OPINION 10
WEDNESDAY
May 6 2015
Housing ‘last time buyers’
Vol. 106 No. 35
FAMILY CALENDAR 16
Spot Prawn Fest heats up SPORTS 24
Marathon man There’s more online at
vancourier.com MIDWEEK EDITION
THE VOICE of VANCOUVER NEIGHBOURHOODS since 1908
Adult ed cut back
Schools budget reduced Cheryl Rossi
crossi@vancourier.com
CHORUS OF APPROVAL Students from Vancouver, Coquitlam and Burnaby performed at Robson Square Monday as part of Music Monday. Conducted by Vancouver Symphony Orchestra maestro Bramwell Tovey, the annual event emphasizes the importance of music education in B.C. schools. PHOTO JENNIFER GAUTHIER
VPD won’t appeal trans ruling Cops to update transgender policy, training Mike Howell
mhowell@vancourier.com
The Vancouver Police Department will not appeal a B.C. Human Rights Tribunal decision in March that ruled officers discriminated against a transgender woman for using male pronouns to describe her in a police report and failed to provide her with proper post-surgery care while in custody. Instead, the department said in a report going before the Vancouver Police
Board Wednesday that it will use the case involving Angela Dawson as an opportunity to improve its relationship and understanding of transgender persons. In taking this approach, however, the department noted officers “were acting in good faith and were not being malicious” in the incidents involving Dawson, who underwent sex re-assignment surgery in 2010 and is often seen around the city on rollerblades directing traffic. “The failure to respect Ms. Dawson’s gender identity was deemed to be discriminatory by the tribunal,” the report said. “The cause of this was attributed to a lack of training of police members and a lack of clear VPD policy as it relates to
transgender identities.” The report outlines four recommendations to assist police in its commitment to improve relations with transgender persons, including: • Direct the department’s diversity and aboriginal policing section to “engage and partner with the transgender community for improving awareness.” • Update “transgender awareness training” to all officers, including jail guards and community safety personnel. • Have the department’s planning and research unit develop policy regarding transgender identification and the recording of a person’s gender in documents. Continued on page 5
No changes were made to the Vancouver School Board’s revised budget that was adopted as its provisional budget last night. That means under the adult education program, self-paced programs will be reduced, the Hastings and Downtown Eastside education centres will be closed, the Collingwood and South Hill youth programs will be discontinued and literacy outreach programs that run at elementary schools will end to save the board $526,211 next year and $1.59 million thereafter. Proposed reductions to the adult education program drew the greatest outcry from the community during budget consultations. The VSB needed to make cuts to address an $8.52 million funding shortfall, as identified in its preliminary budget. Reductions and changes to the band and strings program for elementary school students are to be made and the district will continue to sell and lease back equipment and technology, decrease spending on furniture and equipment below average spending per year and reduce maintenance, as additional money-saving measures. Trustee Patti Bacchus and her Vision Vancouver colleagues wanted the VSB to work to attract 75 international education students instead of the proposed 50 to bring more money into the district for the adult education program. Bacchus said the cost of closing the Downtown Eastside Education Centre next year would be $360,000 because the board would have to pay longtime teachers so much severance, and that amount is greater than the ongoing savings connected to closing the centre, which are projected to be $294,000 per year. Bacchus also wanted increased revenue from international education used to keep two literacy outreach programs that are offered for a registration fee of $20 at elementary schools open, and to increase staffing at remaining adult education sites with any remaining money. Continued on page 4
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THE VANCOUVER COURIER W E DN E SDAY, M AY 6 , 2 0 1 5
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W E DN E SDAY, M AY 6 , 2 0 1 5 THE VANCOUVER COURIER
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News
Saving house wins heritage award
Vancouver Heritage Awards includes new people’s choice honours DEVELOPING STORY Naoibh O’Connor
noconnor@vancourier.com
An effort to save an historic West Side home garnered one of two inaugural people’s choice awards at the 2015 Vancouver Heritage Awards held Monday night. The 1912 W.A. Doctor house was moved from 5903 Larch St. to storage in order protect it from demolition. Owner Susan Walker, who bought it from a developer who was going to knock it down, is now searching for a lot. The second people’s choice honour was awarded for the rehabilitation of the Jeffs Residence at 1298 Salsbury Dr. in Grandview-Woodland. This year marks the 36th time heritage awards have been handed out. They used to be annual but are now bi-annual. There were 14 People’s
Choice entries to rate between one and five stars with 1,178 ratings submitted for those entries. Patrick Gunn, who’s on Heritage Vancouver Society’s board of directors, called the Larch Street home “spectacular.” “They’re still looking for a lot and then it will be fully restored back to its 1912 appearance inside and out,” he said. “The insides are spectacular. It’s like nothing else Vancouver has — it’s really high Arts and Crafts. It’s just off the scale.” Heritage Vancouver, meanwhile, captured an award of honour for helping create an early building permits database. Gunn, the project lead, and Leah Holman from City of Vancouver Archives were the recipients. “We’ve taken all of the handwritten building permit ledgers from the archives and transcribed them, line by line, because it’s all handwritten,” Gunn said. “So from 1901 to, right now, the early 1920s, all the
The W.A. Doctor house was moved to save it from demolition. PHOTO TRACEY AYTON
building permit information is in a searchable database online and there’s 33,000 building permits now.” For instance, if you have a 1912 house, he explained, you can find out information such as who owned it, the architect if there was one, the builder and the cost. The project, which started in 1998, has taken thousands
of hours of volunteer time. Gunn took it over in 2010. He said public service is the reason he got involved. “Because the most common question is, when was my house built?” he said. “It’s a simple question but it’s not a simple answer and there’s no way of easily going through these permits, these historic ledgers. So
once the data is transcribed, it’s easy to search.” The project is ongoing, but Gunn said there are a lot of volunteers. They just had the archives scan 1937 to 1947 building permits, which is 1,900 ledger pages. “We’re looking at about 45 minutes a page, so you’re looking at 2,000 hours to get them up in volunteer time,”
he said. “It’s not as sexy as having a restored building, but basically all the buildings that were showcased [Monday night] can be found in the data base.” Other awards of honour went to the Japanese Canadian War Memorial in Stanley Park, Kits Neighbourhood House and Hay House at 2305-2325 West Seventh Ave., St. George’s School at 3851 West 29th Ave., Vancouver Japanese Language School and Japanese Hall at 475 Alexander St., and the Yale Hotel at 1300 Granville St. Janet Bingham was handed a Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of her heritage advocacy, including her efforts to preserve Gastown, Barclay Heritage Square and Roedde House and research and publications on Samuel Maclure and the Roedde family. Awards of merit and awards of recognition were also given out Monday night. See the City of Vancouver website for the full list.
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THE VANCOUVER COURIER W E DN E SDAY, M AY 6 , 2 0 1 5
News
Cuts made to address $8.5M funding shortfall Continued from page 1 She argued it went too far to close the Hastings and Downtown Eastside centres at the same time, especially when students from the Downtown Eastside centre explained how important it was to them to have access to upgrading in their community. While adult education is said to operate outside of the VSB’s core mandate of instructing students in kindergarten to Grade 12, Bacchus and Vision trustee Joy Alexander emphasized that having parents being able to speak and read English benefits kids.
