Author Archives: Brian Smith

A link in the completion of Canada.

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In the various lore when you go back in time you can ruin something in the future because of the Grandfather Paradox, but when you go back in time with Vancouver’s CPR Engine 374 Train Locomotive in Yaletown the only thing in the future that changes is your love of everything that makes our past so wonderful and the connections we can make when we can experience that history with our touch by getting to go inside!

Engine 374 is now at the Roundhouse Community Centre, home to a special piece of Canadian history. It first arrived in Vancouver on May 23rd, 1887, and was the first passenger locomotive to do so, marking the completion of the Canadian Pacific Railway which took 10 years to complete and bring Canada together as a country.  Engine 374 was use up until 1945 when retired, then moved to Kitsilano Park as a play structure for children to enjoy, maybe it inspired a few children to follow their dreams and do it for real? A restoration project to refurbish the train allowed it to be featured at Vancouver’s Expo 86 World Fair.

To this day the arrival of Engine 374 in 1887 is warmly celebrated at the museum around May 23rd each year. For the grand event Engine 374 is steamed up for the day and folks can blow the train’s whistle and come for a day of free festivities all ages can enjoy. Live music normally runs on the Sunday of the Victoria Day Long Weekend from 11:00 am until 3:00 pm outside the community centre.

The Roundhouse Community Centre is located at 181 Roundhouse Mews near David Lam Park in downtown Vancouver’s Yaletown District. Folks can admire the restored train and even climb onboard and explore the interior. There’s a wooden train set for kids to play with too. The museum has historical photos of the train in action and features educational cards in multiple languages. The West Coast Railway Museum in Yaletown is open throughout the year, only closing on Christmas Day and New Year Day. When open, hours of operation vary with the season. In the winter the Engine 374 Pavilion is usually open from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm. Summer hours, are normally from 10:00 am until 4:00 pm. Engine 374 Pavilion is Admission to the is free, but donations are highly appreciated. The non-profit’s other museum is the much larger Railway Museum of British Columbia in Squamish.

Take advantage of this unique piece of Canadian history, check it out today!

 

Brian Smith

bsmith288@my.bcit.ca

 

 

What’s with all the laughter?

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Humour has always been a major part of the human experience. Once we started to get that fancy higher brain function, we all enjoy today. Well… Drive around some places and it seems like prehistoric man still walks the earth, no fixing some gene pools.

It’s true not many comedy historians can tell you about Tuulka the Caveman, but I’m not a comedy historian so here it goes. Tuulka the Caveman told the world’s first knock-knock joke after a successful mammoth hunt to celebrate this fancy new thing called words started just a few weeks early.  He was unfortunately taken by the deadly Sabretooth Tiger who had in fact been sneaking up for a snack while Tuulka was distracted during the setup trying to explain what knocking was, which lead his brother Dhaha “the more watchful of his surrounding” caveman to make the first observational humour joke, and the rest they say is history.

Generations later an undisputed master, a true pillar of the comedy world, renowned for timeless universally relatable observational humour. An icon of comedy who knows how to expertly turn the simplest, truly mundane moments of life. Be it the weirdness of relationships, the absurdity of waiting in line, with his unique observational humour, and razor-sharp wit of everyday social interactions, is comedy gold for generations.

The Abbotsford Centre is proud to host Jerry Seinfeld as he returns Friday, April 25, 2025. Seinfeld last performed Dec. 1, 2017, in Abbotsford and drew massive crowd, believed to be a sell-out performance. His stand-up career started in the late 1970s with open-mic nights at Budd Friedman’s Improv Club. In 1976, he tried out at an open-mic night at New York City’s Catch a Rising Star, leading to an appearance in a Rodney Dangerfield HBO special. Over his career he has amassed numerous awards, including an Emmy, Golden Globe and three Screen Actors Guild Awards.

