 
Footloose
in Vancouver's West End and Stanley Park
by
Jerry
W. Bird
 Having
been footloose in Vancouver, British Columbia since
the days of streetcars, interurban trams, White
Lunch Cafeteria on Hastings, Woodwards Toyland and
Union Steamships, I consider the West End my
special domain. Morning, noon or night, it's always
an inviting place for rubber-neckers, casual
strollers, browsers, grazers and window shoppers. A
sea of umbrellas one moment, local denizens decked
in everything from beachwear to high fashion the
next. It's a passing parade, minus the 76
trombones-just waiting for you to follow
along.
 Recently,
we walked Vancouver Harbour's new stretch of
Seawall for the third time since the massive
construction project began. From historic Gastown,
we headed west to English Bay via the Pan Pacific
Hotel and Canada Place Cruise Ship Center, Coal
Harbor Marina, Cardero's and the newly renovated
Westin Bayshore Resort Hotel. Next time we'll
continue the full stretch to Stanley Park (another
5 minutes) and beyond. What a marvelous
change with all the landscaping, shops and upscale
condos. I made my rendezvous at the Coast Hotel at
English Bay in exactly 45 minutes, allowing for a
leisurely pace.
Defining
the West End's boundaries.
In my opinion, Vancouver's West end extends from
Burrard Street to English Bay, taking in Coal
Harbor, Stanley Park, Lions Gate Bridge, English
Bay, Sunset Beach and the entrance to False Creek
at Burrard Bridge. On a tight schedule? Save a few
minutes via SkyTrain, from Waterfront Station (by
Canada Place) to Burrard Station, with transfers to
BC Transit buses. Otherwise it's more fun walking,
with lots to see and do.
From
cruising the fjords to cruising the streets
My first
view of Vancouver's West End was from the
deck
of the Princess Louise, one of CPR's fleet of
steamships that plied the Inside Passage to and
from Skagway Alaska. What better introduction to a
great city after four days of wilderness, waves and
whales, than the vision of Lion's Gate Bridge and
Stanley Park. So, if you've disembarked from one of
this year's 250 Alaska Cruises, or gone footloose
from a convention at Canada Place, the West End
begins half a block away.
 On
the corner, the Marine
Building
stands like a royal guard, its 1930s art deco
facade every bit as elegant as it was I attended
the Faulkner Smith Art School there years ago as an
aspiring cartoonist. Once touted as Vancouver's
skyscraper, tallest in the British Empire at the
time, it's now dwarfed by the glass towers of the
city's growing financial district. On the Marine
Building's ground floor is the Imperial Chinese
Seafood Restaurant, one of the classiest oriental
dining spots in town, graced by a sweeping harbor
view, with float planes, helijets and marine craft
of every description. A snowcapped mountain
backdrop completes the panorama.
Here at the foot of
Burrard Street, you might start your trek after a
quick stop at at the Tourism Vancouver Info
Center, leaving with some maps and brochures.
And
as you look at the float planes landing from
Victoria, Nanaimo and points beyond, you'll spot a
new stretch of seawalk that links the downtown's
waterfront hotels with Stanley Park, English Bay
and False Creek. We took the walk and viewed the
upscale housing developments near the Westin
Bayshore Hotel and Coal Harbor. Naturally, we
stopped at the Marina and
Carderos,
a new waterfront restaurant that's got class, a
reputation for great food, and a million dollar
view.
Lotus
Land's laid-back lifestyle
At close to
two million population, Greater Vancouver is
Canada's third largest city, yet its unique West
End community has retained that same
visitor-friendly, small town atmosphere I've always
enjoyed. That's why our staff does most of its
banking, entertaining, routine business and
shopping there. Aside from a bevy of bookstores,
the West End's Joe Fortes Library on Denman Street
is my favorite spot for researching articles.
Adjacent to King George High School, the complex
houses a community center, and for those who yearn
to strap on the blades ... an indoor ice skating
rink . Several local figures skaters were proud to
perform a "spinnerama" for Air Highways camera.
Head for the
nearest water or green space and you'll see that
West Enders are more into tennis, water sports and
physical fitness than their fellow Canadians. They
read, shop and dine out more often too ... and take
longer coffee and cappuccino breaks. Small wonder
Starbucks and Pastels dominate 3 corners at Robson
and Thurlow, or that the local Bread Garden is
Denman's top spot. Next to Manhattan Island,
Vancouver's West End is the continent's most
densely populated residential area, yet one of its
most relaxed, laid back inner-city communities.
Speaking of
Manhattan ... a gingerbread apartment block of
that same name still stands at the above-mentioned
corner. It houses a secluded Italian cafe and a
neat bookstore, built for those with narrow
shoulders. Rivaling Hong Kong and Rio de Janeiro as
the world's most beautiful physical setting,
Vancouver has become Hollywood North, ranking third
after LA and New York as a film and TV production
center. The West End alone has more unique
locations and beautiful backdrops than anywhere
else in the city.
