Thoughts on September 11th
Old Orchard Park
Let’s get it straight that this is not to lessen the events that happened on September 11, 2001. That was obviously a huge tragedy, but September 11 happens to be a great day for me as it’s the day that my wife and I got engaged, albeit in 1997, not 2001.
Every year we make the trip back to the spot in Old Orchard Park out in Port Moody where we got engaged, and mark the passing of another year together. It’s a place where we’ve gone a lot in the last twenty years, and it’s one of our favourite spots that isn’t in downtown Vancouver. We’ve done the walk all the way around to Rocky Point more times than I can count, although we didn’t get a chance to do it this year.
Luckily the weather was great, though, and I was able to get some great shots, including the one above.
If you’re looking for a place to get out of the city and have some quiet time, you’d be hard pressed to find a better spot than either Rocky Point or Old Orchard Park.
A Night Out Like It Used To Be
It’s not very often that we get a chance out for a night out by ourselves, so when the opportunity presented itself last a couple of nights ago, we weren’t going to miss out.
First up was heading into town to catch the sunset at English Bay. We got there a little later than we intended - almost 8:00pm - so the sun was already almost gone when we got there, but I was able to get a shot or two before the sun was completely gone.
Sunset at English Bay
After that we spent time wandering around the West End, eventually winding up at the Comox Road Long Bar and Grill at the Coast Hotel. Good food, and good music. We’ll be looking to head back there for a weekend sometime in the near future.
About 11:00 or so we drove back to English Bay, parked the car and walked down onto the beach and watched the waves pound in while sitting against one of the logs. We couldn’t see anything towards the water, but that wasn’t the point. After we got back in the car, we noticed a skunk waddling across the road and heading in the direction we’d just come from. I’ve seen three skunks in my life, all in the West End. Not where I thought I’d see them, that’s for sure.
Not yet wanting to head home, we crossed the Granville Street Bridge and parked by the water at Vanier Park, amazed at just how windy it had gotten. We sat there for about an hour, watching boats practice maneuvers on the water.
Now it was coming up on 1:00am, so it was time to head home. Maybe it wasn’t the most exciting night - out at the clubs or anything like that, but it used to be the kind of night that we used to have - and we definitely missed it.
It’s something we’ve got to do more often. S’good for ya.
BC Place Turns 25
It was 1979, and the Vancouver Whitecaps had just won the NASL Soccer Bowl, defeating the Tampa Bay Rowdies in New York’s Giant’s Stadium.
As the parade made it’s way through the streets of downtown, a chant started to go through the crowd: "We Want A Stadium!" - Old Empire Stadium had been built for the 1954 British Empire Games (now known as the Commonwealth Games). It was a rickety old place that admittedly still had a lot of character, and when it was packed to the rafters with fans watching the ‘Caps play, it was a pretty cool place.
Plans started to slowly come together for a new stadium for the city, one that would be a home for the Whitecaps, the BC Lions, and maybe a Major League Baseball franchise someday.
Photo courtesy of BC Place Archives
The stadium was built with great expectations, and I can remember watching when they inflated the roof, and how it changed the skyline of the city. Today, it’s one of the most recognizable things in any photograph of Vancouver. Although I still think they should have called it Terry Fox Memorial Stadium, but that’s just me.
I was there on the opening day, too. The Whitecaps faced the Seattle Sounders on June 19, 1983. They handed out pins for Soccer Bowl ‘83 which would be played at the new stadium later that summer.
Ironically, Soccer Bowl ‘83 was the last game that the NASL played. Vancouver had built a beautiful 60,000 seat stadium for the Whitecaps and they played all of about 15 games there. Today the Whitecaps are trying to build a new stadium near Gastown.
The old place has stood up pretty well, despite having the roof rip last year. And it’s getting a facelift, too. A retractable roof is going to be put in place, although not in time for the 2010 Olympic Games.
It’s been the site of some good times for me, too. The closing party for the staff at Expo86, a Jeff Healey Concert, a few football and soccer games, etc.
BC Place is part of Vancouver, and here’s to hoping that it’s here for a good many more years as well.
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