Jerry was recognized for his clean, observational humour, the unique ability to find humour in everyday situations set him apart in the comedy scene. After his first appearance in 1981on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson.  Later, he teamed up with fellow comedian Larry David to create the most successful comedy series in the history of television: Seinfeld, winning numerous Emmy, Golden Globe and People’s Choice awards during the shows nine seasons run on NBC. It was named the greatest television show of all time in 2009 by TV Guide, and in 2012 was identified as the best sitcom ever in a 60 Minutes/Vanity Fair poll. The show’s final episode, which aired on May 14, 1998, drew an incredible 76.3 million viewers. That ranks as the fourth-highest final episode of all times.

I hope you got yourself a ticket because not many get to see a true master like Jerry in his element!

 

Brian Smith

bsmith288@my.bcit.ca

Tips in making our backcountry adventures safe.

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In the Lower Mainland area, we are truly blessed with the abundance of picturesque nature around us. Perfect for when you just want to get away from it all with endless backcountry adventures and get lost in the beauty in our backyard. But what happens if you don’t have the skills and now you really are lost, and it is getting dark!

Back for the second time, Friday, May 2, 2025, at the West 4th Helly Hansen store, is the Squamish Search and Rescue (SSAR) Safety Circuit. Whether you’re a seasoned adventurer or just starting out, with proximity to Vancouver with an almost unlimited number of activities, leads to a high incidence of backcountry emergencies. This event is great for people looking to hone their skills and connect with like-minded individuals. Join them for an informative evening!

Meet members of the Squamish Search and Rescue team and learn from these mountain professionals as they guild you through an interactive wilderness journey! You’ll also interact with BC AdventureSmart, with a crash course in wilderness first aid, and get a chance to experience carrying the SSAR stretcher over simulated obstacles, you can even score a ride in it if you want.

At the end of your trek, you’ll earn HH swag, and be entered to win several prizes, including $1000 to spend at Helly Hansen.

Founded in 1975 by a local schoolteacher who recognized the need for a team with the capability of performing backcountry rescues. Squamish Search and Rescue is comprised of a diverse group of highly trained volunteers who donate countless hours of personal time to train and respond to emergency situations. Tasked with finding lost hikers or rescuing stranded or injured outdoor enthusiasts, members of Squamish Search and Rescue  are highly trained in ground search and rescue techniques and have the technical and emergency medical skills required to reach, treat and remove injured or distressed people from the backcountry., and many members also specialize in other disciplines such as Helicopter External Transport Systems (H.E.T.S.), technical rope rescue, swift water rescue and mountain rescue.

The Squamish Search and Rescue Society respond to over 100 calls each year in cooperation with the BC Ambulance Service, Squamish RCMP, Squamish Fire Rescue Services and the BC Coroners Service, providing critical, lifesaving services at zero cost to lost or injured subjects.

Don’t miss out on this opportunity to expand your knowledge and network with the Squamish Search and Rescue community to learn skills to save yourself or be inspired to join a search and rescue team in your area!

Bring sturdy foot ware for the event.

 

Brian Smith

bsmith288@my.bcit.ca

Feed your soul the art it needs to flourish!

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They say a picture is worth a thousand words. With the development of the camera, we can capture the very soul of existence. From the Pillars of Life to the smallest organism we can detect. The camera captures the vivid raw emotions that embodies our untamed world. From the celebration of our greatest joys to mankind’s darkest moments, all captured like a time capsule for future generations to look back and learn to the lesson we were too blind in the moment to see.

North Vancouver’s Polygon Gallery, located at 101 Carrie Cates Court in the Lower Lonsdale District. The Polygon is an art museum that specializes in photography and works of art using photographic materials by Canadian artists. The Polygon was built in 2017 as a contemporary art gallery to showcase new Canadian art and photography. The gallery’s unique design allows it to stand out and catch the eye from anywhere along the harbourfront.