Associate superintendent Maureen Ciarniello said the figures Bacchus cited for the Downtown Eastside Education Centre didn’t take into account that a principal and academic advisor would need to be funded. Ciarniello told trustees the changes to the adult education program should see it break even in two years. She said classrooms at the Downtown Eastside Education Centre are too small to accommodate a cost-effective number of students, “even with enthusiastic enrolment.” The four NPA trustees and Green Party of Van-
couver trustee Janet Fraser didn’t support the amendment that was favoured by the four Vision trustees. Those who voted against the amendment said they were also moved by compelling stories, but couldn’t continue funding a program that runs with a structural deficit. NPA trustees Stacy Robertson and Fraser Ballantyne wondered why the previous Vision-dominated board didn’t take more action to reduce the program’s losses. They wondered about the wisdom of trying to add more international students to the system. No other amendments were recommended to the revised budget and
it passed with the support of five trustees. All four Vision trustees voted against it. Bacchus thanked staff for their hard work on the budget and the people who shared their concerns. “With those final pieces around adult education, I can’t in good conscience say that I did my job, going home, voting for that budget” she said. Trustees unanimously passed a restoration budget which identifies the additional funding required by the VSB to restore the same level of service that was in place more than a decade ago. The restoration budget
concludes the district would need $59.5 million in additional money to be able to provide the same level of service that was delivered before 20022003 budget cuts. Costs that have been downloaded from the province to the school board include $3.5 million for teachers’ pension plan in 2013-2014, $1.3 million in MSP premiums since 2009 and $2.4 million in carbon offsets since 2009. To cope with shortfalls over the years, the board has made budget cuts related to continuing education, alternative programs, family and youth workers, learning and information technol-
ogy, and maintenance. This year’s budget process isn’t over. The Ministry of Education is to receive a report from the special adviser it appointed to consider the VSB’s budget development and forecasting, surpluses and deficits, management of assets including all buildings, leases and real estate, opportunities for administrative savings, and board governance by May 31. The VSB is to report on the special adviser’s report June 5 and then submit a draft budget to the minister June 15. The board will adopt its final 2015-2016 budget June 29. twitter.com/Cheryl_Rossi
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The VSB’s literacy outreach programs for adults at elementary schools will be discontinued to help balance the district’s 2015-2016 budget. PHOTO DAN TOULGOET
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W E DN E SDAY, M AY 6 , 2 0 1 5 THE VANCOUVER COURIER
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News
Tribunal stems from 2010 arrests
Continued from page 1 • Amend the VPD’s jail manual of operations to ensure medical concerns of a prisoner are brought to the attention of the officer in charge of the jail. Have that officer ensure steps are taken by medical staff to ascertain the validity of a prisoner’s medical concerns and address them. The Courier contacted lawyer Melissa VanderHouwen, who acted with Lindsay Lyster on behalf of Dawson, regarding the department’s recommendations. VanderHouwen deferred to Lyster, who was at an unrelated hearing Monday and not immediately available to comment. The VPD’s report is in response to the tribunal’s ruling March 24, 2015 that ordered the police board to pay Dawson $15,000 for injury to dignity, feelings and selfrespect. Dawson’s complaints against police relate to being arrested in March 2010 on a warrant for breach of probation and in June 2010 for breach of the peace related to an incident in the street. In the first incident, Dawson complained the jail’s nurse did not respond to her concerns about post-surgery requirements related to her sex re-assignment surgery, which she underwent in Montreal a few weeks
before her arrest in Vancouver. “I find that [the nurse] treated Ms. Dawson as a male and made no effort to investigate her claim any further,” said tribunal member Catherine McCreary in her ruling. “Apart from looking something up on the Internet, which information he did not share with Ms. Dawson, [the nurse] did nothing to ease Ms. Dawson’s concerns about her post-surgery care.” Though McCreary singled out the nurse, she also concluded jail staff, particularly the officer in charge, bore responsibility to ensure proper care was provided. In the second incident, police arrested Dawson to avoid her getting in a fight with another person or persons. Dawson told two officers on patrol that a person tried to trip her or fight with her and she wanted them to investigate. Testimony from police concluded an investigation would have been “fruitless” because Dawson provided no description of the assailant and officers had no evidence from bystanders. Officers said Dawson was “agitated to the point of causing a disturbance.” When police told her she was under arrest, Dawson protested and officers “brought her to the
ground using knee strikes, handcuffed her and arrested her for breach of the peace.” The Office of the Police Complaint Commissioner investigated Dawson’s complaint of excessive force and concluded reasonable force was used in the arrest. In writing a report on the arrest, a constable with the surname Grewal (his first name was not published in the tribunal’s report) referred to Dawson as Jeffery in documents. Dawson’s legal name is Jeffery Allan Dawson. “Cst. Grewal stated that he used the name Jeffery and male pronouns because of what he saw in PRIME, a police database that contains a person’s name, aliases and their criminal record,” McCreary said in her decision, adding that “notwithstanding that her legal name is Jeffrey, she advised the officers that she was a transsexual female and was not treated as such.” The police report pointed out the tribunal ruling indicated that Dawson was not found to be a credible witness during the tribunal and many other allegations were dismissed. The tribunal report said Dawson was born “intersex” in 1968 and assigned the male gender designa-
The Vancouver Police Department has outlined a series of recommendations to improve relations with transgender persons. PHOTO JENNIFER GAUTHIER
tion at birth at her father’s insistence. Dawson has identified as a female since her teens. She said she had a difficult childhood, was abused by her father as a child and “escaped from her abusive home” at around 16 years old. She has limited education, never graduated from high school and reads at a grade six or seven level. Dawson said in an affidavit that she is not
violent or aggressive by nature. But her criminal record shows she has a history with police for violence, weapons, burglary, theft, drugs, fraud, sex, arson and served 10 years in a male penitentiary for manslaughter, according to the tribunal report “While incarcerated, Ms. Dawson says she was diagnosed with gender dysphoria, and she began hormone therapy, “ said the ruling, which also
included details on why Dawson is often seen in rollerblades directing traffic at intersections such as Cambie and Broadway, and Main and Hastings. “She says that she began directing traffic after she saw a fatal accident between a truck and a pedestrian. She says she likes to help people cross the intersections and feels that her role in the community is important.” twitter.com/Howellings
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THE VANCOUVER COURIER W E DN E SDAY, M AY 6 , 2 0 1 5
News
Vancouver company has eco coffee pod
Disposable pods a ‘growing environmental catastrophe’ Tyler Orton
torton@biv.com
Vancouver’s G-Kup worked with researchers at the University of B.C. to develop a device that could hold up in extreme environments and be 100 per cent biodegradable.
Looking at the market potential for coffee pods, Darren Footz says he’s struck by the number of
people who remain on the fence because of all the waste the single-serving cups produce. “Even though singleserve has so many advantages with choice, and cost and freshness, because of K-Cup and this growing environmental catastrophe, they’re going back to other alternatives,” said the CEO of Vancouver-based GKup Coffee. So while Keurig’s KCups may dominate the market, Footz’s company has spent the better part of two years developing a way to stop the popular pods from creating so much waste. In February, G-Kup received a patent for what it claims is the world’s first 100 per cent biodegradable and compostable single-serving coffee pod. “We are a little surprised to get the patent granted as quickly as we did,” Footz said. “It appears that the examiner and folks at the U.S. patent office really believe that this is a device that needs to be in the market.” He added the pods should be ready to hit store shelves by the fall and the company already has a major international coffee roaster lined up to put its brand in the G-Kup. Footz said he couldn’t name the roaster just yet but expects to make an announcement in the coming months. In early April, Toronto’s Club Coffee claimed it was behind the world’s first 100 per cent compostable single-serve coffee pod, the PurPod100. While Club Coffee vice-president of innovations Claudio Gemmiti congratulated G-Kup for
patenting a compostable product, he said his own company is likely further along getting pods to store shelves by the fall. G-Kup estimated the 10 billion K-Cups tossed into North American landfills annually would fill 8,300 shipping containers that could be laid end-to-end from Vancouver to Whistler. Footz said coming up with a solution to such a significant waste problem was more challenging than he ever imagined. “The target that I shot for at the beginning was a device that was made from readily renewable materials,” he said. “You’re dealing with water, heat and pressure … materials like bamboo or fibre, they just do not do well under those environments.” But G-Kup worked with researchers at the University of B.C. to develop a device that could hold up in extreme environments. They eventually created a composite material made from fibre using sugar cane, bamboo filter paper and a biodegradable polymer called Ingeo. Footz said the pod would be compatible with Keurig’s single-serve coffee makers, while the price tag would be within five to 10 per cent of what cost competitors charge for regular pods. G-Kup is also holding discussions with the City of Vancouver to get the onetime-use pods cleared for composting in green bins. “If [a G-Kup] ends up in the regular waste stream, it will still biodegrade in a landfill and it will still be accepted,” Footz said. twitter.com/reporton
W E DN E SDAY, M AY 6 , 2 0 1 5 THE VANCOUVER COURIER
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News
Feds jump into pot shop politics 12TH&CAMBIE Mike Howell
mhowell@vancourier.com
Let me begin with a message from the Government of Canada. “Like the vast majority of Canadians, the government expects that police will enforce the laws of Canada as written.” I pulled that quote out of a letter sent April 28 to city councillors from federal Health Minister Rona Ambrose and Public Safety Minister Steven Blaney. The topic: Marijuana dispensaries, which openly sell cannabis, hashish, hash oil and products such as cookies, brownies and butter, all of which contain the herb. The concern from the feds: That marijuana is bad and the City of Vancouver’s proposal to regulate pot shops — about 85 at last count — will lead to more use of the drug and addiction problems.
