Back in the mid 90s, what is now called Metro Vancouver began buying up marsh, bog and abandoned farm land along a stretch of the Fraser River in Surrey a little east of the Port Mann Bridge. Eventually they got all the flatland lying north of the Fraser Heights neighbourhood that was bounded by a rail line, close to one thousand acres in all. They called it a park - Surrey Bend Regional Park. But few people knew about it, and it seems those that did, kept that info to themselves. It helped that the train tracks and a moat-like ditch limited access. But it's really quite easy to get into.
It's going to become even easier as various park facilities get built in the next while. But I decided to see what I looks like now and ask the people who currently use it what they think about the changes that are coming. Surrey Bend 
Look to the stars! Not the easiest thing to do in Vancouver for much of the year, but when it's clear the night sky does not disappoint. Unfortunately, I am afraid that doing stories about stargazing has always disappointed me. Television cameras never quite capture the awe inspiring majesty and brilliance that all those constellations and planets give to the human eye. Pointing our lens into a telescope lens has worked no better. But looking into a telescope yourself at the heavens is always worthwhile. It's so big and we're so small. 
Who has not dreamed of getting on a bicycle and cycling all around the world? I would guess, almost everybody. It's not something we think about because it's too far, too long, and too tough. Some of us might convince ourselves that it's something we could do - given our incredible fitness and quirky nature. But really, seriously, it's crazy, right? 
With always intriguing variation, Vancouver life has a charming flow to it each year. The rains come, occasionally the winter snows, spring can be wet or dry, summer late or early. The Canucks play and make it to the first round, sometimes to the second and twice - oh the near magic of '82, of '94! 
I was quite pleased earlier this year when I learned that British Columbia has a fledgling maple syrup industry, mostly around Duncan on Vancouver Island. But unfortunately, by the time I learned it existed the spring sap flow had ended for the year. So that story will have to wait. 
The law of the land states that people cannot discriminate against others on the basis of sex, race, religion, etc. That principle of fairness has helped transform Canada into a much more fair and egalitarian society than existed when I was born in the 1950s. Yet, rules that prevent barriers to entry being erected have not necessarily changed certain occupations from changing all that much. Take auto mechanics, where women are as free as men to learn a trade that pays pretty good coin. Yet, it still remains pretty much a male preserve. Laws can change quickly, attitudes take longer. But increasingly schools play a role in nudging those attitudes along. Like this innovative camp for high school kids. 
Here's are a few things I learned in the course of doing a story about customizing cars. Most of the people who want to customize cars are men who have money. Quite often, lots of money. Quite often that means they are middle aged, and quite often they want to customize a car from their youth. Quite often they choose a car that meant alot to them when they were young because of what happened inside it one night when the feeling was right. Quite often this produced an intense memory that gives them great happiness whenever they recall it. So as they age, and they get alot of money, they want to return to that happy time by customizing the kind of car that holds such importance in their lives. A sentimental lot, car buffs. 
Judging by the number of yellow cards that were issued during the World Cup Soccer final on Sunday, it's clear the teams could have taken a lesson from these Vancouver neighbours. They both originally are from the two finalists, Spain and the Netherlands. Both are soccer fans and both live just a few doors down the street from each other. They also happen to be great friends, noting that the last time Spain and the Dutch fought each other in war was more than three hundred years ago. True, the war lasted about eighty years, but on this street - if not on the soccer pitch in South Africa - all is forgiven. 
I love stories about bathrooms, if only to exercise my potty mouth. So when we learned that two Vancouver companies were in the running for having the best public restrooms in the country, I just had to check them out. Naturally, they are quite fabulous, though the idea of holding a contest about such things struck me as a tad odd. 
I have been around this burg long enough to know that the best weather forecast involves taking a peek outside your window. Not to denigrate the fine work that meteorologists do but, let's face it, predicting Vancouver's five day weather is like trying to say where an out of control firehose is going to spray next. 
