Frst impressions of Vancouver are those of
an ultra-clean, ultra-efficient futuristic
city. Where else can you literally eat off
the floor of a railway station? I got the
distinct impression of an invisible army of
cleaners working non-stop! How else could
this be achieved in a city with a population
of half a million, a metropolitan area of 2
million and visited annually by another 6
million?
Vancouverites are polite and
helpful. Whenever one looks slightly lost in
any public place, somebody will appear at
your side to offer assistance. SkyTrain
stations employ staff near ticket vending
machines, specifically to aid passengers.
Bus-drivers are courteous and patient.
Despite the violent riots in June, after the
Canucks lost their ice-hockey final, this
appears to be a Utopian society. Locals, who
helped to clear up the downtown devastation,
are ashamed of the poor global image created
by the rioters. The many scribbled
inscriptions on boards still covering
damaged shop windows indicate public
revulsion at the thugs who caused much
damage to the city’s image.
TransLink
public transport system is an exemplary
model of perfection. I had never thought
that anybody could surpass the Swiss in
clockwork precision, but Vancouver comes
close. One can set one’s watch by the
split-second arrival of a SkyTrain. The
system runs on trust, passengers validating
their own tickets. One ticket allows 90
minutes’ unlimited travel on all local
transport, after which a new ticket must be
purchased and validated.
Although
inspections are rare, at one station I did
witness four heavily armed policemen, plus a
policewoman with a sniffer dog, checking
commuters’ tickets. While I was there, a
news flash announced that ‘the 8th murder of
the year’ had been committed in the city.
Imagine this – in the 8th month of the year!
A good explanation as to why the police have
time on their hands.
The SkyTrain is one
of the longest automated, driverless, light
rapid transit systems in the world,
connecting Vancouver Airport, Downtown and
cities to the East within a matter of
minutes. Hurtling along in a driverless
SkyTrain at crazy speeds far above street
level is something like riding on a scary
roller-coaster at the funfair.
Vancouver
is extremely environmentally-conscious.
Recycling is compulsory. Dogs, too, know
that their duty is not to foul up the
immaculately manicured suburban lawns!
Cycling is actively encouraged, with cycle
tracks marked along the sides of most
streets. All buses are equipped to carry
bicycles on a front rack, while these are
also allowed free on SkyTrains. The entire
city is wheelchair-accessible, with many
disabled people transporting themselves
around independently in motorised
wheelchairs.
City Highlights
Stanley Park - this 1000-acre oasis
surrounded by skyscrapers is home to a
variety of wildlife and local tree species.
Several attractive beaches are scattered
along its shoreline. It is criss-crossed by
forest trails, cycling, jogging, walking and
roller-blading tracks. In this beautiful
park, one can laze on a sunny beach and, a
few minutes later, be in a shady forest
glade beside a lake.
Granville
Island - oozes history and art. However,
this island was originally merely a sandbar
in False Creek, a fishing spot for the
Squamish nation. Just over a century ago,
what is now Vancouver was an expanse of
forest, containing only five First Nation
villages. Granville Street, the bustling
main street, was a logging path cut through
the dense forest. Granville, as Vancouver
was formerly known, was a small, dusty
logging settlement with little future
promise.
False Creek sandbar was a quiet,
natural world until the late 1800s, when the
Canadian Pacific Railroad, the ‘steel
ribbon’ uniting Canada from East to West,
neared completion and much debate arose over
the ownership of False Creek. The land was
subsequently transferred to the National
Harbour Commission, who filled it to three
metres above the high tide mark, creating
permanent land for heavy industry. It became
known as Industrial Island which, at its
peak in 1930, employed 1200 workers in a
wide range of industries, providing
materials for shipping, logging and mining.
After WW II, the decline of Industrial
Island was swift and it became a derelict
site of abandoned warehouses. Proposals
followed for Granville Island to become a
‘people’s place’ and in 1994 the Granville
Island Business and Community Association
was formed to promote community projects and
attract visitors. As a result of its
efforts, the original tin-clad warehouses,
bearing coats of bright colour to highlight
their industrial heritage, became populated
by a host of enterprising tenants.
