Tag: Vancouver Convention Centre

Gord Downie’s hats…

While at the Circle Craft Winter Market at the Vancouver Convention Center I had the pleasure of meeting and spending a few minutes chatting with Karyn Ruiz of Lilliput Hats. She designed and made the hats Gord Downie of The Tragically Hip wore on stage during the Man Machine Poem tour.

dsc01235s2
Karyn Ruiz of Lilliput Hats
I have been a fan of The Tragically Hip for many years and was lucky enough to see them live in Vancouver on their Man Machine Poem tour. Seeing them in concert was both amazing and sad…amazing because hey it’s “The Hip”, sad because of Downie’s terminal health issues and this would be their last tour. I have very fond memories of that concert. And a major part of those memories are the bright outfits and very cool hats Downie was wearing during that concert. To meet and speak with someone who had a hand in creating those memories is very cool.

When asked what it was like to meet Gord Downie, who is to a lot of people, a Canadian icon, she said he was just a normal quiet man who was quite involved in the creative process of designing the hats.

She told me 6 hats were made for Gord to wear on stage during the tour with another two hats made to be auctioned off. And she mentioned how she printed some of the lyrics of two Tragically Hip songs into two different hats she made for Downie. The two songs were “Bobcaygeon” and “Done and Done”. Downie was surprised and really happy with that detail. How cool is that!

The auction was in support of the “Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Fund at Toronto Foundation”, “Gord Downie Secret Path Fund for Truth and Reconciliation at The National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation (NCTR) at The University of Manitoba” and “Gord Downie Fund for Brain Cancer Research at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre”. The website with more information is https://www.courageforgord.org/ The website has a page where donations can be made and a gift shop as well. All proceed from the site support the above funds.

While we chatted she showed me some photos taken when she met with Downie at her shop and there were photos of him on stage wearing the hats she created.

It really was interesting to meet and spend a few minutes talking with Karyn. Maybe it’s time for me to upgrade from wearing ball caps to something custom made and a lot more stylish.

Below are a few cell phone images from the Tragically Hip concert in Vancouver BC, July 26, 2016.

The Tragically Hip concert in Vancouver BC July 26, 2016
The Tragically Hip concert in Vancouver BC July 26, 2016
The Tragically Hip concert in Vancouver BC July 26, 2016
The Tragically Hip concert in Vancouver BC July 26, 2016
The Tragically Hip concert in Vancouver BC July 26, 2016
The Tragically Hip concert in Vancouver BC July 26, 2016
The Tragically Hip concert in Vancouver BC July 26, 2016
The Tragically Hip concert in Vancouver BC July 26, 2016

 

Electric Buses

I had a chance to check out Greenpower Motor Company’s all electric zero emissions bus at the Canadian Urban Transit Association (CUTA) Fall Conference and Expo held at the Vancouver Convention Centre. They have been in the news in B.C recently when they provided the world’s first double decker all electric bus to the transit authority in Victoria BC.

From a passenger perspective, the fit and finish of the bus on display looks good. There are slight differences to the buses we are used with Translink buses here in the Vancouver area; the seats are a formed plastic with no covering or padding and there was no bike rack on the front of the display bus. There are two spaces for wheelchairs or scooters (or baby buggies too I suppose). There are plenty of hand rails to hold on to while standing and there are ample next stop buttons throughout the bus. The bus is also equipped with multiple (8) security cameras on board. I almost forgot to mention how quiet the bus is. While I was there they had to start up and move the bus and it was pretty much silent. In talking to one of the company representatives this was a big issue for Victoria testing out these busses for the cruise ship industry. If you have several busses waiting dockside for cruise ship passengers all running their engines and air conditioning it can be quite loud. These busses should help address the noise issue as well as the issue of emissions.

From an operators perspective the company says there could be more than $50,000 a year saved in diesel fuel costs and less money needs to be spent on electric bus maintenance.

It will be interesting to see how well all-electric buses are received not only in BC but across the country and the world.

Greenpower Motor Company’s all electric zero emissions bus at the Canadian Urban Transit Association (CUTA) Fall Conference and Expo held at the Vancouver Convention Centre
Greenpower Motor Company’s all electric zero emissions bus at the Canadian Urban Transit Association (CUTA) Fall Conference and Expo held at the Vancouver Convention Centre
Greenpower Motor Company’s all electric zero emissions bus at the Canadian Urban Transit Association (CUTA) Fall Conference and Expo held at the Vancouver Convention Centre
Greenpower Motor Company’s all electric zero emissions bus at the Canadian Urban Transit Association (CUTA) Fall Conference and Expo held at the Vancouver Convention Centre
Greenpower Motor Company’s all electric zero emissions bus at the Canadian Urban Transit Association (CUTA) Fall Conference and Expo held at the Vancouver Convention Centre
Greenpower Motor Company’s all electric zero emissions bus at the Canadian Urban Transit Association (CUTA) Fall Conference and Expo held at the Vancouver Convention Centre
Greenpower Motor Company’s all electric zero emissions bus at the Canadian Urban Transit Association (CUTA) Fall Conference and Expo held at the Vancouver Convention Centre
Greenpower Motor Company’s all electric zero emissions bus at the Canadian Urban Transit Association (CUTA) Fall Conference and Expo held at the Vancouver Convention Centre
Greenpower Motor Company’s all electric zero emissions bus at the Canadian Urban Transit Association (CUTA) Fall Conference and Expo held at the Vancouver Convention Centre
Greenpower Motor Company’s all electric zero emissions bus at the Canadian Urban Transit Association (CUTA) Fall Conference and Expo held at the Vancouver Convention Centre
Greenpower Motor Company’s all electric zero emissions bus at the Canadian Urban Transit Association (CUTA) Fall Conference and Expo held at the Vancouver Convention Centre
Greenpower Motor Company’s all electric zero emissions bus at the Canadian Urban Transit Association (CUTA) Fall Conference and Expo held at the Vancouver Convention Centre
Greenpower Motor Company’s all electric zero emissions bus at the Canadian Urban Transit Association (CUTA) Fall Conference and Expo held at the Vancouver Convention Centre
Greenpower Motor Company’s all electric zero emissions bus at the Canadian Urban Transit Association (CUTA) Fall Conference and Expo held at the Vancouver Convention Centre
Fraser Atkinson, Chairman of Greenpower Motor Company in front of thier all electric zero emissions bus at the Canadian Urban Transit Association (CUTA) Fall Conference and Expo held at the Vancouver Convention Centre
Fraser Atkinson, Chairman of Greenpower Motor Company in front of thier all electric zero emissions bus at the Canadian Urban Transit Association (CUTA) Fall Conference and Expo held at the Vancouver Convention Centre