The City of Vancouver wants to regulate the growing number of marijuana dispensaries in the city. At last count, there were 85. The federal government wants police to shut them down. MAP COURTESY CITY OF VANCOUVER
“While some in Canada seek to make marijuana available in stores, just like
alcohol and cigarettes, this irresponsible approach sends a terrible message to
OUTDOOR LIVING Prices in Effect April 28 - May 14, 2015
our youth and would make it easier for them to buy and smoke marijuana,” the letter said. “Storefront
sales of marijuana are illegal and under our government, will remain illegal.” The next sentence was
K PAC ILY FAM
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the quote I pulled to begin this piece. Go back, read it again. What do you think? Quite amazing, really. And somewhat unprecedented for two federal ministers to point fingers at the Vancouver Police Department, which hasn’t exactly been in the crosshairs of the Harper government. But there it is, in this letter. Can you say election year? The VPD obviously got some good PR advice not to fire back at the political tag-team of Ambrose and Blaney. But they’re not shutting up about it, either. In a scrum with reporters last week, Supt. Mike Porteous, who oversees the VPD’s major crime section, which includes the drug squad, pointed out what the department has said for several years: That pot shops are not a priority when violent gun-toting drug dealers engaged in the heroin and cocaine trade continue to prey on people, hurt them, shoot them and, sometimes, kill them. Continued on page 8
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THE VANCOUVER COURIER W E DN E SDAY, M AY 6 , 2 0 1 5
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News Pot not top cop priority Continued from page 7 “My people are focused on that,” he said, noting his officers and others from the RCMP and the Combined Special Forces Unit recently arrested eight people operating a large-scale drug ring involved largely in the trade of fentanyl, a synthetic opiod or painkiller similar to heroin. “We had 44 people overdose on fentanyl in one weekend,” he added. “So that’s why we prioritize. You’re not seeing 44 people overdose on marijuana, generally speaking.” Back in October 2013, when I wrote a story about the VPD not cracking down on what was then 29 pot shops, I quoted from a report authored by Sgt. Jim Prasobsin. Here’s what he wrote:
“It is the view of the VPD that police enforcement against marijuana dispensaries in the first instance would generally be a disproportionate use of police resources and the criminal law. The issue requires a balanced enforcement strategy that considers a continuum of responses from education to warnings, to bylaw enforcement, to enforcement of the criminal law, when warranted.” The VPD has yet to waver from that position and Porteous told us — much to the chagrin of Ambrose and Blaney, no doubt — that “any kind of regulation helps.” He added, “because it’s completely the Wild West right now.” No date has been set for a public hearing on council’s move last week
to give the public a say on a proposal to regulate the pot shops. And by regulate, the city means a $30,000 annual licence fee, criminal record checks and prohibiting shops from opening within 300 metres of a school or community centre. Curious who will show up from the feds to speak to council. If memory serves, the last federal minister to get an audience at city hall was Conservative MP James Moore, who is Harper’s go-to minister on the West Coast. He was there to support a motion to ensure Vancouver would host a mixed-martial arts fight at Rogers Arena. Everyone, it seems, has priorities. twitter.com/Howellings
GP For Me still not for everyone
the B.C. Medical Association) and named it the GP For Me program as part of its re-election platform. “I think it’s unlikely that we will be able to fulfill that completely in 2015,” said Lake. “But I can tell from the work that’s going on that we’ve made great progress.” The aim of the GP For Me program, in addition to recruiting and retaining new doctors, includes shifting to more “team-based-care,” which means bringing in more health professionals such as nurse practitioners, for example, to reduce phy-
sicians’ load. The program also has incentives for doctors to increase their ability to treat more frail patients, and to use more telephone consultations and conferencing options. According to Health Match B.C., a free health professional recruitment service funded by the province, there are postings for 317 permanent family doctor positions in B.C. There were 200,000 British Columbians in need of a family doctor in 2013, according to Statistics Canada. — Times Colonist
The provincial government won’t likely deliver on a pledge to provide every British Columbian access to a family doctor by 2015, although “great progress” has been made, says B.C. Health Minister Terry Lake. Five years ago, the B.C. Liberal government promised that all B.C. citizens who want a family doctor would have access to one by this year. In 2013, the government negotiated funding of $132.4 million with the Doctors of B.C. (formerly
W E DN E SDAY, M AY 6 , 2 0 1 5 THE VANCOUVER COURIER
News
Park board wants nature back at New Brighton Plan seeks to restore saltmarsh
Megan Stewart
mstewart@vancourier.com
Half a century ago, New Brighton Park was created on the south shore of the Burrard Inlet when an intertidal marsh was back-filled with rock and dirt. Now, the Vancouver Park Board and Port Metro Vancouver are planning to reverse the work that went into creating the artificial landscape in an effort to draw wildlife and fish to a more natural habitat. The long-term goal is to allow a stream to run from Hastings Park in the south along a 1.2-kilometre corridor to a saltmarsh on the shore of Burrard Inlet in New Brighton Park. The stream’s source would be the pond in Hastings Park, known as the Sanctuary, and the its course still needs to be “daylighted,” meaning the flowing water is redirected into an above-ground channel. The park board identifies the work as “an ambitious and long-term vision” that is “one of the largest projects of its kind currently being undertaken in the Pacific Northwest.” Three years ago the park board adopted a strategic plan to create “healthy eco-
In 2013, the park board opened Creekway Park, which includes a reclaimed section of Hastings Creek that will potentially connect to a saltmarsh in New Brighton Park. PHOTO DAN TOULGOET
systems in parks to enhance biodiversity.” According to a park board report, a restored saltmarsh in New Brighton Park “would provide essential habitat for fish, birds, and other wildlife […] Both the north and south shores of Burrard Inlet have lost extensive coastal wetland habitat, which impairs their ability to support migrating fish from rivers and streams, and provide foraging habitat for shorebirds and waterfowl. “The historic industrialization of the shoreline from
Coal Harbour to Second Narrows has impaired its ability to support fish and wildlife. Juvenile fish from Indian and Seymour rivers have been known to experience high mortality as they migrate through Burrard Inlet. A restored saltmarsh would provide productive habitat for juvenile fish, shorebirds, and waterfowl.” Last year, the port and park board identified nine potential sites in its Habitat Enhancement Program. The port also intends to convert a Fraser River tidal marsh
south of Point Grey into a more productive habitat. A saltmarsh at New Brighton is also seen as an important link in the restoration of Renfrew Creek. The initial timeline of the project, which is still subject to approval and public consultation, begins with a design concept that will be presented to the Park Board in the fall. The work could begin early next year. The project will have its first public hearing at a park board meeting on May 11. twitter.com/MHStewart
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THE VANCOUVER COURIER W E DN E SDAY, M AY 6 , 2 0 1 5
Opinion
Pot dispensaries need to grow up
Jessica Barrett Columnist
jessica.barrett@gmail.com
Perhaps the biggest indication that the bloom of youth has started to fade in earnest comes when you catch yourself having decidedly NIMBYist thoughts. Such has been the persuasion of my interior dialogue regarding the marijuana dispensaries that have invaded Vancouver like so many psychedelic dandelions. At first, I tried to tamp down the not-inmy-backyard nagging that arose each time I noticed another “pain clinic” or “vapour lounge” opening in my neighbourhood; for the realization did not come without shame. As a supporter of progressive social policy on many fronts, including ending the pointless marijuana prohibition, it came as quite a shock to hear myself hissing “not another one!” under my breath. But I feel I can preserve a few scraps of leftist dignity in knowing that my objection to these businesses has almost nothing to do with the principle behind them and everything to do with their packaging. I mean, have you noticed how ugly they are? There are exceptions to the rule, but in general, the purveyors of pot in Vancouver seem to have settled on an unofficial theme in exterior décor that relies on garish stock photography, ominously tinted windows and the ubiquitous pot leaf, usually in flashing neon lights (not just insultingly obvious, but oh so very gauche). Surely an industry existing in a legal grey area that has attracted the ire of the federal government, increased attention from municipal regulators and crackdowns from police who have previously turned a blind eye might benefit from approaching its market with a touch of subtlety, maybe even class? If we are to take the industry’s advocates at their word — that marijuana should be treated like any other medication and available to adults of all walks of life — it would greatly help if these establishments projected an image that that is indeed the clientele they are trying to court. As it is, most dispensaries I have seen do not appear to have given any concern to the kind of professional comportment that we expect of other adult-oriented establishments. For the most part, liquor stores, pharmacies, licensed restaurants and bars tend to blend in with the communities where they set up shop. Respectful business owners in this arena go out of their way to create an atmosphere that is attractive and welcoming to a
