WE Live Here: A West End Audio Tour
What’s better than a leisurely stroll through the West End on a beautiful day?
Basically - nothing! Except maybe having someone in your ear buds telling you things that might surprise and delight you about your spectacular neighborhood!
As part of our attempt to create car-free activities that keep you safe during a global pandemic, the Car Free Vancouver Society is thrilled to present WE Live Here: A West End Audio Tour!
Local writer, historian, and musician Aaron Chapman will be your host as we weave tales while you weave through the streets of the West End.
Aaron is joined by special guests: Squamish Elder Dennis Joseph, Journalist/Broadcaster and CBC Radio documentarian Pamela Post, writer, poet, podcast host and otter enthusiast Dina Del Bucchia, and beloved author and long-time West End resident Bill Richardson.
Tour Overview
https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/embed?mid=1HUY J17232uhDQ6MYIRqZwpLFtpSTJEL
Tour Distance: 4.9 km
Stops on Tour: 5
Entire Tour Walking Time: 1.5 hours at a leisurely stroll
Our suggestions for enjoying this tour:
- Stories range from educational, historical, or contemplative, and some decidedly more mature content. We suggest this tour is suitable for mature individuals ages (16?) and up.
- This tour can be enjoyed in a single afternoon on any nice walking day from spring through autumn. Plan on spending at least 2 hours or more to really enjoy walking this tour - there is so much to explore and enjoy between each story area! Take a break whenever you need to. A bench in the park or a log on the beach with a beautiful view is easily found along the way.
- Maybe you just don’t want to walk 4.9kms in one afternoon? That’s okay! The audio stories for this tour are arranged into little mini-episodes so that you can visit one or two stops and then come back to continue the next part of your tour on another day if you want.
- You might want to pack along some snacks to enjoy on the beach at English Bay or stop into any of the numerous coffee shops and eateries to be found along Denman, or just up along Davie or Robson.
This tour is also very bike-able! The pedestrian and biking path run next to each other all the way to English Bay. **However you may want to park your bike for the last episode The Empty Vacant Tour which takes you inside the Robson Public Market, open every day from 9am - 9pm** If you do choose to cycle, we strongly advise AGAINST wearing headphones, and urge you to take all necessary precautions.
Getting There
There are numerous westbound buses that will drop you directly in front of Devonian Harbour Park and run about every 7-10 minutes, including:
Stanley Park 019, which runs along Pender, and then up to Georgia at Cardero St.
North Shore busses 240, 246, 250, 257 which run along West Georgia St.
Robson 05 or Davie 06 can take you as far as Robson and Denman, just 2 short blocks to the Devonian Park Entrance.
Episode 1: The Kanaka Ranch and the Denman Arena
Your audio tour journey begins at the Devonian Harbour park at the corner of Georgia and Denman Streets. Make your way over toward the Seawall Path for an expansive view of the harbour, city, and Stanley Park. Start the audio when you’ve found a comfortable spot or a good view and imagine the rich history of this area as you begin your first episode with Elder Dennis Joseph!
Audio:
https://omny.fm/shows/jar-audio-sample-narrative-audio/dennis-joseph
Full transcript <link to transcript>
https://www.google.com/maps/d/embed?mid=1HUY-J17232uhDQ6MYIRqZwpLFtpSTJEL
Episode 2: The Great Blue Herons of Stanley Park
By Pamela Post
Next we’ll head to the Stanley Park Great Heron nesting park. Make use of the pedestrian (or bike) pathway that crosses under Georgia and takes you past Lost Lagoon. You’ll want to keep to the left pathways heading toward the second set of tennis courts for Pamela Post’s story. Once you found a safe viewing spot, enjoy our next episode!
Walking distance: Devonian Harbour Park to Stanley Park Tennis Courts
1.1km, 15 - 20 minutes
Audio:
https://omny.fm/shows/jar-audio-sample-narrative-audio/segment-2
Full transcript <link to transcript>
https://www.google.com/maps/d/embed?mid=1oqFXde0I5i5cYB4zxq-nUV7OTQ9nHbJg