The Polygon Gallery is a large building, inside the gallery you can expect to see a couple of large rooms with art displays on the walls. Most of the gallery’s presentations are of photos, typically very modern. Sometimes, the photos are old and in black and white. They also often have a historical theme to the pieces. In some cases, the exhibits can be quite large, with an exhibit or two in the middle of each room, plus in a couple of smaller rooms and hallways.

As you enter the building there’s a front desk with a small gift shop with art, books and souvenirs for sale. The main displays are upstairs. Expect to spend somewhere between 10 minutes and over an hour inside depending on the exhibits displayed and your level of enthusiasm in contemporary art and photography, admission is by donation.

The Polygon Gallery also hosts a series of outdoor movies at Cates Deck during the summer.

As of January 2025, the Polygon is open from Wednesdays to Sundays from 10:00 am until 5:00 pm. Hours Thursdays are from 10:00 am to 9:00 pm. The attraction is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.

The art lover in you is calling out to witness the grandeur of what our talented Canadian artist created. Witnessing their vulnerability by exposing a part of themselves to the world so we can look within ourselves to get a better understanding by opening ourselves to the wondrous world we call home by seeing it through another’s eyes.

Opens your eyes today and visit The Polygon Gallery now!

 

Brian Smith

bsmith288@my.bcit.ca

A misfit’s adventure that we can all relate to!

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In many parts of our lives we feel like the misfit, trapped in the story of the ugly duckling wondering where you fit into this world and the impacts everyone wants to make to know that a difference was made by their existence. From large events that changed the world, to small gestures that only affect a few people, but the impact made is all the difference to lift those around them. Many times, when we feel the misfit, it’s because we are trying to be something we are not, and that is why we try to be a duck, when we are all in fact the swan simply lost in the wrong flock.

Join Crystal in a Cirque du Soleil production of a young writer who doubts herself and feels misunderstood in life – a misfit we can relate to. To escape her reality, she decides to skate out her frustrations on a frozen pond (how Canadian). As she is skating, the ice breaks underneath her and she begins to submerge underwater. Upon breaking into the ice, she goes on a self-reflecting journey to find her inner strength and courage. As she falls through the ice, Crystal sees a doppelgänger of herself; Crystal’s Reflection, that guides Crystal through her own subconscious, and personal struggles, to find her own inner creativity in writing.

Cirque du Soleil presents CRYSTAL on ice at the Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre from May 8th to 18th, 2025, in Victoria, or June 4-8 in Vancouver at the Pacific Coliseum. Kurt Browning a Canadian figure skater and four-time world champion joined the creative team as the Skating Performances Senior Designer along with four-time world medalist American ice dancer Benjamin Agosto as the Skating Performances Designer. Set in a colorful, surreal frozen playground, the show takes audiences on an exhilarating ride through Crystal’s journey of transformation. Through daring acrobatics, graceful ice skating, and stunning visuals unfold in a dreamlike world that challenges reality, watch her empowering journey of self-discovery, finding strength and individuality. Cirque du Soleil CRYSTAL redefines performance by merging the art of skating with gravity-defying acrobatics. As she glides through this imaginative world, performers dazzle with synchronized choreography, freestyle skating, aerial stunts, and bold visual projections. The unique soundtrack, blending popular music with Cirque du Soleil’s signature sound, enhances every moment.

Cirque du Soleil founded in Baie-Saint-Paul on 16 June 1984 by former street performers Guy Laliberté and Gilles Ste-Croix. Originating as a performing troupe called Les Échassiers “The Stilt Walkers”. Cirque du Soleil is French Canadian for ‘Circus of the Sun, or Sun Circus. Located in the inner-city area of Saint-Michel, Montreal are a Canadian entertainment company and the largest contemporary circus producer in the world.

Be prepared to be amazed with a truly out of this world visual performance as Cirque du Soleil CRYSTAL takes you on a journey of self-discovery!

 

Brian Smith

bsmith288@my.bcit.ca

 

Sometimes you just need to “Roll with the punches”.