broad cross-section of the public. In contrast, a majority of dispensaries around town exude a rather exclusive aura — and not an enticing one. With their penchant for opaque storefronts, tacky signage, and below-grade or off-street locations, these businesses look and feel like the 1990s-era head shops that appealed to me as a rebellious teenager. And, as last week’s police investigation at one Kitsilano dispensary suggests, that’s exactly the kind of customers — thrill-seeking adolescents — these businesses appear to attract. I can’t help but think this is totally counterproductive. Because as much as my teenage self may have gotten a kick from flipping through copies of High Times and perusing the bongs in one of these glorified drug dens, my adult self, a voter who actually supports legalization, regulation and taxation of pot, wouldn’t be caught dead in one. (Nor, it turns out, was I very welcome when I begrudgingly ducked into my local dispensary to ask a few questions. The owner flatly refused.) It is hopeful that many of the industry’s advocates have responded positively to the City of Vancouver’s move to regulate these businesses. But I still marvel that so few seem to have considered, of their own volition, the advantage of employing some tact and discretion in their location, signage and marketing. It has been the message of the marijuana community, medicinal and otherwise, for years that pot is a product adults can responsibly use and remain functional, productive, morally upstanding members of society. Polls show most Canadians agree. I agree. With legal marijuana markets in Washington, Colorado and, next year, Alaska, we seem to have finally reached a critical mass in public opinion that hopefully portends some sort of fully legal market here in the not-too-distant future. However the final push to end prohibition is not like the civil or gay rights movements. Visibility in flamboyant flashing neon is not going to win any major battles. This is Vancouver. Pot is already here, and we are already used to it. Rather than continuing to act as social outliers railing against an unjust law, pot dealers who hope to make a legitimate go of it need to demonstrate they can be good corporate citizens who are considerate of, and contributing to, the communities where they operate. They might want to start by looking the part. twitter.com/jm_barrett
The week in num6ers...
59.5 5
In millions of dollars, the amount of money the Vancouver School Board would need to provide the same level of service it did before the 20022003 budget cuts.
The number of trustees — four NPA and one Green — who endorsed the revised school board budget. All four Vision trustees voted against it.
15
In thousands of dollars, the amount given to transgender woman Angela Dawson for injury to her dignity after she was treated as a male during a 2010 arrest.
Time to help the ‘last time buyer’ Michael Geller Columnist michaelarthurgeller@gmail.com
Last week it was reported that Vancouver plans to create a database of empty houses and condos in an effort to determine to what extent vacant properties contribute to the city’s affordability crisis. The news comes from a memo sent by Mukhtar Latif, the city’s chief housing officer to the mayor and council. In his memo, Latif acknowledged it is difficult to determine how many homes are empty and why. Therefore, the city plans to retain a consultant who will use B.C. Hydro consumption data, national census information, and other statistics to assess the situation. The city will also set up a website where people can report houses they believe to be empty. As I have noted in previous columns, other jurisdictions have imposed special taxes on foreign real estate buyers, and also attempted to discourage empty properties through regulations, with limited success. While I question how much the city can do on its own, if it can collect substantive data to demonstrate empty properties are exacerbating housing affordability, the federal and provincial governments may take some action. I recently came across another interesting newspaper story on the topic of vacant housing. To quote the article: “Middle-aged couples in large homes should be encouraged to sell and downsize to a smaller property to benefit society,” said the minister. “More than half the people over 55 years old had spare rooms and he suggested the government should help them move.” In case you are wondering why you missed this story, it might be because it is not from a Vancouver newspaper; it is from England’s Daily Telegraph. I find it ironic that while the U.K. government is exploring how best to encourage older people to move out of their larger homes, the B.C. government is doing the exact opposite. Why I write this, you ask. The British Columbia Property Tax Deferment Program allows those 55 and older to defer property taxes on their principal residence. If you are not aware of this program, you can find details on the B.C. government website. While there is no doubt the program
benefits some low income elderly people who simply do not want to move, I have long questioned the broader societal cost-benefits. There is no means test; anyone 55 or older can sign up. Indeed, I take advantage of the program and encourage my contemporaries to do the same. One reason is the interest rate, which is currently just one per cent. It is not even compounded. On a $7,000 tax bill, that’s only $70 in interest. There are so many better things I can do with that extra money, including travel and investment. Just as importantly, whether intentional or not, the program encourages many of us to remain in larger homes with empty rooms when both we and society might benefit from a more efficient use of our housing stock. Lord Newby, the deputy government chief whip in the U.K. House of Lords who proposed government assistance to seniors with empty rooms, pointed out that for many older people the major constraint is often the lack of appropriate alternative accommodation. Ross Altmann, the U.K. government business champion for older workers, agreed. “We have not been building new homes that older people might want to downsize to; the new houses are typically small flats that might suit ‘first time buyers’, not ‘last time buyers.’” A similar problem exists in Vancouver. While thousands of new apartments are being built, often they are too small and not in the neighbourhoods where longstanding Vancouver residents want to live. They are also located along busy arterials, not on the quiet leafy streets many prefer. Furthermore, many of us are not yet ready for an apartment. We want a smaller house or townhouse. While I endorse Mr. Latif’s initiative to study empty houses and condos, I would also encourage him to examine what to do about all the empty bedrooms throughout the city. While few us are prepared to take in boarders, (even though doing so would solve the rental housing crisis overnight), by shining a light on the situation we might encourage city planners and council to push for more suitable neighbourhood housing accommodating last time buyers. twitter.com/michaelgeller
85 65 20
At last count, the number of medical marijuana dispensaries selling their wares in the city.
The percentage of B.C.’s annual spot prawn harvest caught in the waters between Vancouver and Vancouver Island. The annual Spot Prawn Festival takes place May 17.
The number of years since Sleater-Kinney released their self-titled debut album. The reunited indie rock trio play the Commodore Ballroom May 6.
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Inbox LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Federal program could spark solution to pot shop predicament
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
Whitecaps debut at Empire Stadium
May 5, 1974: The Vancouver Whitecaps play their first home game as part of the North American Soccer League in the pouring rain against the San Jose Earthquakes at a packed Empire Stadium. The home team found themselves down 1-0 three minutes into the game but defender Neil Ellett tied it at the 37-minute mark. It was not only the Caps’ historic first goal, it also turned out to be Ellett’s only one over three seasons with the team. The inaugural match went to a shootout, going 3-3 after five shooters and 6-6 after nine. Following a miss by midfielder Brian Gant, San Jose converted the 19th shot to take a 2-1 win. Gant managed to redeem himself six days later when he scored the team’s only goal against the Denver Dynamos, good for a 1-0 win and the first in franchise history. Vancouver finished 5-11-4 and ranked 11th overall in the 15-team league in their debut season.
