Shedding light on the origins of the season

Before Christmas the common celebration was solstice

Want to go back to origins of the season? The ancient celebration of solstice preceded the Christian celebration. Don't get me wrong. The sharing, goodwill and peace that Christmas honours are great. But as I get older I can't help but wonder why the holiday changed from celebrating abundance to encouraging over consumption. Solstice celebrations remain largely non-commercial, and, for a growing segment of the population, deeply spiritual.

Red berries were considerd magical

We celebrate nature's abundance just after the harvest season as the earth travels its furthest distance from the sun and and land in the northern hemisphere falls fallow.

Many fixtures of our Christmas celebration, such as greens and berries, had their origins in pagan festivals such as those of the Druids in Northern Europe. Traditions like feasting were born from practical considerations. Herds were culled to accommodate the lack of food winter brings. At the same time the new ale and other spirits from the grain and fruit harvest were ready. Thus the season of feasting was born.

It is true that Druidism has long been removed from mainstream culture. The last recorder of the BC Druids,  John Hugh Roberts, was laid to rest in Vancouver's Mountainview Cemetary in 1917 (see post "Moutainview cemetery; a look at our past"). For more on Roberts see www.azatlan.com/RobertsHeritage.php.

Thanks to The Secret Lantern Society you can take part in the 18th annual public solstice celebration marking the return of light on the longest day of the year, December 21. The event is very accessible. This year the Roundhouse, False Creek, Creekside and Britannia comunity centres, Granville Island's Performance Works and Chinatown's Dr Sun Yat Sen Gardens.will host festivities. All of these venues and procession routes are wheelchair accessible. For event details go to http://www.secretlantern.org/.

Next time we dive into the Vancouver Aquarium. Till then, peace.

Things Yule love to do this holiday season

Here's a list of ways to light up the holidays.

The Vancouver Christmas Market returns for its second year to the Queen Elizabeth Theatre plaza. If you were put off by the many bumpy cable crossings last year, they have smoothed things out. To be fair last year's market was a Christmas miracle: just hours before the scheduled opening a propane tank exploded on the construction site. No one was hurt and the market was able to open eventually.

 The market is situated where Georgia meets Hamilton

The market features daily entertainment, crafts, food, drink and entertainment in the German tradition. There are accessible washrooms but n.o attendant fare or PWD discount of any kind. It could use some more lower seating for chairs, strollers, etc. Christmas stollen to die for!

Across from the VPL and the CBC

Watch them, ride them or both. For carol ship routes and schedules go to carolships.org.

There's something Dickensian about

skimming the top of deep, dark

water. Remember Scooge's noctural

journey over land and sea?

Through English Bay, False Creek
and Burrard Inlet

The Van Dusen Gardens Festival of Lights continues to dazzle year after year. To see how Santa spends the summer, visit the tropical dome in Queen Elizabeth Park. Check out the City of Vancouver's Parks Board site for information on these and other seasonal offerings at www.vancouver.ca/parks.

Don't miss the famous Woodward's animated Christmas windows. For younger or newer Lower Mainland residents, the name Woodward may be associated with Christmas as the surname of the boy who got his tongue stuck to a frozen lamp pole in the nostalgic movie "A Christmas Story". Like the movie the Woodward's windows take you back to a simpler time when Lower Mainlanders made their Yuletide pilgrimmage to view these treasures. The windows are featured throughout Vancouver's downtown core this Christmas. For a map and details on a contest go to http://www.canadaplace.ca/.

The season is a time of plenty, so we'll be back soon with lots more ways to light up the holidays!

YVR Airport: Fly me to the moon (it's truly accessible)

Welcome to YVR

The Vancouver International Airport's website says the airport " is ready to ensure that travellers of all physical capabilities have a positive experience" and they are right.

YVR has everything to assist PWDs, but more importantly it is designed to aid independent use. Throughout the airport, accessible washrooms, way finding, TTY and hearing assist phones, elevators, ramps, moving sidewalks, service dog relief areas and more are provided to ensure a frustration-free experience. The areas in the terminals are spacious and decorated with art work. There are even two outdoor parks. In fact this airport offers anything a small city would: chapel, banks, post office, medical and dental care, restaurants, shops, services and a hotel.

Control Tower

The large park on Sea Island is fair distance from the terminal.and best accessed by car. If you are renting a car from one of the many airport rental operators, most companies can accommodate requests for modified vehicles if you reserve ahead of time. The park is a good place to spot planes or watch birds and other wildlife. The trails are packed gravel and there are benches and accessible washrooms. For more information on the Iona Beach Regional Park go to: www.metrovancouver.org/SERVICES/PARKS_LSCR/REGIONALPARKS/Pages/ionaBeach.aspx

Iona Beach  is a great place as you can planely see

The smaller Chester Johnson Park is located just outside the international arrivals terminal on level 2. The attractive little area is home to some of the airport's many totem poles.

