May 2024 update: Canucks playoff run gives city ‘a sense of the possible’
May was a busy but exciting month!
Perhaps not surprisingly, having the Vancouver Canucks reach Game 7 in a second round playoff run created the most excitement local hockey fans have seen in a long time.
In the lead up to the Canucks’ second round playoff run, there were a lot of questions as to whether the City of Vancouver would host its own family-friendly, public playoffs viewing events. I was thrilled to join Mornings with Simi host Simi Sara on CKNW Radio to share what Mayor Sim had only announced 30 minutes earlier—that Oak Meadow Park would serve as the location of Vancouver’s inaugural Playoffs in the Park event.
For Game One, I joined the crowd of about 700 along with the Mayor and several councillors in the park as the Canucks got a hard-fought win over the Edmonton Oilers. The excitement was palpable that evening and the energy around the city throughout the series was infectious.
In keeping with the theme of professional sport, on May 4th, it was a pleasure to be joined by Vancouver Whitecaps FC players and team management to celebrate a half a century of soccer excellence at City Hall. The Whitecaps’ 50th anniversary was a testament to the enduring spirit of the sport in our city over the decades.
In early May I joined other Councillors at the Lower Mainland Local Government Association (LMLGA) conference, where we delved into the priorities around housing, transportation and public safety in our region, with a focus on collaboration and innovation for our communities.
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With fellow councillors and Deputy Mayor Peter Meiszner, we opened the B.C. Buddhist Festival at Helena Gutteridge Plaza beside City Hall. It was as a gathering that featured many cultures that practice the Buddhist principles of peace, mindfulness, and spiritual growth.
The second week of May began with me serving as Chair of the joint meeting with the City of Vancouver and the Vancouver School Board elected officials and staff, where we discussed initiatives and strategies to enhance learning environments for students in our community.
In a proclamation held before the council meeting that week, Mayor and Councillors honoured the dedication of our nurses during National Nursing Week. As the son of a retired Registered Nurse who also taught licensed practical nurses for two decades, my respect for the nursing profession runs deep.
Council also celebrated the rich history and contributions of the local Jewish community by proclaiming Jewish Heritage Month in the City of Vancouver.
Last November, Team Canada won our country’s first-ever women’s Tennis World Championship in Seville, Spain. Tennis Canada earlier announced that the iconic Billie Jean King Cup will travel across the country on a nationwide tour, inspiring more women and girls to participate in the sport. What an honour it was to celebrate Vancouver’s own hometown hero and Team Canada champion Rebecca Marino in the Council chamber.
Emily Carr University of Art + Design (ECU) provided a guided tour by students of The Show 2024 for Councillors Kirby-Yung, Zhou and myself. The incredible talent on display offered a glimpse into the future of locally-produced art and design.
It was a pleasure to attend the grand opening of 825 Pacific—a new multi-purpose arts and cultural hub in Vancouver’s Downtown South. The seven-story building contains 21,000 square feet of much-needed, affordable production studios, office spaces, presentation and performance spaces for artists and non-profit organizations. The building is also a certified Passive House development and will produce nearly zero greenhouse gas emissions during its lifespan.
“Neighbourhood House Day: Dreaming Forward” was a beautiful celebration of the role neighbourhood houses play in building community connections and support systems. It also allowed me and other Councillors to join in an Indigenous led dance ceremony.
As someone who strongly advocates for the quality of life for older adults, it was a joy to attend a screening of a short film about the Collective Agency. The Collective Agency Project is a public art project that began in February 2020 as the COVID pandemic was just about to descend upon the globe. The project provided a group of older adults with a unique opportunity to work with a team of established artists over two years to develop critical and technical skills and produce a socially engaged, photo-based public artwork. Filmmaker Harry Killas wonderfully documents the participant’s personal journeys of discovery.
I was glad to attend the Lower Mainland R.E.N.T. (Regional Education, Networking & Tradeshow) hosted by BC Nonprofit Housing Association as it provided valuable insights and resources for organizations and advocates of affordable housing in our region.
In recognition of the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia (IDAHOBIT) Mayor Sim and Council stood in solidarity with QMUNITY, recognizing the organization’s 45th anniversary of supporting Vancouver’s LGBTQ2S+ community and promoting inclusivity and acceptance.
It was a privilege to tour the new Granville Island studios of Ballet BC and to view a rehearsal by the company under the guidance of Artistic Director Medhi Walerski. After wrapping up an historic season, the company is due to represent Vancouver in Italy, Germany and Luxembourg this month before launching into an incredible 24/25 season in the fall.
Alas, the Canucks’ playoff run ended, but I knew that the spirit the games had generated were good for all of us. During an interview on CBC’s On The Coast I described how the season has sparked “a sense of the possible” among hockey fans in the city.
“It felt, even right towards the end of the game, almost like we could do anything in this city. There was just this joy that was coming out of everywhere.”
Other May highlights:
- Taking a tour of Bob and Michael’s Place led by Chinatown Foundation board chair Carol Lee
- Visiting an innovative Gastown childcare facility operated YMCA BC
- Touring the Arts Umbrella Granville Island campus with CEO Paul Larocque
- Visiting the Vancouver Holocaust Education Centre
- Attending the Vancouver Economic Summit hosted by the BIA Partnership
- Proclaiming Komagata Maru Remembrance Day in the Council chamber
- Touring “Storeys” — a unique social housing development jointly operated by five separate nonprofit societies
- Attending the PNE Amphitheatre official groundbreaking and facility naming announcement
- Participating in a community litter clean-up in the West End neighbourhood
As we move forward, I am committed to attending more events, engaging with you, and working towards a brighter future for Vancouver.
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