City’s first shopping mall opens
May 6, 1959: Vancouver gets its first shopping mall when Oakridge Centre opens its doors at the corner of Cambie Street and West 41st Avenue. A Woodward’s outlet was the original anchor tenant until it was sold to The Bay in 1993. The mall drew international attention for being both the starting and ending point for wheelchair athlete Rick Hansen’s Man in Motion world tour in 1985. The site is now the location of a controversial new development that is poised to turn the retail centre into a miniature city with four new high-rise condo towers ADVERTISING
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Re: “Public to get say on pot shops,” May 1. Like many, I sat in on the most recent council meeting (April 28) to learn more about how the city plans to regulate medical marijuana dispensaries, and also to understand why the city feels the need to legitimize and regulate medical marijuana dispensaries. I also read the proposed regulations top to bottom, and will be attending the upcoming public hearing. What I found most interesting about city manager Dr. Penny Ballem’s presentation during the meeting was that the letters M.M.P.R. (the acronym for Health Canada’s existing federal medical marijuana program, the Marijuana for Medical Purposes Regulations) were not used once. And the phrase “Health Canada” was referenced only once. Likewise, in the city’s actual proposed regulations, M.M.P.R. isn’t referenced a single time, and Health Canada itself is mentioned but once. Even after Dr. Ballem’s presentation on the proposed regulations, when each councillor had a chance to ask her questions and raise concerns, there was no discussion about the M.M.P.R. or its presumed inadequacies. It seemed odd that, in a hugely controversial move to bring massive regulatory changes to how citizens access medical marijuana at the civic level, there was little mention of — let alone discussion about — the existing federal program and its own strengths and weaknesses. It was as though the sweeping and comprehensive M.M.P.R. didn’t even exist. During her presentation, Dr. Ballem did vaguely acknowledge that there was a recent change in federal medical marijuana regulations. In fact, she insinuated a correlation between the growth of dispensaries and the implementation of the M.M.P.R. (without explaining why there wasn’t similar growth in other cities). But other correlations are easy to identify, including the one between the growth of Vancouver dispensaries and the rise in consumer preferences for extracts and edibles. Or the one between the growth of Vancouver dispensaries and the massive drop in wholesale prices of B.C. bud due to increased domestic U.S. production. California, Washington, etc. grow their own quality marijuana now and don’t need B.C. to smuggle ours across the border anymore. Here is the only direct acknowledgement of the federal program’s existence, from the city’s website introducing to the report: “Up until now there has been a lack of a clear and transparent regulatory framework from the Federal Government.”
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ONLINE COMMENTS Chinese corruption case could be tip of the iceberg
Re: “Developer sought by China,” May 1. Amazing work Bob Mackin, this story is huge. The implications remind me of Richard Fadden’s cryptic comments upon retiring from CSIS and Laila Yuile’s excellent work on her blog about this very subject titled “Playing with the Dragon.” Going forward this could blow open the corruption in B.C. and the connections in Ottawa. This could change our political landscape. Kim Poirier, via Comments section
The mall of Jericho?
Re: “Land sale raises fear,” April 29. The new SkyTrain line ends at Arbutus. This will be a “Metrotown” type development. Kevin Froese, via Facebook
have your say online...
FLYER SALES
Dee Dhaliwal
I would counter that the only thing unclear about Health Canada’s Marijuana for Medical Purposes Regulations is the city’s comprehension of it. Never has the federal government given more clarity about how Canadians can access medical marijuana, and never has the greatest number of Canadians had greater access. Individuals from coast to coast to coast simply need a note from their doctor, and they can choose from hundreds of available strains, buy online with a credit card, and have it shipped safely and securely to their door – and at prices comparable to dispensaries. On top of that, the laws force licensed growers to produce some of the safest, most standardized and consistent medical marijuana the world has known. It is heavily regulated, extensively tested, and the M.M.P.R. is frequently looked to by jurisdictions in the United States and globally as being at the forefront of commercial medical marijuana production. One of the problems with the city’s quasiregulation of dispensaries is that it is unable to regulate the testing and oversight of the marijuana itself — something that even most dispensary owners see a need for. Dr. Ballem, in her report, looked to Washington and Colorado for examples of how to regulate medical marijuana — but did she study our own made-in-Canada solution? Is it possible that the city of Vancouver is trying to solve a problem that no longer exists? The M.M.P.R. certainly has its flaws, but it’s still relatively new and is improving all the time. It would be prudent city council to at least familiarize itself with the federal program that close to 20,000 Canadians participate in before proposing alternatives fraught with challenges at every level. Tyler Sookochoff, Vancouver
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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
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Living
How to care for your rhododendrons
Is it time to plant outdoor tomatoes? GARDEN Anne Marrison
amarrison@shaw.ca
Q: My rhodos are getting dried-up leaves and buds, so I cut them off. Will this kill the rhodo? How do you care for rhododendrons? Raquel,Coquitlam A: Whether your rhododendrons will die from the pruning you did, may depend on how much you cut off. The rule of thumb for pruning is: never remove more than one-third of your tree/shrub at one time. It’s best to space severe pruning over several years. Generally, most rhododendrons handle moderate pruning well. This is especially true if your rhododendrons are wellestablished and most of the branches remain with leaves that are still green. But after pruning, flowering may be reduced the following year.
Most rhododendrons handle moderate pruning well.
If the leaves you removed were brown and crispy, the plants could be badly dehydrated. This is even more likely if they were growing in pots. The ideal situation for containerized rhododendrons is growing in very large containers in a mixed sun/shade situation where sunshine gives gentle
light and warmth and their soil is mulched to conserve moisture. But even growing in an outside garden, rhododendrons still need watering in times of drought Summer last year was very hot, dry and long and it could be your rhodos didn’t get enough water. If they
were in pots, watering may not actually moisten them. Sometimes, soil in pots can become so dry it shrinks away from the sides of the pot. When this happens, water can run down the inner sides of the pot and away. Another issue with containers is that fierce heat in
summer can attack plant roots through the sides of the pot (this happens also with cold in winter). There are two possibilities for the dried-up buds. Dehydration is one. But they could also have a fungal disease called bud blast. Infected buds are brown, hard and don’t flower. As spring continues, the bud surface develops black, furry-looking fruiting spores. These buds need to be removed before they can continue the disease into another year. This infection is thought to be spread by leaf-hoppers. Check the underside of your rhodo leaves in late spring/early summer. If you see little white crawlers, this will be the larval stage of leaf-hoppers. Insecticidal soap will kill them on contact. But like all killing sprays, it can kill beneficial insects too — and the person applying it needs to be cautious and follow instructions.
Q: Is it time to plant tomato plants outside yet? Heidi Naman, Vancouver A: When temperatures are following their normal pattern, mid-May is about the right time to put tomatoes outside. Until then the nights are cold and tomatoes may not die, but they don’t grow and take a while to recover when the weather does warm up. If you have your tomatoes in pots and have a sheltered spot for them, by a south or west wall, I suggest you put just one pot outside and see how the plant does. If it grows normally and looks healthy after a few days, your others could follow. But keep watching the weather forecasts for a couple of weeks in case an unexpected cold snap is predicted. Anne Marrison is happy to answer garden questions. Send them to her via amarrison@ shaw.ca. It helps if you can mention the name of your city or region.
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Walk this way for good health
Davidicus Wong
davidicuswong.wordpress.com.
