future apologizing for what you’ve done to your body. If you want a free happy meal for

Cheryl Rossi

crossi@vancourier.com

Geoff Berner’s drinking is legendary so organizers of the annual ArtsWells Festival always scheduled a Sunday morning workshop of 10 accordions led by Berner as a cruel joke. When Berner couldn’t make the festival in Wells, B.C. this summer, organizers scheduled a workshop of his songs led by accordionist Jack Garton and ﬁddler and songwriter Jeff Andrew. “It was a big success,” said Garton. “We got to pull out some songs of his that nobody had heard in years… We passed a bottle of whisky around in his honour and it was a good thing.” Now Garton, Andrew and Accordion Noir (a Coop Radio show and annual accordion festival Berner helped found) are bringing the tribute event to East Vancouver’s WISE Hall, Feb. 6, with an event called Bernerland: The Songs of Geoff Berner. “We all love him and his songs so much, at lot of people in Vancouver, especially in East Vancouver, where

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Jack Garton and Carolyn Mark help pay tribute to the man in the middle, Geoff Berner, at the WISE Hall Feb. 6 at an event called Bernerland: The Songs of Geoff Berner.

of honour feel about his upcoming tribute night? “I’m a bit overwhelmed and nervous about it,” Berner said. “But it does feel pretty good. It feels like getting some kind of Juno [Award] or something like that.” Berner, who also wrote the acclaimed 2013 novel Festival Man, admits to feeling anxious about the stories people might tell. “I think there’s going to be some roasting,” he said. “There’s an inexhaustible storehouse of embarrassing anecdotes that those people could come up with.” While salacious stories are sure to be part of the mix, Garton says every aspect of Berner is worth celebrating. “Geoff is special,” repeated Garton, who was inspired to pick up the accordion by Berner. “Anybody who works with him knows that his talent in songwriting and his work ethic combined with a total not gives a f*** attitude is really rare... It’s worth celebrating. It’s worth imitating.” Proceeds from the event will go to WISH Drop-in Centre Society, which Berner selected. Doors 8 p.m. with the show starting at 9 p.m. at 1882 Adanac St. twitter.com/Cheryl_Rossi

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W E DN E SDAY, F E B RUA RY 4 , 2 0 1 5 THE VANCOUVER COURIER

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Sports&Recreation

GOT SPORTS? 604.630.3549 or mstewart@vancourier.com

By Megan Stewart

Falcons gets hotter

The Langara Falcons men’s basketball team has won 10 of its last 11 games and is undefeated in 2015 as well as in sole possession of the second spot in the PacWest. Langara avenged its earlier loss to the Quest Kermodes with a 92-81 victory Jan. 30, and prepares to travel to Vancouver Island University Feb. 7 to tie the Mariners for first place. “We have put ourselves in a good position to take a run at first place but the island trip is always the toughest road games of the year,” said head coach Paul Eberhardt in a release. “Friday will be a tough test with Camosun and then an afternoon Langara Falcon Elliot Mason. game at VIU is always a PHOTO LAURA MAY difficult challenge.” Over the Kermodes this weekend, the Falcons got off to a quick start by taking an 11-0 lead before closing the half 43-35. Langara led by only three points after three quarters and the game remained close until late in the fourth to win by 11 points. “I was very proud of the way the boys hung tough and showed great determination to pull out the win in the last few minutes,” said Eberhardt. “Quest is a very strong defensive squad and they have great heart so this was a big win for us.” On Jan. 31, the Falcons dispatched the Capilano Blues 118-88.

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For every 10 kids who start out playing sports, only three of them will continue through their teen years and into adulthood. This is the sobering message this week from Active For Life, a Canadian organization promoting physical literacy and exercise. The reasons children become less active after they turn 13 is different for each one, but these are four reasons some turn away. They’re not having fun. Sports can teach lessons about team work, accountability, winning and losing, the intangibles of sportsmanship and, as Active for Life puts it, “…all that other good ‘moral fiber’ stuff. But kids don’t play sports for the fiber.’ Kids play sports because they’re fun. They feel awkward. If a child lacks physical literacy, he or she won’t feel skilled enough to play among their peers and may give up. Confidence and competence, according to Active for Life, are tied to physical literacy, which can be developed by having a good grounding in basic movements such as throwing, tumbling, running and kicking. Parents are too enthusiastic. Otherwise known as intense. “Most of us are pretty decent people but often there is that one ‘enthusiast’ who is all aggression and noise. Unfortunately, it only takes one to wreck the game for everyone else, kids included,” warned Active For Life. They dread the ride home after the game. Kids know whether or not they played well, they remember their missed shots and mull what they might have done differently to get things to go their way. Rehashing the game or digging into the could-haves and should-haves won’t necessarily help them and the analysis risks turning them away from playing. Active For Life advises, if you want to be supportive, ask them to tell you what was fun about the game — especially if they lost. Parents can also say how much they loved watching their kid out there.

