Located just down the street from Richmond Country Farms and just shy of Riverport Entertainment…read morecomplex, Blue Meadow is a lovely riding facility in south east Richmond. It's really easy to get to as the bus to Riverport stops right at Palmberg, and it's just a hop and skip down Steveston Hwy off Highway 99. Blue Meadow has both an outdoor arena and a covered arena (not a completely indoor arena, but sheltered) which is great for our wet climate. The area footing is excellent. It's not soggy and water-logged, which can be a problem in Richmond as we're so close to sea level. The farm is three acres--plenty of room for the horses to graze and run around--and is owned by a family who leases it to the barn manager Yolanda Bloomers. Yolanda has school horses available for lessons and there are also boarding facilities. Blue Meadow has certified Equine Canada instructors/trainers who coach numerous English riding disciplines including dressage and jumping. The Equine Canada certification was important for me when researching a riding instructor, and as I don't own my own horse (yet!?), I needed someone with school horses available. I've recently started taking lessons with Yolanda who came highly recommended from other barn friends. When I emailed Yolanda, she suggested I first come and observe a lesson, so I could see her teaching style. I really appreciated this! It was so great to see her interacting with a rider to see her style, her mannerisms, and her competency. I definitely wanted to take lessons! I've had a couple lessons with Yolanda already at Blue Meadows, and I *definitely* intend to keep going. The price for a private lesson with use of a school horse is fair--equestrian sports are expensive--and I also think it's great value. What I really love about Yolanda's teaching style is that she explains the "why" of things--when this particular exercise is useful, the benefit of lunging in both directions, or how to do this weird terminology thing. Instead of shouting at you from across the arena, she either uses a small microphone and fanny-pack speaker, or walks with you (not beside you, but comes down to the end of the arena you're working in). She also gives the rider ample notice, like a GPS in the car would say "in 500 metres, turn left". I really appreciate that Yolanda gives positive feedback with the constructive criticism. I've worked with a lot of kids, and I've also worked as an instructor (not horseback riding), so I know the benefits of the "compliment sandwich". Yolanda also explains why the horse might not be responding to what the rider is asking, listing a couple possible reasons and then saying what to try adjusting the next go around. I can't wait to continue lessons, despite my sore muscles the day after!

I've been riding here for almost three years now and I love this place. It's clear that everyone is…read morehere because they love and care about the horses and their welfare, not to show off social status and appearance like some stables can be. Yolanda is an excellent instructor for beginners and advanced students alike, and knows her horses' capabilities and personalities well. The boarders and other riders are unpretentious and enthusiastic, and the horses are sensible and lovely, and great teachers themselves. It's low-key and friendly here, a wonderful environment whether you're a human or an equine.

Ah, Southlands. A little piece of heaven in the middle of the city…read more I have great memories of showing here as a teen and young adult and often hang out with my riding friends who are club members. The grounds are beautiful and they have done a ton of upgrading over the years. It's a lovely venue for shows and you can't beat burning around the track or polo field. I love coming here because the clubhouse building reminds me of a British clubhouse where folks would come in for a nightcap after fox hunting. It's super cozy in the winter and nice and cool in the summer. If you have never been here, come to the Country Fair in the fall or swing by and watch a horse show. This is an amazing piece of land with a lot of history. I hope it stays around for years to come!

I've recently started taking lessons here with Academie Duello School of Modern Swordplay through…read moretheir Cavaliere Program for mounted combat. The facilities are great, the people are friendly, it's a great location and there is on-site parking. Some of the horses are owned by Academie Duello (Jack & Flavie) and some are owned by individuals who are boarding on the farm. Leasing is available for some of the horses and there are live-in caregivers on the property full time.

Red Colt is a unique horse boarding facility in Richmond, offering full horse board, lessons and…read moreleasing programs. I've boarded my mare at Red Colt for the past two years and love it there. She is well taken care of and the people are very friendly. It's also small (about 10-13 horses) and affordable - which is wonderful as it's so close to the city. I would totally recommend it!

The Killarney Community Centre is located at 6260 Killarney Street,Vancouver,BC…read more This is designed for a multi-sport synthetic turf field (or multi-use athletic field) and engineered to handle multiple sports and community events rather than just a single activity. While the 2026 World Cup Soccer Championship (FIFA) were used this facility for warm up and training Center. The police vehicles were always parked outside to keep the security of their guests in the field. Key Features : It designed for Multi-Sport Striping: The artificial turf typically features overlapping, color-coded boundary lines laid directly into the surface to accommodate sports like soccer, field hockey, rugby, lacrosse, and ultimate frisbee without needing repainting. Perimeter Running / Warm-Up Track: The bright blue track encircling the turf serves as a surface for track events, training sprints, team warm-ups, and walking/jogging. All-Weather Turf: Because it uses synthetic infill turf rather than natural grass, it provides consistent drainage and durability, allowing continuous use through rain and heavy foot traffic without turning to mud. Commercial High-Mast Lighting: The tall floodlight towers along the perimeter allow games, practice sessions, and community tournaments to extend into the evening.

Nice newish community centre in the Killarney area. This review is for the ice rink. This place…read morealso has a gym and pool. Parking is plentiful in the large lot next to the building. Staff are friendly and helpful. The ice rink here has drop in public sessions. Rentals are available for a few bucks. The rink itself is pretty nice.

A park gem in the middle of the city…read more Small parking lot near the main entrance off of 100th Avenue. Lots of different trails that circle the lake and beyond. Trails are well maintained with lots of family friendly traffic on a good weather day and the trails are relatively flat. Recommended you download the park map if you want to create your own jogging or walking route as several major roads cut through the park grounds.