If the weather is inclement there is lots to do and see indoors. The public observation area in the domestic terminal is a fun place to sip coffee and watch the flights come and go.The platform offers telescopes set at at various heights to accomodate folks of various sizes. All of YVR is a free Wi-Fi zone.

From the indoor public observation area

The domestic terminal is very accommodating to PWDs but you will notice the more recently constructed USA and international terminals are slightly better; they offer audio way finding in the elevators, more spacious walkways, etc. The Fairmont Airport Hotel, located in this section of the airport, gets high marks on our Lodgings page.

The day spa can be used for under $20

Take the Canada Line to YVR

You can take a self guided tour, check your flight or plan a day or an hour all by going to http://www.yvr.ca/ . For Canada Line information go to http://www.translink.ca/.

Next time: Christmas is coming and so is our holiday access guide to fun in the lower mainland.

Waterfront Station and Canada Place: getting there

Cool architecture

1920's style

Root beer served
in old chilled mugs

Enter at the east door

If you think of the Port of Metro Vancouver as as a single ship, then this area of waterfront in downtown Vancouver is the bridge. The port sprawls across 600 km of shoreline, 16 municipalities  and includes the Fraser River, the Pitt River and Pitt Lake. Goods are sent all over the world from Canada's busiest port, but this downtown Vancouver section is mainly concerned with passenger service. Passenger service in the area began with the construction of Waterfront Station by the CPR in 1914 to service its transcontinental railway. Next came the 1927 construction of the pier where Canada Place sits today to accommodate the CPR's steamship service. The buildings are linked by underground walkways that are not accessible. More on that later.

Old school

Waterfront Station is a major transit hub for Translink, the public transit provider. Trolley and bus service, SeaBus, West Coast Express commuter trains and all of the SkyTrain routes converge here. There's paid parking on the east side, curb cuts and wide fully automatic doors. The front entrance has one small over used semi-automatic door. The west entrance leads to a stairway. The building is a  Public WIFI hot spot and offers a mix of office space, services and restaurants. The old station has kept its facade throughout modifications and upgrades over the years. We can get an interesting perspective on the status of of PWDs and inclusion in our society over the decades simply by looking more closely at some of these changes. Obviously the 1920's building was  erected without thought of accommodation. In 1970's it was modified to include a SeaBus terminal. An elevator was installed. A washroom was built at the SeaBus terminal that remains inaccessible. The elevator is slow, small and dangerously isolated from the main traffic.

 In 1985 there was another major modification including an additional elevator installation for the SkyTrain. This newer elevator is still slow but a little bigger and closer to mainstream traffic for safety. It's difficult to access as you need to cross the heavy pedestrian traffic flow emerging from an escalator. In addition, this one elevator at the east end of the platform does not allow access to the Canada Place underground corridor at the train platform's west exit.

In the 1990's better elevators and accessible washrooms were added to the West Coast Express rail station. The completion of the Canada Line in 2009 saw the addition of two elevators that are are quick, large, out of direct traffic flow and safely transparent with multiple located call buttons for easy access, and auditory and other way finding. The track platform has a tactile strip to indicate danger. There is access to both the Waterfront Station and Granville Street exits. All the elevators are still used today; however, the older elevators have since been outfitted with audio way finding and all train lines have been fitted with tactile warning strips.

Lack of access to Canada Place at the west exit of the Expo Millennium Line platform means hiking up the street, but don't let that deter you. This area is a popular spot for Vancouver's emerging street food scene and a caravan of carts drop anchor here rain or shine. For transit info visit http://www.translink.can/. If you want to access the food court area in the underground corridor between Canada Place and Waterfront Station, use the elevator in the Fairmont Waterfront Hotel lobby.

Five sails light nightly

Canada Place is across the street from the Waterfront Fairmont Hotel. Much more than a busy cruise ship terminal, it's also home to the the Vancouver Convention Centre East, the Pan Pacific Hotel and more. Activities and events happen all year long. On Canada Day hundreds of new citizens are sworn in and events and parties go into the night climaxing with fireworks. Between November 24 and 27, 2011, Canada Place will host numerous free and paid parties during the Grey Cup and Vanier Cup festivities. After that Canada Place will undergo its annual transformation into a holiday wonderland just in time for the Christmas season. For a look at the events schedule and other info go to www.canadaplace.ca.

Ship on the dock

Beautiful views

Pan Pacific Hotel

Pier looking toward downtown

Check out the port exhibit and try your hand at operating the crane on the cargo loading simulator. There are numerous accessible washrooms throughout the facility. For information on the port including sailing scheduales go to www.portmetrovancouver.com.  