Tupper Tigers senior boys basketball coach Jeff Gourley and his partner Anita Roberts share a moment courtside after he was recognized for 12 years’ worth of practices, games and life lessons. The Tigers finish the AA/AAA city season with a 7-0 record. PHOTO DAN TOULGOET

‘Always putting kids first’

In their own words, the Tigers celebrate their coach BASKETBALL Megan Stewart

mstewart@vancourier.com

“In the beginning, nobody really cared.” Jack Ho was in Grade 11 at Tupper secondary and playing for the senior boys basketball team in 2003, the ﬁrst season Jeff Gourley volunteered to coach the Tigers. “It was tough for him to come to a team like that because we didn’t really care either. We just thought he was another guy who was going to sit on the bench. No one wanted to coach. I actually had to go ﬁnd our own coach. Randomly, I asked an old Tupper student to come and do it and told him he just had to show up and we’ll do the rest. “I don’t know how [Gourley] ended up at Tupper. He was good for us. He gave us gym time. Him coming in, he wasn’t just a coach — he actually cared. He cared about us doing well, he cared about us putting in work and doing well. He didn’t just leave it to us. “I kind of got in trouble in Grade 12… for shoplifting.” Ho stole a wallet from a neighbourhood mall. “I was really embarrassed and didn’t know what to do. He took me in. He was like

a dad. Talked to the police officers, had me do community service with him. He got the police to agree to let me do community service with him. That’s when I would do all the things at elementary schools, like basketball demonstrations. Afterwards, even when I finished [community service], I still decided to do it because he helped me out so much.” “He was the kind of guy that, even if you made a mistake, he didn’t want you to compound that mistake.” Warren Leung graduated in 2011 and played two years at St. Mary’s University, also Gourley’s alma mater. “Coach, he’s a real father figure. Straight up like another dad to me. Taught me everything on and off the court and about being a man. He would teach you things while you’re going through it. I didn’t even know what I was going through, and he taught me in a big way without me knowing. He would let me learn on my own… but would somehow guide me. He’s always putting kids first, before anything. That’s what’s crazy — he’s doing all this coaching, he’s not getting paid for none of this. That’s why I say he’s like a father to me.” “He’s very motivational. He’s always running his mouth and it gets everyone

going.” Ivan Yaco was a senior at Tupper in 2009, played for the Falcons and graduated from Langara College and is pursuing professional opportunities with the Philippine Basketball Association. “What would he say? ‘Keep working, son.’ He was always trying to explain everything. Make sure everyone understood. “I’m still involved because of him. I wouldn’t be the same person if I didn’t meet this guy, honestly. He helped me open my mind, he basically used basketball as a tool for me to open up for other things.” Yaco coaches basketball for the Jerome Outreach Society, a charity organization with the core belief that sport saves lives. ‘I deﬁnitely use the drills I used to play for him. I also learned… the way he talks to the kids, the way he gives them advice and the way he would check on them before and after. I try to show them I actually care about them, not just as a coach but as someone they can rely on. “Jeff and basketball, basketball and Jeff — they come together — it can’t be just one of those.” “Coach is that guy who is always cracking jokes, always smiling.” Patrick Cumaual graduated in 2013 and is now the Tigers as-

sistant coach. “He puts it out there that everyone is family. You can hear him all the time, all over the court, ‘Way to go, son.’ Even now as a coach, I hear him saying to me, ‘There you go, son.’ It makes everyone feel they’re doing a good job. “There are a couple players, currently I know of two, that are missing a father at the moment. I also had teammates… their whole family was gone. They were students from China, Korea. Their whole family was all in China still.” “I still talk to my university coach and high school coach roughly once a week to once a month.” Each year after the last game of the regular season, Gourley honours the graduating seniors as well as their parents and family for their commitment, effort and time. On Feb. 2, parents and players paid him tribute. “I remember telling my high school coach when I ﬁrst started coaching here at Tupper, ‘I just couldn’t believe it. I couldn’t get seven kids to come to practice. What’s the deal? Coach, can you explain that to me? I came to practice four hours early.’ ‘Yeah,’ he said, “You forget. You’re one in 1,000. Not everyone is like you.’” twitter.com/MHStewart

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THE VANCOUVER COURIER W E DN E SDAY, F E B RUA RY 4 , 2 0 1 5

Sports&Recreation Bulldogs still on top City championship starts next week CHURCHILL KITSILANO

93 86

Megan Stewart

mstewart@vancourier.com

Churchill Bulldog Lambert Pajayon (No. 14) carries the ball down court under pressure from Kitsilano Blue Demon Charles Song (No. 5) at Kitsilano secondary Feb. 2. PHOTO DAN TOULGOET

The Churchill Bulldogs clinched the top of the senior boys AAAA city standings by pulling off a 93-86 win over the Blue Demons on Monday night at Kitsilano secondary. The Bulldogs move to 7-0 in the public school league while the Demons drop to 5-1 before the first round city championship begins Feb. 10. In their first meeting this season, Kitsilano couldn’t hold on to an early advantage and trailed Churchill by the end of the first quarter. The defending B.C. champions didn’t relinquish their lead and sat comfortably in front of Kits, pulling ahead 67-49 halfway through the third quarter. The visitors held on to a two-digit lead most of the game

until Kitsilano made a strong, fourth-quarter push to cut the lead to six points. Churchill senior Karn Virk had 26 points and 14 rebounds. “Best player for us,” said coach Rick Lopez. “Played a great game on both ends of the floor.” Lambert Pajayon had 23 points and 12 rebounds. Gary Minhas added 17 points and 13 boards for Churchill. Kitsilano’s Howard Wang led all scorers with 28 points in the defeat. Alec Bayne dropped 21 and pulled in six rebounds. Charles Song added 13 points and three rebounds. The AAAA and AA/AAA senior boys city championship runs Feb. 10 to 13 at Churchill and Lord Byng secondary schools. The senior girls Tier I finals continue this week at Britannia. The championship is 7:30 p.m. Feb. 6. The senior girls Tier II finals are set for Feb. 11 and 12 at Prince of Wales.

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