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Ah summer is almost here, and adventures await you. Maybe it’s your first one as an adult and unless you are trapped in a doom scrolling cycle, (If you need help, I know a place you can do yoga with goats and have a chance to put that phone down) otherwise for many the feeling of new adventures on their own, discovering of who you are and what will be your place in this world is an exciting time. But summer of 2025 just don’t have the same ring yet, as oh let’s say Summer of 69.

That’s right you glorious music lover! Bryan Adams is hitting the road with his biggest tour in years with the massive “Roll With The Punches” North America 2025 tour named after his 17th studio album, which will be released in “late summer” on Adams’ own label, Bad Records. The 40-date arena event kicks off in Canada on September 11th in Kamloops, B.C., with shows in Vancouver, Winnipeg, Toronto, Montreal with stops in nearly every province except Prince Edward Island before heading south of the border to New York, Nashville, Los Angeles, Seattle and more before wrapping on November 26th in Minneapolis, MN.

Special guests Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo will open for Adams on all U.S. dates. Pre-sale for tickets begins April 29th, with additional running throughout the week.

Bryan says: “I’m so thrilled to be announcing the North American leg of the Roll With The Punches Tour. We’ll be playing all the classics, some deep cuts, and sharing some brand-new tracks from the forthcoming album.”

Adams was born in Kingston, Ont., and raised in Ottawa and Vancouver. He rose to fame in the ’80s when Adams released his eponymous debut album when he was 20 years of age. He rose to fame in North America with the 1983 top ten album Cuts Like a Knife, its title track “Straight From the Heart”, became his first US top ten hit. His 1984 album, Reckless became the first album by a Canadian to be certified diamond in Canada and made him a global star with six charting singles including “Run to You” and “Summer of ’69”.

Adams has been known for his humanitarian work, animal rights activism and photography. In 2002, Adams was invited, to photograph Queen Elizabeth II during her Golden Jubilee; one of the photographs was used as a Canadian postage stamp in 2004 and 2005. He is estimated to have sold between 75 million-100 million records and singles worldwide giving him a spot on the best-selling music artists stage, Adams is ranked 48th on the Billboard Hot 100 list of all-time top artists.

Most of Adams’s philanthropic activity is through The Bryan Adams Foundation, the foundation is mostly funded by Adams himself, which “aims to improve the quality of people’s lives around the world by providing financial grants to support specific projects that are committed to bettering the lives of other people”.

So, make sure to turn your summer of 2025 into as memorable event as the Summer of 69 because as the years go on, even when times were hard, they were the most innocent we got to be, so watch the performance, and maybe you’ll be on stage putting the ring into the summer of 2025. Or If you have no musical talent like me you’ll grow to love the Canadian Classics that that put our country on the charts.

 

Brian Smith

bsmith288@my.bcit.ca

Wonderous creations to take us on an imagination joy ride.

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The human mind is a miraculous creation of nature. We can create art by using our imagination to bring life to the creations that have until only recently been an abstract thought bouncing around in our heads looking for a way to get out into the world and be seen for the wonderous creations we are all capable of creating.

That is the beauty of art it can be created with any medium you find inspiration to tell your story. To share sometimes painful moments of sorrow all the way to the beauty from pure happiness as a snapshot of who we were in that moment. That is the trick by being vulnerable and open, it allows so many other to feel the way you do and are touched that the piece is almost a perfect representation of how we all feel in various moments of our lives in various moments.

You can witness unbelievable works of art and be inspired and moved in ways you never thought possible when you open your soul and visit the Vancouver Art Gallery located at Georgia and Howe it’s one of Canada’s largest and most significant art galleries with the works of Canadian and internationally renowned artists exhibits on display.

The Vancouver Art Gallery has a permanent collection of over 10,000 pieces of art, although usually only a tiny percentage is on display at any one time. It’s home to the most significant collection of Emily Carr’s paintings in Canada as well as many of famous BC artist’s drawings and ceramic works. It has one of North America’s best photographic collections.