The health benefits of walking are clear. Walking conditions the heart and lungs, maintains muscle strength, balance and coordination, and helps us maintain a healthy weight. Staying fit is not just for looks; it helps us perform the essential tasks of everyday life, including bathing, cooking, shopping and cleaning. Yet the simple act of walking also fosters our emotional and social wellbeing. When we walk, we are more connected with our community particularly the people, our neighbours, whom we meet face to face. This is lost when we commute, shop and run errands by car. When we drive, others contained within their own vehicles are depersonalized and may even become objects of irritation, competing for space in the line of traffic and appearing as obstacles to where you want to be. Walking is the cheapest and simplest form of transportation, and it’s the best for our environment. The footprints you leave will be healthy, human and not carbon. When we walk, we are more connected with our bodies and the neighbourhood. We move at just the
I WILL HEAR
BETTER
THIS YEAR Walking is the cheapest and simplest form of transportation.
right pace to really look around and see — every house, every shop, every flower and every tree. We can feel our hearts beating and feel each breath. We sense the energy and warmth of being physically active, using our bodies as we were meant to. A ride on the bus or SkyTrain is like an extended walk, particularly if we get off an extra stop ahead of our destination. A ride in a car, on the other hand, is like an extended sit, and most of us do enough of that. Physical activity, walking included, has been shown to reduce stress and the symptoms of anxiety
and depression. Walk with a friend and you’ll feel even better. Rain or shine, why don’t you go for a good walk today and notice how great it feels? To celebrate the power and value of simply walking and to help more people in our communities acquire the habit of being physically active, the Doctors of B.C. has organized Walk With Your Doc events throughout the province. During the week of May 9 to 15, doctors throughout British Columbia will be promoting physical activity in a variety of community events. On Saturday, May 9, we’ll kick off the week
with a free and fun two kilometre walk at Kitsilano Beach Park in Vancouver at 9:30 am. As the event’s emcee, I’ll be there with many of my colleagues along with our patients. Even if your doctor isn’t there, you’re welcome to attend. All members of the public are invited, but come early to get your free pedometer. For more information about this event, check online at www.bcma.org/walk-withyour-doc. Dr. Davidicus Wong is a family physician. You can read more about achieving your positive potential in health at davidicuswong. wordpress.com.
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Family Stone Soup, Circus Oz and prawns CALENDAR Shannon Lynch
shannonlynch815@gmail.com
Commercial Drive
Head on down to the Drive for a celebration of food, art, environment and community at the 20th annual Stone Soup Festival. Live music, workshops, free soup and children’s activities are just some of the features of the event, so it’s great for families. There will be talk by one for both of the authors of cookbook This East Van Kitchen, a workshop about painting and printmaking with recycled materials, and a tree planting and care demonstration. Stone Soup Festival takes place May 10 at Britannia Community Centre, 1661 Napier St. from 12 to 5 p.m.
Hastings
Take a trip down the Yellow Brick Road and check out the Circus of Oz, a circus rendition of
the classic musical The Wizard of Oz presented by CircusWest. Follow Dorothy, the Cowardly Lion, the Scarecrow and Tinman in their adventures toward Emerald City with an acrobatic twist, as performers infuse the story with circus feats and acts that will delight kids and parents alike. Performances take place at CircusWest Performing Arts Society, 2901 East Hastings St. from May 7 to 10.
Downtown
Bring the family out to enjoy the high-energy noon series of Brazilian culture with Discover Dance! on Davie Street. Performances by Vancouver’s Aché Brasil will capture audiences with traditional Brazilian music, dance and martial arts, including the dynamic acrobatics of capoeira. The show starts at 12 p.m. May 14 and takes place at the Scotiabank Dance Centre, 677 Davie St. Tickets are available at ticketstonight.ca.
False Creek
Love prawns? Head down to the Fishermen’s Wharf at False Creek to get in on the 9th annual Spot Prawn Festival. When the boats arrive, fresh live prawns will be for sale at the dock and live music create a lively atmosphere for the family. Enjoy local chef cooking demos and kids’ activities at this free event. Or get tickets for the Prawn Boil to eat fresh-off-the-boat B.C. spot prawns and drink local beer and wine. The Spot Prawn Festival takes place May 17 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at False Creek Fishermen’s Wharf.
The annual Spot Prawn Festival takes place May 17 at False Creek Fishermen’s Wharf. PHOTO TYLER BRANSTON
East Side
Get your creativity on at the Arts and Crafts Family Show May long weekend. Tasting good food, partaking in shopping for homemade items, and activities for the whole family are some of the things attendees can enjoy at this event. It takes place May 16 to 17 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Croatian Cultural Centre, 3250 Commercial Drive. Admission is $2, kids 12 and under free.
North Vancouver
Take mom out for brunch on top of a moun-
tain peak this Mother’s Day. Get in on some good food on Grouse Mountain like free-range Eggs Benny, maple bacon and Belgian waffles included in a separate children’s buffet. All prices include Alpine Experience admission so you can explore the mountaintop either before or after brunch and sneak a peek at the grizzly bear habitat. Reservations for the Observatory and Altitudes Bistro are accepted from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. Sunday May 10. twitter.com/shannon1726
summer camp-o-rama
W E DN E SDAY, M AY 6 , 2 0 1 5 THE VANCOUVER COURIER
Help for parents in ďŹ nding the right camp for your kids
Arts Umbrella summer camps help kids unleash their creative selves through performing, visual and media arts. PHOTO: ARTS UMBRELLA
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summer
A camp Metro Vancouver and the surrounding region have plenty of summer camp choices
SHANNON LYNCH
Kids can take a big bite out of summer thanks to the wide range of choices for camps.
Vancouver Intl Childrens Festival 3x3.417
Picking a summer camp for kids and youth means knowing their interests and involving them in the choosing process, experts say. The options are endless, with camp themes meeting every kind of interest possible. AQUACAMPS Want to get up close and personal to marine animals? Vancouver Aquarium’s AquaCamps offer kids a fun way to explore marine critter life systems. Through hands-on activities and animal observations, kids and teens aged four to 16 can learn about local and exotic animals, life cycles, food webs, adaptations, ecosystems and sustainability.
Kids can also engage in crafts and have time to run around outside to get a fully active learning experience. Vancouver Aquarium’s AquaCamps run from June 29 until Sept. 4. For more information, call 604-659-3474 or check outvanaqua.org
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WIN 4 TICKETS TO Vancouver International Children’s Festivals’ Will Stroet Pyjama Night Show! Tuesday, May 26 at 6:30pm, Granville Island To enter visit vancourier.com/contest Phoenix Gymnastics 3x4.917
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W E DN E SDAY, M AY 6 , 2 0 1 5 THE VANCOUVER COURIER
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for every kid
CIRCUSWEST
CAMP PRINGLE
Children can step under the Big Top and delve into circus life this summer at CircusWest — a series of camps held at the PNE Garden Auditorium, Bayview Community School, Stratford Hall, and École Jules Quesnel.
Camp Pringle on Shawnigan Lake offers a ton of different summer programs for kids including science, wilderness, bike, theatre and watersports.
Kids aged five to 14 take on Cirque du Soleil-style feats like juggling, unicycle-riding, trapezeswinging and building human pyramids at these creative summer programs. On the last night of camp, kids can impress their friends and family by putting on a performance they’ve created themselves and showcasing their new skills. CircusWest camps start on July 6 and run until Aug. 28. For more information, call 604-252-3679 or visit circuswest.com
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The Ultimate Adventure camp gives campers a taste of the wild outdoors, with activities including sailing, paddle boarding, tubing and archery. This camp also features a canoe trip out to Memory Island.
Making good friends and enjoying canoeing, campfires and arts and crafts are all part of the fun.
The camps aim to foster social connections, environmental awareness, and positive attitudes about physical activity. For more complete list of camps and schedules, visit camppringle.com or call 250-743-2189.
ARTS UMBRELLA VANCOUVER
CAMPOUT! If you’re seeking a fully inclusive camp welcoming trans, queer and allied youth that offers the best of traditional summer activities as well, you’ll want to check out CampOUT! Teens and youth aged 14 to 21 can experience a summer filled with innovative workshops that aim to encourage advocating for social change. The camp connects people, works to build self-esteem and leadership skills, inspires campers and gives them new tools they can take back to their communities. Making good friends and enjoying canoeing, campfires and arts and crafts are all part of the fun. Registration for CampOUT! is already closed for this July, but you might want to think about next year. For more information, call 604-822-8298 or visit campout.ubc.ca
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Kids can get their creativity on this summer at Arts Umbrella where kids explore their curiosity and express themselves through performing arts. An engaging mix of summer programs for kids and youth aged three to 19 include music, dance, theatre, visual and media arts so campers have an opportunity to shine in the spotlight.
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Arts Umbrella summer camps on Granville Island run for three weeks starting June 29 and finishing July 26. To register call 604-681-5268 (Vancouver), 604-535-1127 (Surrey) or visit artsumbrella.com for more information.
