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14 Glorious Things To Do In Vancouver, The 'California Of Canada'
It was a sunny day in Vancouver, Canada. From the beach at English Bay (like Santa Monica, but cleaner), you could see snow atop the mountains and hear kids laughing. After a bike ride in Stanley Park (like Griffith Park, but with beaches), I had just bought a hot dog from a cart and taken two bites when a voice rang out.
"No," it shouted, started and helpless.
That's when everyone by the beach turned my way, with faces showing great concern. Because it was my voice. A sea gull had swooped, grabbed my hot dog and carried it away. The shout had left my body before I could think.
Immediately, the Vancouverites understood this. Then, with the same equanimity that allows so many Canadians to commit violence in ice rinks while displaying civility at all other times, they turned away and resumed their day.
Let this be a lesson, all you who daydream of escaping to this place that people call the California of Canada. Amid the seaside parks, forest paths, stylish skyscrapers, good food and mingled cultures, you may begin to suspect that Vancouver is a superior version of home. But its seagulls are no better than ours.
In fact, the city is full of moments like that for a Southern California visitor. One minute, you're feeling at home or slightly better than you do at home. The next, you're confronting a menu full of poutine. Or realizing that the toilet is in a place called the Washroom. Or getting rained on.
Everyone drives on the right, but somehow, no freeways connect to downtown.
Every year, movie, TV and streaming studios spend billions on shoots here, yet much of time Vancouver is standing in for Seattle, San Francisco or some other city.
There's volleyball on the beach — but when the temperature dips near freezing, they keep playing.
And all the while you hear people speaking English that's mostly like ours, but the signage is riddled with references to travellers, colours, harbours and Tim Hortons. (Horton, whose name is on Canada's leading coffee-shop chain, was a pro hockey player and, apparently, an enemy of possessive apostrophes.)
This almost-familiarity kept me on my toes through several days of roaming Vancouver in March. For all those thinking about their own escapes, here are 14 very Vancouver adventures.
By the way, I'm talking about a short-term escape, not a post-election change of residence. I've also included a few spots on Vancouver Island, a popular side trip. All the prices here are in U.S. Dollars. (At recent trading rates, $1 U.S. Is worth $1.34 Canadian.)
Granville Island Public Market
GO HERE: for answers to that ever-elusive question: What is Canadian food? At this sprawling indoor market on Granville Island, located centrally on False Creek, you'll need to plan your visit accordingly to avoid the crowds, but there are a lot of compelling things to eat. Come hungry.
ORDER THE: Montreal-style bagels from Siegel's; bison bresaola from Oyama meats; smokehouse cheddar or bleu bénédictin from Benton Brothers Fine Cheese; lobster and fish cakes from L'Epicerie Rotisserie and Gourmet Shop; smoked candied salmon or sablefish from Longliner Seafoods; spot prawns off the dock, if in season; the giant fritter (if you're feeling brave) from Lee's Donuts; and a small jar of birch syrup from the Edible Canada shop just opposite the market.
THE VIBE IS: busy and eclectic, with tourists and locals alike. Once you've purchased your bounty, head outside and set up a picnic next to False Creek.
PRACTICAL STUFF: Open every day, from 9 a.M. To 7 p.M.
—Lindsay Anderson
Grant Harder
Grant Harder
Grant Harder
Granville Island Businesses Damaged By Falling Debris From Bridge Above
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Installing barriers could prevent future incidents of vandalism like this past weekend's, said Granville Island's general manager Tom Lancaster, and also deter suicides, which is 'the bigger issue'
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Published Feb 26, 2024 • Last updated Feb 27, 2024 • 4 minute read
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![VANCOUVER, BC., February 26, 2024 - Scenes from the North end of the Granville Bridge as businesses on Granville Island are looking for better safety measures after construction materials were thrown from the Granville Street Bridge on Saturday morning , in Vancouver, B.C., on February 26, 2024. (NICK PROCAYLO/PNG) [PNG Merlin Archive]](https://smartcdn.Gprod.Postmedia.Digital/vancouversun/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/png0226nbridge-03.Jpg?Quality=90&strip=all&w=288&h=216&sig=71afM9mjk-Uy4bBJLoPUIQ)
Construction workers on the Granville Street Bridge on Feb, 26, 2024. Photo by NICK PROCAYLO /10103962A Article content Businesses on Granville Island banded together Monday, notifying Vancouver city council of the urgent need for fencing on the Granville Street Bridge to deter suicides and vandals who throw things off the structure.