Today
it is the people who work, create and dream
on Granville Island. This is a paradise for
artists, crammed with wood-crafting,
painting and sculpting studios, arts and
craft stores. There are two theatres, many
restaurants and a Public Market selling a
mouth-watering array of fresh produce.
Emily Carr University of Art and Design, one
of the world’s leading art and design
universities, is situated at the north-east
tip of Granville Island. Sea Village–a
community of luxury houseboats-is located in
front of the University.
Vancouver
Public Library - an impressive architectural
feat, occupies a whole city block. The seven
floors of this 21st-century Colosseum
contain light, airy spaces for reading,
internet facilities and street-level
bistros. It has 22 branches, 395,000 members
and 2.25 million library items to choose
from. It was opened in 1995 at a cost of
$106.8 million.
Canada Place - the
five iconic sails of which are an impressive
sight reflected in the harbour waters.
Next-door is the Vancouver Convention Centre
West.
Gastown - where the city of
Vancouver was born, and which became its
shipping and commercial hub. Gastown is a
thriving community, a mix of old and new,
boasting top shops and restaurants. It is
the combination of kitsch, heritage,
expensive and cheap, which gives it appeal.
John ‘Gassy Jack’ Deighton set up his
saloon here in 1867, armed with only a
barrel of whisky and the art of telling
long-winded tales. Today, his statue graces
a shady corner of Gastown. Gastown’s famous
Steam Clock, built in 1977, is the world’s
only steam-powered clock.
Capilano
Suspension Bridge Park - in North Vancouver
contains the 136-metre long suspension
bridge with its wobbly planks swaying
precariously 70 metres above the Capilano
Canyon. For a squirrel’s eye view of the
rainforest below, follow the winding timber
frame boardwalks of Treetops Adventure. This
series of cable bridges is suspended between
tree platforms, some at the height of a
10-storey building. The Cliffwalk is a 50-cm
wide balcony, perched 91 metres above the
canyon floor, taking the brave way out
beyond the cliff face on to platforms
offering views formerly only enjoyed by
eagles. Definitely not for anyone suffering
from vertigo!
Science World - at one
end of False Creek, resembles a huge,
glittering golf ball and features permanent
interactive scientific displays and
exhibits.
The Sea-to-Sky Highway -
connecting West Vancouver with Whistler, was
upgraded for the 2010 Winter Olympics,
during which Whistler hosted some events.
The spectacular route follows the Howe Sound
shoreline, providing a visual feast of sheer
rock cliffs, snow-capped mountains and
ocean. The 335-metre Shannon Falls are
situated en route in a popular provincial
park.
Just one of the pros of Vancouver
is being able to ski in Alpine conditions
and then swim in the sea, all in the space
of one day. All idyllic scenarios, however,
inevitably have their cons. These I can only
state as being the exorbitant cost of
entrance fees to tourist attractions and a
too-strict public control, for example the
prohibition on carrying or drinking alcohol
in a public park. It would appear that ‘Beer
and Braaivleis’ is an unknown concept in
British Columbia–at least in public! Alcohol
is sold only in liquor stores at inflated
prices (R50 for the cheapest locally
produced bottle of wine, R14 for the
cheapest beer – double or triple these
prices when served in a restaurant or pub!)
The Mayor has vowed that ‘Vancouver will
be the Greenest City in the World by 2020’
and all present indications are that his
wish will come true. This year, Vancouver
was voted the ‘World’s Most Liveable City’.
With its stunning diversity of scenery,
active lifestyle and friendly citizens, it
is easy to see why. I, for one, would love
to return to explore its multiple
attractions...
Information
Some
Interesting Facts: Vancouver is the
eighth-largest Canadian city, with one of
the mildest climates. Average summer
temperatures are 18°C and winter
temperatures approx. 3°C. It covers an area
of 114 sq. km. and is part of Metro
Vancouver, with a population of 2.1 million.
The first language of 49% of the population
is English, Chinese being that of 26%.
How to get there: Many international
airlines have regular flights from
Johannesburg International to Vancouver
International airport.
Tourist
Information: Hotels, sightseeing, tours,
events, maps –plus a free visitors’ guide
may be ordered from:
http://www.tourismvancouver.com/visitors/
Public Transport, Directions, Fares and
Maps:
http://www.translink.ca/en/About-TransLink.aspx
