Located in the courtyard in front of the Station Square shopping center that and opposite Metrotown…read moreStation, this is a collection of five (now four) cast aluminum sculptures that were commissioned by the City of Burnaby for the Station Mall. According to the artist's statement, they were inspired by the original Monopoly game tokens and are to "playfully explore the dynamics of trade and game-playing." If you look about, you'll find the octopus, the dog, a melon, and a ladies shoe. There was also a gentleman Dandy but he is no longer present. As art goes, it's art. It will make sense to some and not to others. Put me in the "not making sense" column here. [Round number review 20900 overall - 76 in British Columbia - 1884 of 2023.]

In 2012, Station Square, a small, run-down shopping complex located beside Metrotown Mall, closed…read moredown for redevelopment. There are now expensive (I assume) condos and several new businesses, as well as an art installation in the main square. Cordials is by Canadian artist Myfanwy MacLeod and was installed in 2018. It consists of five steel and aluminum sculptures: a shoe, a melon, a dandy, an octopus, and a dog. The shoe, melon, and dandy are clearly visible in the main square, and despite walking past the sculptures several times, I hadn't noticed the octopus, which is on the end of a bench in the main square. The dog, which is not located in the main square with the other sculptures, can easily be missed, as it's tucked around the corner beside the Dollarama. Perhaps there are more sculptures, but as far as I can tell, there are only those five. I admit, I don't quite understand these sculptures; these five items seem so unconnected, and why is the dog so far away from the other sculptures? (Also, why isn't it beside the Pet Smart store?) But it's better than no artwork (and the octopus is pretty neat), and they're fun for the kids to climb on. [Yelp collections: Public Art]

Wandering around New Westminster on a beautiful afternoon, how could we miss a walk along this…read moreperfect boardwalk. The boardwalk overlooks the Fraser River and with the tall buildings of New Westminster to the opposite side. The boardwalk (not all of it actual boards) extends from near the Patullo Bridge to Waterfront Esplanade Park. Not at all crowded with people though plenty of stuff to look at with captions along the way that provide some local history and geology. Several benches along the way, too! Is biking allowed? It seems to be pedestrian only. [Review 20895 overall - 71 in British Columbia - 1879 of 2023.]

This quay is nothing special. I've only come here by bike. The boardwalk is shared by pedestrians…read moreand cyclists. It is along the Fraser River which has a pretty nice view I guess. There are some restaurants and shops along the boardwalk as well.....

Irving House, completed in 1865, is the one oldest homes in the Lower Mainland and it is the oldest…read moreheritage house museum in B.C.! Being a fan of Burnaby Heritage Museum, I never knew about this place until my family told me about it. I came here with my parents, and there were no other visitors other than my family during the entire tour of the house. Tracy, the tour guide, was super friendly and helpful with the tour and I was able to stop and ask any questions during the tour. I loved how Tracy did a vintage vacuum demonstration as I haven't seen anything like it before. I loved the fact that visitors could go upstairs and see the entire house! Many of the items in the home were original from the original owners, though some were purchased or donated from other sources.

Irving House was built in 1865, back when New Westminster was striving to be the capital of British…read moreColumbia. It was lived in by family members up to about 1950, when it was sold to the city of New Westminster, and turned into a historical centre. Thus, if you're a history buff, love antiques (especially Victorian-era pieces), or ever watched the show "America's Castles", you should take a tour of Irving House. The house was built in high style by Captain Irving, a man who made a lot of money in the California, Alaska, and BC Gold Rush, and virtually poured it into the house. The architectural details of the house are interesting and well explained by the costumed guides. Since I was practically the only visitor at the time, I pretty much got my own personal tour. According to them, all the furniture and pieces displayed in the house are authentic to the period - no reproductions (except for some fake food in the kitchen, perhaps). Many belonged to the Irving family and their descendants; others were donated. The house is currently decorated, Victorian-style, for Christmas. Lots of garlands, an amazing Christmas dinner setting, and a beautiful little Christmas tree. Those into old-fashioned decorations should check it out. Legend has it too, that the house is haunted by none other than Captain Irving himself. At the very least, you can see the bed he reportedly died in, and it's one enormous piece of furniture. My guide demurred on confirming the story that an indentation of a body can sometimes be seen in the bedcovers. I saw nothing on my visit, though. In any case, it is New Westminster's oldest surviving home, and thus probably one of the oldest homes in the Vancouver area. It's a wonderful glimpse into what life was like in the early years of British Columbia, if you were high society folk. Admission is by donation, so it's affordable even for writers to visit.

On the southeast False Creek seawall, just east of the Cambie Bridge, is the strangest, coolest art…read moreinstallation around. (It's actually visible from the Cambie Bridge if you are walking across it. It's practically right below the bridge, just off a bit to the side, if you're looking toward the Science Center, close to the VPD parking lot site). In truth, I had passed this structure many times before really noticing it, as it's comprised of large neon letters that spell out "SHOULD I BE WORRIED?" atop of a wooden support beam, and these wooden planks blend in with the craggy site at the shoreline here below the bridge (and of course the neon letters aren't illuminated during the daytime hours). So it's easy to miss during the day. Then, one day, I noticed the sentence atop the beams and now I am fixated on this piece whenever I pass it, when I walk on the seawall in this area between Athlete's Village and Spyglass Place, or when I cross the Cambie Bridge on foot. I keep on wondering, SHOULD I be worried? Should I? And, if so, about WHAT, exactly? There are so many possible stressors to worry about. Should I worry about them all? Prioritize them? Just deal with a few? Or perhaps not worry at all? To me, this work is both whimsical and provocative and it really makes me wonder what exactly should I be worrying about. It's simultaneously humorous and serious. It both blends in to its environment (by way of the rough, unfinished wooden support structure) and it also stands out (by way of the neon letters). In so many ways, it embodies dichotomies and contrasts. One can appreciate it at face value or one can ruminate on its possible deeper meanings. This piece was installed here fairly recently, in 2017, and the artist, Justin Langlois, is a professor and associate dean at the Emily Carr University of Art and Design. He was/is concerned with many of Vancouver's social and economic issues, and his art reflects that. Should we be worried? Check out this art piece, and you tell me! *NOTE: FYI I did not take the awesome photo of this art installation; rather, it is a stock photo, found online on multiple sites (including the City of Vancouver's official site, under its public art tab, and also online in every article about this art piece). So don't think I'm such a great photographer! My photos are usually blurred, or of my hands obscuring the lens...