"We are pleased to see that this city council has made public safety a focus of its mandate," says the letter addressed to Mayor Ken Sim and Vancouver council. "With that in mind, we urge you to take immediate action as part of your Granville connector project to protect human life and the small businesses that operate on Granville Island."
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The issue of material falling from the bridge and causing damage or injury on Granville Island has come up over the years, most recently when vandals apparently threw construction materials off the bridge last weekend, damaging structures on the island.
"Incidents like this, combined with debris falling from the aging Granville Bridge itself, mean that the risks to people and the buildings on Granville Island are mounting. As previously shared with city staff, falling debris is a regular occurrence, and it is only a matter of time until someone is seriously injured or worse," says the Feb. 26 letter. It was signed by representatives of 15 organizations, including several of Granville Island's biggest businesses and non-profits as well as the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, which manages Granville Island for the Government of Canada.
Granville Island's general manager, Tom Lancaster, has been urging council for years to install high fencing on the sides of the bridge.
Construction scaffolding under the Granville Street Bridge, where the bridge cross Granville Island Photo by NICK PROCAYLO /10103962A Installing barriers could prevent future vandalism like this past weekend's, Lancaster said, and also deter suicides, which is the "much more important" issue.
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"It is fundamentally a city-owned asset, and it is entirely their responsibility to maintain it and maintain public safety," Lancaster said.
In early 2023, work began on what the city calls the Granville connector project, which includes taking the two westernmost of the bridge's eight lanes of car traffic and converting them to separated walking, rolling and cycling routes. That work is expected to complete by later this year.
Suicide-prevention fencing was "identified as a priority" during the public engagement before the city decided on a final design for the Granville connector project, Vancouver's general manager of engineering services Lon LaClaire said Monday.
However, "with financial constraints, including those related to the COVID-19 pandemic," the city decided to do the first phase of the project focusing on transportation upgrades, without the fencing, LaClaire said in an emailed statement.
"With the high cost to install 'means prevention fencing' on the bridge due to the length (including ramps) and weight limitations, fencing was not included in the first phase, however, the city is in ongoing discussions regarding funding for 'means prevention' measures for Granville Bridge with Vancouver Coastal Health and senior levels of government."
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In 2019, the cost to build the fencing on the Granville bridge was estimated to be between $8 million and $16 million, LaClaire said, but due to cost escalation and inflation, the city estimates that number could climb to between $10 million and $20 million.
Earlier this month, the City of Vancouver launched a lawsuit against three companies that completed a rehabilitation project on the Granville Bridge, alleging defects and deficiencies in their work. The city's allegations have not been proven or tested in court.
The instances of fallen debris from the Granville Bridge are not related to the issues highlighted in the recent lawsuit, a city official said Monday.
The city installed suicide prevention fencing on the nearby Burrard Bridge in 2016. That work, which had an estimated budget of $3.5 million, was hailed by Vancouver Coastal Health's chief medical health officer, who said at the time that the "new fencing will save lives."
Research has shown that suicide attempts from bridges are often impulsive, and if people are deterred from jumping, they often will not try other means of killing themselves.
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David McCann manages Creekhouse, a four-building complex directly underneath the Granville Street Bridge. Photo by NICK PROCAYLO /10103962A David McCann manages Creekhouse, a four-building complex directly underneath the bridge. Back in 2019, McCann spoke to Postmedia News about chunks of metal falling from the bridge.
This week, McCann said that kind of debris has not been as much of a problem recently. However, he said, he is increasingly noticing what appears to be materials accidentally dropped by crews working on the bridge.
"I've got handfuls of nuts, bolts, screws, little pieces of concrete," said McCann, who also signed onto Monday's urging council to pursue suicide-prevention fencing. "Stuff continues to rain down."
• If you or someone you know is considering suicide, help is available 24 hours a day by dialing the crisis hotline at 988 or 1-800-784-2433
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