The Vancouver Art Gallery is over 100 years old is in the former provincial courthouse building. Sir Francis Rattenbury designed the building along with BC’s Legislature and the Empress Hotel in Victoria, and Roedde House which is now a museum in Vancouver’s West End. The gallery draws as many as 600,000 visitors each year.

Since 2018, the north plaza’s official name is šxʷƛ̓ənəq Xwtl’e7énḵ Square the word is pronounced approximately as “Hootlacken”. šxʷƛ̓ənəq Xwtl’e7énḵ which is used in the local Musqueam, Tsleil-Waututh and Squamish First Nation languages as a term to refer to places where important cultural gatherings take place.

The best thing about going to an art Gallery like Vancouver’s is that you don’t have to be able to paint or carve to get lost in the journey the artis is taking you on.

 

Brian Smith

bsmith288@my.bcit.ca

You’re on the VIP list!

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The biggest problems with going to most museums, once you get power to the flux capacitor as soon as you hit 88 miles an hour, is everything is behind glass and if not so far away behind a red velvet rope holding back history like some kind of bouncer telling you that you aren’t on the VIP list. Do you know who doesn’t have history bouncers requiring you to use high powered binoculars just to catch a quick glimpse of our past?

Vancouver’s Roedde House Museum located at 1415 Barclay Street, is a historic attraction that wants you to get a tactile feel of our past. These aren’t massed produced items stamped out in endless lines from a soulless machine like most things today. No, when you touch these pieces of history you feel the craftmanship of history’s greatest artist working in condition that would make most cry. All while creating beautifully intricate pieces that have stood the test of time for us to continue to enjoy. With a few exceptions, especially delicate items that are only able to be viewed to keep them lasting for years to come.

Designed by Sir Francis Rattenbury the architect behind some of British Columbia’s most famous late 19th and early 20th century buildings. Roedde House is one of the architect’s earlier Canadian works. The Empress Hotel in Victoria, Vancouver’s former courthouse, now the Vancouver Art Gallery, one of his most well-known projects. Built in 1893, just seven years after Vancouver was officially founded, Roedde House is a late Victorian-era middle-class home built in the Queen Anne revival style. In the various rooms you’ll see clothing, fine China, turn-of-the-century furniture, and other artifacts such as photos of the Roedde family.

Roedde House was the home to a middle-class immigrant family from Germany. Gustav Roedde moved to the area and became the city’s first bookbinder. Gustav and Matilda Roedde with their family lived in the home from 1893 until 1925. Later the building became a rooming house then fell into disrepair before being restored. The City of Vancouver purchased the property in 1970, it has been a museum since 1990 with a small park next door.

The museum also hosts semi-regular concerts in the parlour. The last Sunday of each month is when you get a tour of the house and a cup of tea.  During the non-summer months, a once-a-month live performance take place indoors called Jazz Evenings in the Parlour. In June, July it hosts Summer Jazz on the Porch.

So, get ready you time traveling adventurer and get your hands on our history and make that physical connection to our past!

 

Brian Smith

bsmith288@my.bcit.ca

The phone is ringing, are you going to be the Girl Boss that answers?

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Some people have an innate natural gift to create a product or idea and know exactly how to build a business around it and get that product to a market for people to enjoy and scale it up. The rest of us don’t know how to get it to the next step, it is a baffling position of paralysis through over analyst. Second guessing or doing something that will tank your dreams simply because you don’t know what to do next. And ladies, it is not easy to find like-minded women that get what you want to do with your dream, and what you need to do to achieve them? Guys have it easy! All we need to do is laugh at a bodily sound in an inappropriate situation see who else is laughing and instantly bond. We are always going to be children no matter how old we get, and that ability to find a mentor is much easier and will always be a factor in success.