Fun stop to breakup the drive Free activity Enjoy A little…read morestretch and enjoy the fresh air

We thought this place was going to be cheesy and dumb. But we were MISTAKEN, it was cool. You can…read morepick trails, you can walk it all, you can find birds, you can sit and talk, you have tons of photo ops. We loved it!!! We walked and talked. Enjoyed the beautiful weather.

This is probably my favorite sculpture in all of Vancouver (although it's hard to say, since I love…read moreso many pieces!). I've always been partial to kinetic sculptures due to the fact that they are so fluid and ever-changing, one never knows exactly how they'll look at any given moment. They are dynamic and organic in nature in that way, and that excites me. This piece embodies everything cool about kinetic artwork. It is wind-driven, so depending on the breeze (or lack thereof), this piece appears to fly, with its huge wings moving up and down on the wind, soaring. Or, on a still day, it simply appears to be suspended in mid-air, motionless - perhaps gliding still, or in a freeze-frame moment. There are propeller-like blades that capture the wind and rotate, and gears that then move the heron's wings up and down. It's both pretty basic and simultaneously quite complex, really. I love the reference to Coast Salish people and, too, the history of the heron to the False Creek area. And I appreciate the subtle nod to folk art by way of including a small metal fish in the heron's belly! (I just noticed this a few months ago! It's clever and nuanced). This large installation is located along the False Creek seawall at the South corner of George Wainborn Park. Check it out!

Massey Theatre is a smallish theatre in New West. Because it is on the small side, there are no bad…read moreseats. There is a concession stand in the lobby which sells drinks and snacks. Free parking available.

Neat little community theatre in New Westminster. It's basically a high school auditorium. I mean…read morethis literally. Parking is quite strange here. The high school lot doubles as venue parking, but the lot is shared with the adjacent skating rink (Moody Arena) outside, and those Moody spots CANNOT be used. Be careful and avoid getting ticketed or towed. As mentioned, this theatre is actually the auditorium of New Westminster Secondary School. The lobby is a school corridor, and they use security fences (similar to those in shopping malls) to keep the masses out of the rest of the school. The auditorium itself is quite beaten up, but I'm sure it has its share of local history. The accoustics are, well, similar to that of a high school auditorium. In other words, amusingly crappy, but expected. Don't expect the likes of the Orpheum or QE Theatre here. My friend and I had a lot of fun at the concert. This venue also seems to host quite a bit of local talent, as one of the performers I watched that evening actually attended this high school. Good to know that there's some nice local entertainment around here. Keeps the kids (and seniors in this case) out of trouble.

Hatley Castle, tucked away on Victoria Island, was a serene and picturesque stop on a crisp…read moremorning. Even though the air was chilly and the castle didn't open until 10 a.m., wandering the grounds beforehand felt like a moment out of a storybook. The expansive, beautifully kept gardens and coastal views made the stroll well worth it, offering a quiet and peaceful way to take in the surroundings. Paid parking is available, making it an easy stop to add to a morning itinerary.

Cool to view but tours are closed in the winter, so we were able to wander the grounds only. Not…read morethe size expected for a castle, it's part of the university and classes are held in the winter which is why there weren't any tours available.

Fantastic museum! I learned so much. The docents are wonderful. One of them helped me finally…read moreunderstand the difference between AC and DC. There are many interactive exhibits. I got to play with a switchboard, plugging in the wires that used to connect calls; I got to type my name in Morse Code on a functioning telegraph key; and I got to play a theramin.

This is a must visit in Bellingham. Such a cool place to explore history in an experiential way.read more

Located in the New Westminster River Market, this is the World's Tallest Tin Solder. He stands 9.75…read moremeters tall and is wearing size 60 boots. He weighs 4540 kilograms and was recorded in 2002 by the Guinness Book of World Records. The Tin Soldier is based on a replica of a Sergeant Major of the Royal Engineers Columbia Detachment. He was originally installed on November 29, 2000 at the Royal New Westminster and then relocated to its current location on the Quay on February 14, 2002. He was originally owned by the Simon Fraser Society of Community Living and gifted him to the City of New West Minster in 2011. I saw him in October 2023 so he's not a "seasonal" thing rolled out for Christmas. [Review 20893 overall - 69 in British Columbia - 1877 of 2023.]

Touted as being "the world's largest tin soldier", this super-tall sheet metal sculpture is located…read moreprominently on the New West quay. The piece is even included in the Guinness Book of World Records as being the world's tallest. Who knew? It's very bright. It's very tall. It's very whimsical, in a childlike way (after all, it's a replica of a child's toy. Just....bigger). I'm not sure I like this work in this location. It would seem better fitted to be installed by a children's museum or a children's hospital. But I understand that it was created to honor a Sergeant Major of the Royal Engineers Columbia Detachment and his role in establishing the city of New West. What I do find really cool about this piece is the fact that, contained within his chest is a time capsule, made to be opened in the year of 2025. Neat!