Trail Series, Part 22 Wondering if Fall has arrived in…read moreCanada? Yep, we'd say that indeed it has! The "Green Timbers Urban Forest Park" located in Surrey (just outside of Vancouver) offers spectacular opportunities to get out and immerse yourself in some "Fall colors" when that need strikes you. Their numerous trails funnel you to (and around) the lake and are extremely well marked and maintained. Bicycles, runners/walkers, and leashed dogs are all welcome. In fact, we felt that most of the trails are flat and wide enough to also welcome wheelchairs and strollers. Although we always recommend the buddy system when enjoying a trail, we found these well traveled enough to give it our highest safety rating. For those seeking a challenge when enjoying these trails, we'd recommend trying to locate the beaver dams and their inhabitants. There is convenient parking located on 100th Avenue (between 144th Street and 148th Street), so get out there and enjoy some fresh and vibrant Canadian air, eh? And that's...Henry's Take. #canadiantrails

Just north of the super popular Kitsilano beach park, you'll find the calmer and more interesting…read morepart of the shores facing Vancouver downtown. As you walk away from the crowds, you'll soon come across an amazing dog park, Maritime Museum, and the wonderful 100 ft tall totem pole. Hadden Park has a beautiful history from it's inception. The origins come from an Englishmen by the name of Harvey Hadden who felt that Vancouver has given him a wonderful life and he would return the favour. In 1928, he bought the land that Hadden Park currently sits on at a very high price (at the time) from CN rail and then donated it to Vancouver Parks. Talk about a feel good story. The highlight of walking around this idyllic park is the off leash dog park and the incredible Kwakiutl totem. There are off leash dog parks and then you have the Hadden dog park where dogs run across the beach into the water to play with others while the owners can enjoy the beautiful bay skyline with the majestic mountains in the background. No fences... just a lot of great nature to take in. I sat here for a bit to smile at the cute dogs running about and playing in the water. I dont think there was a sad looking dog anywhere. As for the totem, it is under restoration but it still worthwhile to stop near the base to admire the beauty of it. It was made by a local clan, Kwakiutl, and presented to Vancouver for their centennial in 1958. The tree must have been huge to have the totem stand 100 ft tall (a foot for every year they were celebrating). History notes say the tree was over 600 years old. Seeing how the clans are in charge of protecting the ancient trees, it is a real honour for them to use one for this totem. You can see all 10 clans represented on the totem. I happen to love Hadden more than the Kitsilano because it showcased more of the history but also the relaxed and sweet moments that I've come to know from the west coast. If you want to enjoy a nice few moments looking at the setting sun or cute dogs running about on the beach or even looking through the history of Vancouver, Hadden would be a great spot.

Came here to see the Celebration of Lights fireworks. There are free parking at this park if you…read morecome early. Best of all not a lot of people know about this place for the fireworks. Most people just end up going to Downtown. My friends had a BBQ setup. So we had like at least 40 people invited. Great location. The view for the firework here was awesome.

Burnaby, while not exactly New York City, does have plenty of people situated in a not very large…read morearea - just witness the heavy concentration of skyscrapers, many of which clear 50 stories. Kingsway, the main drag leading into Vancouver proper, witnesses more than its share of traffic, as do the various side streets. So it's a testament to the vision of the founders of the town that this oasis exists. While one can occasionally hear the hum of the Metro or the nearby avenues, by and large it's a place to quickly and efficiently get away from it all. If walking and nature viewing don't fully complete your needs, there are plenty of more physical activities to partake in or watch others partake in - the stadium, the pool, the golf course, the picnic tables - you name it, Central Park has it.

Park is so clean. Toilets are clean…read more Trails are clean. Love all the squirrels, chipmunks, coyotes on the golf course, birds, ducks etc... The Central Park Perimeter Trail is one of the longest continuous rubberized tracks for walking and running at 3.5km. LOVE IT!! There is a 2.5-kilometer outdoor fitness circuit with 12 stations designed for cardio, strength, balance, and flexibility. Tennis courts can use some upgrading or expansion though. Lots of space for picnics and some are under covered spaces. Summer is usually occupied by church groups. There's an area where people have their RC boats in the pond. Not sure if the ducks are annoyed by them or not. This park has almost everything.

We were lucky to snag a parking spot Saturday at 5:30 pm here. I love discovering a peaceful oasis…read morein the middle of a city! Trees and lakes keep the air fresh, the noise pollution down and makes you feel like you escaped the city without leaving town. Plenty of people were enjoying the 69 degree weather. Some lounging in their lawn chairs, walking the dogs on the trail or canoeing on the lake. The boardwalk is especially nice for walking, for the structural metal strips keep it bike-free and peaceful. Meanwhile, there are many scenic trails through the trees that cyclists can enjoy. We completed the one hour/2.6 mile loop trail around the lake passing gorgeous heritage homes, a wedding taking place on the festival lawn and people fishing off the docks. Next time, I'm renting a canoe or kayak from the Deer Lake Boat rentals to see the park from a different perspective. Bonus:Parking and the views are free!

I've been to Deer Lake several times before, but most recently went there for the Vampire Weekend…read moreconcert. On a clear sunny day, this place beats any other concert venue: it's large enough for concert goers of all types to enjoy. You could easily make your way up to get close to the stage, or you could sit down on the lawn and listen to the tunes. Since the lawn tilts at an angle, it's easy to see the stage from almost anywhere, even if you're really far back. There are also a lot of food trucks to get food or drinks from, and there's a water station where you could fill up your water bottle. The only downside of this venue is that it's not very easily accessible by transit and parking is limited on a busy concert evening.