Get ready ladies the age of darkness in done and the light to your next business step is here, because the inaugural sheBIZ Soirée is happening on May 10th at the Hilton Vancouver Metrotown. Just ahead of Mother’s Day! It’s a networking event spotlighting the most innovative, unique, and inspiring women-owned and led businesses in the Lower Mainland holding the torch for you to see and become the next generation. Explore, associate, and participate with fellow female entrepreneurs and get business inspiration, access to cutting-edge services, or your next great partnership.

Bring together charismatic speakers and captivating workshops, aimed at helping women hone their leadership skills and business insight. Associate with fellow female entrepreneurs, and gain the tools needed to thrive in today’s competitive landscape, by offering tailored courses, year-round events, a manifestation journal, a CEO Planner, and a network of powerful, like-minded women dedicated to uplifting one another. So, give yourself the edge!

Including a dynamic marketplace with handcrafted products, this event is the perfect opportunity to support and celebrate the incredible women shaping our communities.

Founded with a dedication for empowering women in business by offering education, tools, support with meaningful connections, mentorship, providing the resources, and community needed for women entrepreneurs to blossom in today’s hostile marketplace, they understand the unique challenges of financial hardship while finding a work/life balance with your ambitions.

The founder realized the need by recognizing the disparity in access to mentorship and funding, sheBIZ set out to provide a platform that not only bridges these gaps with a holistic approach to empowering women not just in business, but in life. That true success comes from aligning personal growth with professional ambitions that building a supportive community is key. Flourishing while overcoming challenges unique to women in business by building a dynamic, supportive community where women can associate and spread those wings by redefining what success looks like today!

Get ready to destroy those barriers and reach new heights in your future!

 

Brian Smith

bsmith288@my.bcit.ca

The glorious Sandcastle!

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There is always something magical when you’re young, for one thing no bills so that money stays in the piggy bank! Just getting up and going to school and all that homework, ah life was so glorious back then when a juice box and a Saturday morning cartoon could solve almost everything, but chores!

Then Summer came about, and the real fun could begin, no school no homework, it was beach season. Oh, the smell of the Ocean and its vast mysteries for me to explore with my snorkel and being 10 feet from shore where I’m definitely going to find that undiscovered sea creature and be famous. Or that crisp freshness from a beautiful green mountain feed lake that gives off that inviting cool blue hue, or the raging river enticing bears to look for a meal. Being near the water was a magical time. But if you were lucky at the beach you got to witness a gravity defying spectacle that made your child imagination run wild! The glorious Sandcastle!

This summer you’re in for a treat! The world-renowned Quality Foods Sand Sculpting Competition, opening weekend is July 11-13 with the sculpture exhibition open until August 17. The Parksville Community Park is located alongside Parksville’s glorious beach and is hosted by Parksville Beach Festival.

This ever-popular event dates to 1982 where a total of 100 excited people attended the first event and for the past 40 years continues to captivate visitors from all around the world attracting over 100,000 people annually. This event has grown into a world class Master Sculptor competition. The event features a 30-hour competition between twenty-nine international master sculptors.

Public entry to the Competition begins at 2pm Friday, July 11. Sculpting is complete by 2:45pm on Sunday, July 13, at which time the judging begins. Awards and cash prizes will be presented to the top 5 soloists and top 3 doubles, in addition to people’s choice prizes and peer-selected awards at approx. 5:30pm.

You can view the sculptures from July 14-August 17 from 9:30am-8:30pm daily. Admission is by suggested donation of $5 per person.

Since 1999, the Parksville Beach Festival Society allocates 25% of the gate proceeds annually to community development initiatives and has donated over $1 Million from the gate proceeds to non-profit organizations, community projects, and philanthropic groups who serve as volunteer gate ambassadors. Over 150 volunteers’ welcome visitors through the gate at the sand sculpting site each year, contributing 3000 person hours to the Parksville Beach Festival.

Make you way this summer to the event and be inspired to create your own sandy creation the next time you are at the beach!

 

 

Brian Smith

bsmith288@my.bcit.ca