Visitors are
attracted to the city for the same reasons most
residents remain ... a spectacular outdoor setting,
a clean and safe urban environment and a culture
that celebrates and invites diversity. For
centuries this area was home to the Coast Salish
people of the Musqueam, Kwantlen, Tsawwassen and
Capilano bands as reflected by the totems standing
proudly in Stanley Park. It was these tribes
who greeted Captain George Vancouver in 1792. His
comment must have referred to the forest and
mountain backdrop of Burrard Inlet., "This is the
most lovely country that could be imagined. "I n
the late 1880s, Vancouver's first mayor drafted a
petition to lease a 1,000 acre military reserve
from the federal government ... an area that later
became Stanley Park. Named for Governor General
Lord Stanley, it's Canada's largest urban park,
with its string of inner-city beaches and miles of
walking trails that skirt Beaver Lake and Lost
Lagoon, with its fountain of dancing waters and
graceful swans.
Stands of stately
Douglas fir, cedar and hemlock grow in profusion
along with a jungle-like growth of ferns. Open 365
days a year, the Vancouver Aquarium in Stanley Park
features killer and beluga whales, dolphins and sea
otters ... a total of 650 species. There's
underwater whale viewing and outdoor terraces
(Information line 604-268-9900).
One
of my top perennial attractions is Theater
Under the
Stars,
where local performances of Broadway shows and
operettas fill the summer evenings with song at
Malkin Bowl. The surrounding gardens, statues and
1920s Pavilion are as beautiful as ever. Returning
to Vancouver after a twenty year absence, this is
one venue that continues to remind me of Stanley
Park at its greatest. There's no better place for a
picnic than Stanley Park, with a profusion of
specialty shops, food markets and delis on nearby
streets.
The
inner-city's most popular loop
On foot or
breezing along on skates or a rented bicycle, the 6
mile route around Stanley Park seawall is a
stimulating experience, a feast for the eyes, and a
mighty lift for the soul. You can start at either
end. From the Georgia Street entrance, you pass
such landmarks as the Vancouver Rowing Club,
Deadman's Island, Coal Harbor, the totem poles, the
nine o'clock gun, Brockton Point lighthouse,
Lumberman's Arch, Prospect Point, Siwash Rock,
Third Beach, and Second Beach.
Leaving the park at
English Bay, the seawall continues on to Sunset
Beach, Vancouver Aquatic Center and Burrard Bridge,
connecting to a network of urban trails on both
shores of False Creek, site of Expo '86. Stanley
Park Cycle is on Robson near Denman, Bayshore
Bicycle & Skate Rentals has locations at both
entrances to Stanley Park. Give yourself plenty of
time, from 2 to 4 hours.
Westin
Bayshore Resort Hotel:
We had the privilege of being invited along with
the who's who of Vancouver, to help the Westin
Bayshore celebrate its official reopening after a
multi million dollar renovation. As a follow-up, we
enjoyed a seafood dinner at the Seawall Bar &
Bistro, on the site of the former Trader Vics. The
Seawall offers one of the world's most breathtaking
panoramas - Coal Harbor Marina and Stanley Park,
Alaska Cruise ships pulling into dock at Canada
Place, float planes and helijets taking off, and a
splendid new waterfront promenade. The Bayshore has
been a favorite for decades; now now there's even
more reason to recommend this great inner city
resort hotel. Call 800-WESTIN-1 or visit or
www.westinbayshore.com.
 The
Sands of English Bay:
From
English Bay and adjoining beaches, you can see a
panorama of tanker ships and freighters awaiting
unloading by a fleet of tugboats, sailboats of
every description, kayaks, canoes, power boats,
float planes, helicopters, wind surfers and
paragliders. Multicolored water taxis skim the
waves from the Aquatic Center on Beach Avenue to
Vancouver Maritime Museum at Kitsilano Point and on
to Granville Island. Over 3,000 foreign ships dock
at Vancouver's sheltered port each year &emdash;
and all can be seen coming and going from one of
many West End vantage points. Footloose
travelers from near and far, agree that the West
End's best known rendezvous for the young and young
at heart, is the corner of Davie and Denman
Streets.
Here,
facing English Bay, stands the Sands
by the Sea,
a unique family hotel that's been a popular meeting
place for three decades. Besides good food and tall
drinks, the
Sands' Bayside Lounge provides a front row seat to
numerous year round activities &emdash; the
Symphony of Fire, the New Year's Polar Bear Swim,
Summer Sea Festival and Christmas Carol Ship Parade
to name a few. The Sands Hotels' resort atmosphere
appeals to families, business travelers and
vacationers alike. Speaking of resorts, the owners
have since added three Okanagan hotels and resorts
to its growing family, each offering the same high
degree of service and attention to
detail.
1975:
The
Sands by the Sea
at Vancouver's English Bay is the flagship of
RPB
Hotels &
Resorts,
its 121 guest rooms and public areas have been
upgraded constantly by Craig Prystay,
General Manager.
1980:
The
Bayside Lounge at
the Sands Hotel was created as one of the
inner-city's prime beach front dining and meeting
spots, with the hotel's Fireside Room providing a
convenient alternative.
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