Decked in bright orange life jackets, Yue Minjun's Amazing Laughter sculptures are being used to help Preventable, BC Hydro and the Red Cross promote water safety over the summer holidays.
With over 50 deaths related to drowning and water related incidents recorded in BC on an average year, Preventable has stepped up it's campaign to promote water safety and the use of life jackets and personal flotation devices. The sculptures are definitely eye catching and it's hard to miss the message.
Hydro lines jot the skyline.
Gone are the days when hotdogs was the only food you could find being sold on the streets of Vancouver. In May, the City of Vancouver issued 12 more licenses to the ever growing Vancouver food cart industry. The Burger Bus was one of the twelve chosen from a pool of 59 applicants. Their retro style van serves up organic all-beef burgers with gluten free bun options. Spotted on Robson Street.
I don't think I've seen such a great combination of hair styles in awhile.
Japanese bookstore Book Off closes it's Vancouver location today after 7 years of business in the city. Carrying a wide selection of books, manga, Cd's and DVD's in Japanese and English this closing follows on the heels of Vancouver's largest independent bookstore chain The Book Warehouse shutting it's doors just a few months ago.
One of the storefronts on Pender Street.
With Vancouver trying to become the greenest city in the world, community gardens are popping up everywhere. Although the plants don't seem to be doing so well at these gardens, someone has been very creative with the decor.
A busy intersection in the downtown core.
It's the real thing. Not sure when this ad was painted but it does look like it has seen better days. It is located on Main Street a number of blocks south of Granville Street. This area is slowly going through a building phase with new developments proposed for 611 & 633 Main Street.
Kitty's Beauty Studio on Pender St. It was the color that stood out for me, surrounded by brick buildings.
The Native Housing Society along with government representatives celebrated the official opening of Vancouver's Skwachays Healing Lodge. Located at 31 West Pender Street, just west of Chinatown's Millennium Gate, architect Joe Wai designed the healing lodge behind the heritage facade of the old Pender Hotel.
Twenty four, 320 square foot studio apartments will be managed by the Vancouver Native Housing Society and provide low income housing while the top two floors will provide temporary accomodations for aboriginal patients and families traveling to Vancouver for medical treatment. There is also a cafeteria, studio space for artists, a smudge room and sweat lodge on the top floor. The Urban Aboriginal Fair Trade Art Gallery will be housed on the main floor and aboriginal artists will be able to display and sell their work through this gallery.
Live entertainment and free meals were a part of the Opening Ceremony.
Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson along with government and housing officials.
Some of the impressive art work on display in the gallery.
Eye Level Gallery's photo exhibition titled Photo Cubic Art by artist Andrew Owen is located on West Cordova Street just west of the Woodwards tower. Plastered on an outdoor wall, these images were taken over a period of time and depict the diversity of the community.
BCSPCA estimates that there are between 2000 - 3000 urban coyotes in the Lower Mainland. This one was spotted at Langara Golf Course.
It was a busy evening on the North Arm of the Fraser River as tug boats were maneuvering up and down the river towing log booms and barges filled with wood fibre. Airplanes can be seen in the background preparing to land at Vancouver's airport.
A skateboarder flies by oblivious to these brightly painted buildings on Alma Street.