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THE VANCOUVER COURIER W E DN E SDAY, M AY 6 , 2 0 1 5
summer camp-o-rama
GROUSE MOUNTAIN CAMPS Grouse Mountain can be enjoyed for more than just the Grouse Grind this summer. Various themed camps allow kids aged five to 16 to explore the outdoors, connect with nature, learn about animal behaviour, mountain rescue and B.C. culture and survival. Rock climbing, archery, shelter building, soap stone carving and a visit from the mountain’s resident owl are just some of the activities the camps offer.
forests of Garibaldi Provincial Park. Starting at Cheakaumus Lake and ending up at the stunning Garibaldi Lake, campers will learn about food preparation, compass and map skills and basic wilderness survival as they go. Sasamat summer camps run from June 29 to Aug. 28. For more information on the different camps and schedules, call 604-939-2268 or visit sasamat.org
4CATS ARTS CAMPS
Summer camps at Grouse Mountain run from June 29 until Sept. 4.
Why not splash some colour into your kids’ summer this year?
For more information, call 604-980-9311 or visit grousemountain.com
Kids aged five to 12 can channel their inner Van Gogh and join a ton of different art-focused summer camps at 4Cats Arts with studios in Vancouver, Burnaby, the North Shore and Richmond.
SASAMAT OUTDOOR CENTRE Kids can enjoy the natural beauty of Belcarra by joining Sasamat Outdoor Centre’s summer programs. Sasamat offers six unique camps for kids aged five to 16 as well as a counsellor training program for 16- and 17-year-olds. The popular Ridgerunner I, which is the first trip of two programs, gives campers a fiveday backcountry tripping adventure in the
Campers get artsy with programs ranging from manga drawing to acrylic and watercolour painting, pixel art and even glittery mermaidinspired art. 4Cats Arts summer camps run from June 29 through to Sept. 3. To find information on your local studio visit 4cats.com
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MACSAILING
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If you’re looking to get a rush of the wind and the sea this summer, you’ll want to check out MacSailing summer camps at the Jericho Sailing Centre and Kitsilano Yacht Club.
Inspired by the likes of A.Skillz? Teens can get their record spin on this summer at Langara College’s digital music production summer program.
Some of these sailing-themed camps include:
Youth aged 13 to 18 learn about sequencing, mixing, recording, music production software and more for a taste of the DJ experience in this two-week summer camp. You can even learn about recording movie, TV and video game music. The last day is spent in a recording studio.
• BEACH KIDS: For kids aged five to seven who want to learn about sailing and water safety • SAIL ESCAPES: Beginner and intermediate sailor courses for kids aged 10 to 14 • JUNIOR CRUISER: A course for kids aged 13 to 18 aimed to give campers a basic understanding of cruising Call 604-224-7245 or visit macsailing.com
The program starts on July 6 and goes until the 17. Contact Deborah Holland at 604-218-4824 or dholland@langara.bc.ca for more information.
B.C. SPCA CAMPS
CAMP QWANOES
Want to make new friends — both furry and human?
Camp Qwanoes is a Christian-based youth summer camp located on 55 acres of waterfront property on Vancouver Island between Victoria and Nanaimo.
The B.C. SPCA offers summer programs around the province, including camps at Vancouver’s SPCA branch on East Seventh Avenue.
Kids and youth aged eight to 18 can experience a high adventure summer with activities ranging from waterskiing to trapeze jumping to learning guitar and “artrageous” crafts. A new feature this year is a floating volleyball court as part of the camp’s Aqua Park.
Campers will learn about food preparation, compass and map skills and basic wilderness survival as Activities include both indoor they go. Camp Qwanoes takes and outdoor games, quiet
Campers are immersed in animal-themed activities and learn about responsible animal care, interesting animal facts, and how to build positive relationships between people, animals and nature in fun and engaging ways.
elements of the Bible and makes them relevant to everyday life.
hands-on projects, crafts and time spent with animals.
B.C. SPCA summer programs go from July 6 through to Aug. 28.
Summer camps at Qwanoes begin June 27 and run until Sept. 6.
Check out support.spca.bc.ca or call 604-709-4679 for more information.
For more information, call toll free at 888-997-9266 or visit qwanoes.ca
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W E DN E SDAY, M AY 6 , 2 0 1 5 THE VANCOUVER COURIER
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THE VANCOUVER COURIER W E DN E SDAY, M AY 6 , 2 0 1 5
Arts&Entertainment
GOT ARTS? 604.738.1411 or events@vancourier.com
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May 6 to 8, 2015 1. The Firehall Arts Centre hosts close to 30 different theatre, dance and music micro-performances and staged readings that explore the idea of longing and belonging as part of its 11th annual BC Buds Springs Arts Festival May 7 to 10. One such performance is OURO Collective who “re-interpret street dance viewed through a contemporary dance kaleidoscope.” Admission is by donation. Details at firehallartscentre.ca.
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2. After a nearly decade-long hiatus, Portland-by-way-of-Olympia indie band Sleater-Kinney are back and sounding as vital and rocking as ever. The trio performs a sold-out show at the Commodore May 6 in support of their latest album No Cities to Love. Seattle’s THEESatisfaction opens. 3. Andy Bichlbaum and Mike Bonanno have made a career out of subverting and satirizing the corporate world, power structures and the media, all the while documenting their elaborate pranks with a series of hilarious and illuminating films. Their latest and final of the trilogy, The Yes Men Are Revolting, screens May 6, 7:30 p.m. at the Vancouver Playhouse as part of the DOXA Documentary Festival. For details, go to doxafestival.ca. 4. Chelsea Hotel creator Tracey Power reimagines the Bard with a “saucy” new musical Miss Shakespeare, which plays in repertory with an all-female, futuristic adaptation of J. Caesar. The gender-bending, genre-busting, time-traveling, song-singing spectacles run until May 17 at Granville Island’s Performance Works. For tickets, go to ticketstonight.ca or call 604-684-2787.
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W E DN E SDAY, M AY 6 , 2 0 1 5 THE VANCOUVER COURIER
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Arts&Entertainment
Ballet BC’s season finale has RITE stuff Stravinsky and Nijinsky’s revolutionary The Rite of Spring inspires two world premieres STATE OF THE ARTS Cheryl Rossi
crossi@vancourier.com
Parisians came to blows when The Rite of Spring premiered in 1913. Igor Stravinsky’s dissonant orchestral score alienated some, Vaslav Nijinsky’s choreography saw dancer’s legs turned in and, with great theatrically, the work explored sacrifice, the primitive and sexuality. So it’s no small undertaking to tackle the revolutionary, influential work, but Ballet BC is doing just that with its season finale — two world premieres inspired by The Rite of Spring with RITE, May 7 to 9 at Queen Elizabeth Theatre. The original Rite of Spring ends when the woman who’s sacrificed dances herself to death. Emily Molnar, choreographer and artistic director of Ballet BC, has envisioned what comes next. “It’s kind of this vacuum of time between coming from one place and going to the other,” she said. RITE will come to life with an otherworldly set designed by Omer Arbel, an internationally renowned Vancouver-based designer who received the Royal
Ballet BC closes out its season with RITE, May 7 to 9 at Queen Elizabeth Theatre.
Architectural Institute of Canada’s Allied Arts Medal for 2015, and a composition by Jeremy Schmidt, a member of local psych rock outfit Black Mountain and the man behind the cosmic synthesizer music of Sinoia Caves. Molnar has created an abstract visual poem in four movements, discarding references to male or female. “There’s an androgyny in this piece because I just wanted to deal with the sensations one would feel at the moment,” she said.