Memorial South Park and other places of remembrance

Old Wilson Road

With November 11 just a few days away, it seemed appropriate to check out Vancouver's first cenotaph. Originally located at South Vancouver Municipal Hall, the cenotaph was moved to its present location in Memorial Park in 1939. The park's history precedes the area's amalgamation with Vancouver in 1929. It was originally farmland that the South Vancouver municipality appropriated and opened in 1926 as a park in honour of those who perished in World War I. The park became a popular spot for sport and picnics and whippet dog racing. Today this 13.59 hectare area is also largely used for sports. It has an accessible pathway and many open grass fields. The washrooms are not accessible. There is a soft fabric running/walking/rolling track for exercise, an accessible artificial turf field, and a ball hockey rink that would be a great spot to use the city's newly acquired sledge boards. These sledge boards are like the ones used in Paralympic hockey can be used in an arena with ice or outfitted with wheels for paved area play. For details on sledges and the park check out www.vancouver.ca/parks.  There are many benches but the children's play area poses many barriers. The neighborhood has great signage and way finding and is serviced by numerous transit routes.

Accessible picnic tables
and coal barbeques near the duck pond

Duck pond

There is limited parking so take transit http://www.translink.ca/

The cenotaph itself is very humble and frequently used as a turnaround along Old Wilson Road. Enter off the 5900 block of East 41 Ave.

No wheelchair access

I set off to some of the other Metro Vancouver Area war memorials. The custom of war memorials is as old as war itself and most memorials have cenotaphs. The word cenotaph is Greek in origin meaning "kenos taphos" or empty tomb. Although we honour the dead, I think it's important to honour those who lives have been changed forever by returning from battle with a disability. In today's world helicopters, modern medicine, and other life saving technology increase the likelihood of sustaining a life altering trauma rather than being killed in combat. Many of the rights and freedoms Canadians enjoy today were made possible by the advocacy activities of returning war vets with disabilities. Cold comfort but true.

 Tribute to fallen Chinese Canadians

This tribute to fallen Chinese Canadian soldiers can be found across from the Columbia St exit of the Dr Sun Yat Sen Gardens (see post "Vancouver's Downtown Eastside Parks: calm in the eye of the storm").

Vancouver's main cenotaph can be found neaby in Victory Square at 200 West Hastings St. The site was used to recruit soldiers for World War I in 1914. When these soldiers returned home from the war they used this location to speak out against conditions in the trenches.  It was opened as Victory Square in 1922 and the cenotaph was added in 1924. Victory Park was extensively renovated in 2004 and is used as a gathering place in the Downtown Eastside all year long. Sadly the renovations did nothing to improve the inaccessible washrooms, but there are paved pathways and plenty of seating. For more info on this park go to the Parks Board link. While you're there be sure to see the list of Remembrance Day ceremonies taking place in Vancouver this week.
 

Serves as a public green space

Erected in 1924

Outside Waterfront Station

Korean War Monument thanking Canadians
can be found in Burnaby's Central Park

 Japanese Memorial Stanley Park

Japanese Garden commemorates
 Hastings Park's history as an internment camp

This Stanley Park monument honouring Japanese Canadians, who suffered high casuality rates in World War I, was erected in 1920. But on January 14, 1942 the War Measures Act was invoked and Japanese Canadians were considered the enemy so the light of the monument was extinguished. The monument was relit in 1985 by Masumi Mitsui, a decorated veteran from the infamous battle for Vimy Ridge. In 1942 Masumi had thrown his medal in disgust at the internment intake officer when he and his friends and family were taken into custody. He was 96 at the relighting. 

We owe it to our future to remember

"The soldier above all others prays for peace,

for it is the soldier who must suffer and bear

the deepest wounds and scars of war."

                                          Douglas MacArthur

This week, take time to remember this week. If you are among the men and women who serve or have served please accept my humble thanks. Until next time.

On point for accessible fun: Vanier and Hadden Parks year round destination

Lots of things to do

Lots of open space

Ocean vista

Great photo ops

This combined 20 hectare area offers something for every mood. Classical music recitals, laser rock shows, Shakespearean theatre and fantastic voyages. Whether you seek a trip back in time at the Vancouver Museum or a journey into space and far off constellations at the Space Centre, don't miss a visit to this busy Kitsalino hub. Be sure to check out our new "Attractions" page for information on the above indoor activities.

Who ever said space is the final frontier did not have a disability

Christmas carol ships, newly born baby eaglets and other wild life, sensational summer sunsets and colourful fall foliage are the backdrop of this well used space. Kits Point begins under the Burrard Bridge and ends at Kits Beach (see post "Down town at the beach"). There's plenty of paid and marked accessible parking throughout the area. The section of seawall that serves as the trail is very wide, well packed gravel. There are accessible public washrooms near the Burrard bridge at the beginning of Hadden Park and at Kits Beach. There are many benches and a beautiful view.
If you live in the Vancouver area and have not been to Kits Point in a while you will be happy to find several upgrades to curb cuts, way finding and cross walks in the area. Take transit http://www.translink.ca/ and avoid  heavy traffic and parking fees.

The winding trail along the ocean from beginning to end it is about 2.5 km one way. Bring your kite: the ocean breezes and wide open fields make this a favourite spot for kite enthusiasts.
For more information on these and other City of Vancouver Parks check out  www.vancouver.ca/parks.
While you are on the site, be sure and view the array of recreational disability services the Parks Board offers by clicking the "Access Services" link.

Next time:

A look at memorial park and other cenotaphs