Like Arbel, Molnar starts her creative process with an idea. She researched the making of The Rite of Spring and the time when it was created in Europe and learned about an art movement called Suprematism. Suprematists wanted to get to pure expression, so Molnar says it was the first time art lovers saw a black box on a white canvas. She’s drawn inspiration from this movement, creating a monochromatic world. “It’s about getting the body right to true expres-
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sion,” she said. “I reference, a lot, what we know of the original choreography.” She’s created a new vocabulary of movement with which the dancers improvise, in moments, and she’s drawn from the original score by incorporating percussive actions. The dancer’s movements are backed by Schmidt’s drone music, which is about the subconscious, about getting to other levels of understanding, and they’ll be obscured by costumes and makeup that make them look inhuman as an homage to the original production. Molnar says her RITE is about Europe around 1913 and our world right now, about who’s judging who’s normal in the urban jungle and who’s watching. Spanish choreographer Gustavo Ramirez Sansano created the other piece in the program using Stravinsky’s music. “For any choreography
to tackle creating a dance work to that work is a huge undertaking,” Molnar said, adding there have been wonderful versions by Germany’s Pina Bausch, France’s Maurice Béjart and Canada’s Marie Chouinard. “It’s such a historic work. Any choreographer, when they take it on, it’s usually someone in their mid to senior career because it’s a very important piece of music.” Sansano was artistic director of the late Luna Negra Dance Theater in Chicago, created work for Spain’s Compañia Nacional de Danza, Hamburg Ballet, Budapest Dance Theatre and the Netherlands Dance Theatre. He also created Lost and Seek, which premiered with Ballet BC in 2014. “His point of view is really looking at it from the primal, sexual awakening or the universal awakening of an individual, so when
you’re becoming aware of your body and the relationship with other people, and just that primal force, understanding your place in the world and your sensuality,” Molnar said. Intimate moments with beautiful duets contrast with the grandeur of percussive music that leaves you in a transformed state, Molnar said. With longtime collaborator, Spanish designer Luis Crespo, Sansano has created a sensual world, a forest fashioned from seatbelts. “Most of our shows have varied pieces that are not similar to each other,” Molnar said. “This show has got, because of the lovely collaboration working with the designers, there’s an additional element that is quite unique and quite exciting, so I’m hoping that people will be able to see it.” For more information, see balletbc.com. twitter.com/Cheryl_Rossi
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THE VANCOUVER COURIER W E DN E SDAY, M AY 6 , 2 0 1 5
Sports&Recreation
GOT SPORTS? 604.630.3549 or mstewart@vancourier.com
Watson ‘defends’ Vancouver’s streets Rob Watson wins BMO half-marathon MARATHON Megan Stewart
mstewart@vancourier.com
More than 120 teams ran the inaugural relay race at the BMO Vancouver Marathon on May 3. Team Yu3K, in yellow, included Yuichi Takasaka, right, handing off to Yuko Horn on West 16th Avenue. PHOTO ROB KRUYT
Relay foursome becomes five RELAY
Megan Stewart
mstewart@vancourier.com
Relay runner Tim Kukko passed the 16-kilometre distance marker of the BMO Vancouver Half-Marathon on Sunday morning and still hadn’t seen the teammate who would run the second leg of their race. He was downtown. His teammate, Amanda Stevens, was waiting for him at the 12km mark — on a different racecourse — at the border of Pacific Spirit Park on West 16th Ave. Stevens heard the race officials call her bib number, 9807, which was the established process when a relay runner was approaching a transition zone. But because the elite marathon runners were racing past the 12km mark where she stood waiting, Stevens was slack-jawed that her teammate would be running at such a pace. “I know my friend is fast, but he’s not that fast,” she said. “Then they explained.” Somehow, Kukko had joined the ranks of the half-marathon runners although they start 90 minutes earlier and run a completely different course than the marathon and relay runners. The
half-marathon course takes a right off Midlothian Avenue from the start line at Queen Elizabeth Park to head north on Cambie. The race started at 7 a.m. The marathon and relay began at 8:30 a.m. The course leaves from the same place, but swings left to go south on Cambie before cutting west on 49th Avenue. “We were there really early. We were real keeners,” said Linda Hutchinson, Stevens’s mom and the team’s third runner. If she or Stevens had run the first leg, they would have known right away they’d joined the half-marathon race by mistake. The pair ran the course last year to celebrate Stevens’s cancer remission. “This is our third anniversary of my daughter being cancer-free,” said Hutchinson. Their team, called The Required Fields, drew its runners from Edmonton, Thunder Bay and Nunavut, where Stevens and Kukko work together at an Agnico Eagle mine. They run on the airway strip in freezing weather. The fourth runner is Kukko’s wife, Janet Kukko. The foursome did complete the relay, but only once their team grew to five. Once Kukko realized something was amiss, he
stopped to ask for help. By this time, the marathon and relay had started. A race volunteer named Amy got word to the first exchange where Stevens was waiting for Kukko to arrive. Stevens took off on her 12-kilometre leg as Amy took the team time chip from Kukko and jumped on her bike to cycle to the second relay exchange near Jericho Beach Park where Hutchinson was waiting for her daughter. “I ran it hard, harder than I thought I was going to run it,” said Stevens, who completed the distance in one hour, 16 minutes. “It was our chance to run a marathon together,” she said of the inaugural relay event. “We’re going to have to do a re-do because we didn’t get it done the right way the first time. I was laughing and it was awesome.” Race directors couldn’t track down volunteer Amy before the Courier’s print deadline, but she did become an unofficial team member of The Required Fields. “Tim was really worried we’d be disqualified,” said Hutchinson. “He was really happy it worked out. He couldn’t say enough about Amy. He really wanted to give her a big thank you.” twitter.com/MHStewart
Two hometown runners were on the podium of the BMO Vancouver Half-Marathon Sunday. Rob Watson won gold in the men’s even and Dayna Pidhoresky nabbed silver in the women’s race. Watson, 31, won the halfmarathon in one hour, 4.48 minutes, pocketing $2,600 as the race winner and fastest Canadian, but missing an additional $1,000 bonus for falling only 2.12 seconds short of the course record. He couldn’t hold back his feelings about his city. “Vancouver is the most beautiful city in our country, probably the most beautiful city in North America,” he said. “I’m proud to be a Vancouver resident and proud to represent the city.” He had company for the first half of the race but pulled away at the 10-km mark to put distance between himself and Kenyan racer Willy Kimosop, who finished second in 1:05:43, and Leonard Koech, also of Kenya, who came third in 1:06:02. “I was very happy with the way things played out. I was just looking for a strong effort and hopefully a win. I was stoked to achieve both,” said Watson, who trains in Stanley Park two to three times a week. “It is certainly sweet to win a Vancouver race, I kind of look at it as being the home-team guy and I dig representing Vancouver. Was very happy to defend our streets.” Watson, who lives in Kitsilano, used the halfmarathon as his last test event before the Ottawa Marathon later this month. He dropped an extra appreciation for the people who pull off the Vancouver race. “I just wanted to send kudos to the Vancouver marathon society for organizing such an amazing event and also a huge thanks to all the volunteers for helping out. These races could never happen without such dedication and commitment. It was a fantastic event.” The women’s champion, Kenyan Jane Murage, won the 21.1-kilometre race in 1:12:53, beating Pidhoresky by 21 seconds and U.S. bronze-medalist Allison
1. Kenyan long-distance runner Luka Chelimo took top place in the marathon with a time of 2:18:37. 2. Lioudmila Kortchaguina was the fastest woman in the marathon, winning gold in 2:37:37. PHOTOS ROB KRUYT
Macsas by 37 seconds. In the marathon — which took a different course than the half-marathon and led racers west along 49th Avenue, around UBC and down Spanish Banks through Kitsilano and over the Burrard Bridge before circling Stanley Park and finishing downtown — the leaders were lock-step for the first half of the event. Luka Chelimo and Daniel Kipkoech were side-by-side for half the race, clocking the same time at the five- and 21.1-km marks before Chelimo hit the gas near the Burrard Bridge to put nearly 15 seconds between himself and Kipkoech. Chelimo won in 2:18:37, 23 seconds ahead of Kipkoech who came
second in 2:18:50. 2010 half-marathon winner Kip Kangogo of Lethbridge, Alta. came third in 2:19:21. Toronto runner and Canadian Master’s record holder Lioudmila Kortchaguina won the women’s marathon in 2:37:37. With the win, Kortchaguina, 43, recorded the second-fastest time among Canadian women this year. In the Vancouver marathon, she beat U.S. racer Hirut Guangul by nearly four minutes and outpaced North Vancouver’s Ellie Greenwood, who was injured in a bike accident in April, by roughly 10 minutes. Greenwood finished second in 2014 and claimed bronze this year.
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THE VANCOUVER COURIER W E DN E SDAY, M AY 6 , 2 0 1 5