Things to Do

Bike To Shop returns this summer from August 7 – 22nd.

Hub Cycling’s Bike To Shop event is back this summer kicking off on August 7th – 22nd. Local businesses in 20 neighbourhoods across Metro Vancouver are offering free coffee, snacks, sweet discounts, and more to people who visit their shop by bike.

Get on your bike and come join the Bike to Shop movement with us! As always, registration is 100% free. 

Register before July 30 for a chance to win a $50 Compass Card from TransLink so you can explore even more Bike to Shop neighborhoods this summer.

Register here and find the full schedule including all participating businesses here..

Visit these Strathcona businesses during Bike To Shop for great deals and delicious freebies.

Map of Itinerary

VV TAPAS LOUNGE

Free glass of wine or nonalcoholic cocktail with the purchase of food.

HARKEN COFFEE

One free coffee to those who participate and ride to the shop.

CONTAINER BREWING

Free pork crisps, happy hour beer pricing ($2 off full pours), 10% off any take-home orders. Enter a draw to win a $100 gift card.

ENTERPRISING WOMEN MAKING ART (EWMA)

Free coffee/iced tea and/or button. Plus enter to win an original art item from the EWMA Store with each purchase.

LUPPOLO BREWING

15% off pizza with purchase of a beer (DINE IN ONLY),  $10 Margherita with purchase of a 4Pack (TO-GO ONLY).

LIQUIDS AND SOLIDS

Free 10 oz Soup with purchase of a sandwich or an entrée salad.

COASTAL EDEN CAFE

One free baked good with a purchase of any drink. Until sold out.

STRATHCONA BEER

Buy a pint of beer and get an order of our garlic bites for free. While quantities last daily.

LANDYACHTZ

Free air & oil, plus high fives and bike advice all week.

Register at bikehub.ca/biketoshop

Hello, summer!

What better time to take advantage of our beautiful Vancouver weather than to plan a tour through some of Strathcona’s historic and colourful neighborhoods. 

For moments when friends or family visit from out of town or you’re craving to do something a little different without going too far, we have a list of some self-guided and guided tours for you to choose from. Find a few of our favorites below!

Curated Tastes – Gallery Tour

Curated Tastes is Vancouver’s first and only art mediation company that creates fun and engaging tours for anyone looking for something different to do in Vancouver. No previous art knowledge or experience is necessary! 

• Discover 2 art galleries in Strathcona
• Learn about contemporary art
• Learn how to appreciate and talk about art
• Meet curators, artists and gallerists 
• Discover a new face of Strathcona 
• Make new friendships over a sample beer or wine (depending on route) at one of Strathcona’s iconic breweries. 

• Price per person: $ 33 (early bird) / $36 (regular)
• Saturdays 12pm-2pm 
• Social distancing and masks in indoor spaces are recommended
• Groups will be limited to 12 attendees + 1 tour guide

Powell Street Walking Tour

Uncover the hidden history of Vancouver’s pre-war Japanese-Canadian community. 

It is not common knowledge that prior to the Incarceration, Displacement and Dispossession of 1942, the Powell Street corridor was once the home to 8000 Japanese Canadians and over 400 Japanese-owned businesses. Today, there is an abundance of remaining history and architecture that tells the story of a community that thrived in this unique area of Vancouver!

• $10 for the general public | Free under 18 
• Masks and socially distant spacing will be required.
• Groups will be limited to 8 attendees + 1-2 tour guide(s)

Tours can be offered in Japanese. 

Tickets: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/historic-powell-street-walking-tours-vancouver-bc-tickets-152774682187

Strathcona Mural Tour 

If you’re looking to plan or head out on a spontaneous self-guided mural tour Strathcona is the perfect start. The Strathcona neighbourhood is filled with the city’s second-highest concentration of murals within walking distance of each other, with a few delicious stops on the way. Head East on Cordova St. towards Campbell Ave. to catch some great street art then loop around to Hastings to stop for a cold drink or bite at Strathcona’s favourite The Heatley. 

There are also some special guided tours happening this year as part of the Black Strathcona Resurgence Project (BSRP). The Black Strathcona Tour runs 10am Friday, Saturday, and Sunday every week from Aug.4-22. Discover the BSRP Year 1 murals and the cultural history of the Hogan’s Alley neighbourhood led by Vancouver DeTours guide Alasdair Butcher, BSRP Curator Krystal Paraboo, and a special guest expert from the Black community. Tours are by donation.

Sunday August 22, the BSRP Bike Tour is happening. Jump on your wheels and experience the magic of murals produced by Black artists across the city on a special bike route. There will be multiple group riding slots throughout the day and an opportunity to learn about the history of the Strathcona neighbourhood.

Download the Vancouver Mural Fest app or visit their website for a full map of murals throughout Strathcona and the remainder of the city. 

Brewery Tour

Are you really experiencing Strathcona if you haven’t taken in one of our many breweries? We have you covered. Get your squad together and take a tour to a few (or all) of our fabulous breweries – there are a total of five to choose from! 

To plan your own self-guided tour through Strathcona’s breweries visit our website for a full list of locations 

For a guided tour through Strathcona Brewing and Luppolo Brewery and a few other East Vancouver breweries visit Canadian Craft Tours. 

We can’t wait for celebrations again.

It’s been a challenging year for Vancouver and the rest of the world. One that has kept us distanced from almost everyone we know and missing the times when we could get together, eat, laugh and celebrate with our family and friends. 

A year of doing our part to flatten the Covid-19 curve has left nearly every planned event resulting in cancellation. Weddings and birthdays were reduced to small bubbles or postponed all together, baby showers and other accomplishments were and still are being celebrated virtually. As vaccines roll out and we hope to slowly get back to our normal lives we’re keeping our spirits up for an end to restrictions on gathering with loved ones. 

Strathcona is home to a number of companies that work to help special events of all sizes look and feel their best. Whether you’re planning a small celebration with your close circle or a big, fat, post-Covid bash these four businesses can help bring the “wow” to your upcoming festivities. 

Check out our list below to learn more about these local Strathcona businesses.  

Please remain aware of B.C’s current restart plan and restrictions before attempting to plan an event or celebration outside of your bubble. All businesses mentioned are currently operating while following B.C’s mandated health and safety measures. 

Four Strathcona Businesses to Hire for your Next Small Event.

Meyer’s Floral Company

The first thing that comes to mind when thinking about taking any celebration decor to the next level is flowers. And as most of us can agree that the foundation of every special event is the decor.  

Meyer’s Floral Company has been distributing wholesale flowers to Vancouver and the lower mainland for over 30 years. Located in Strathcona at 1209 Adanac Street in Strathcona, Meyer’s creates some of the most beautiful bouquets we’ve seen on this side of the viaduct. Consider this Strathcona small business when planning the flowers for your next wedding, celebration or other event. 

The Garden Strathcona

A hidden gem in the heart of Strathcona, The Garden is a cozy and lush space to host your next local small event. 

A 1200sft space with large, bright windows that can be rented with amenities such as sound system, banquet tables, chairs, catering and more. The studio can also be rented alongside the accompanying downstairs cafe for small weddings, events, film shoots and more. A unique space to rent for your next event or just to grab a coffee and take in the vibes.

Cocktails & Canapes

The star of the show at any event is almost always the food, so impress your guests with some of the yummiest catering Strathcona has to offer. From canapes, to food stations, to fine-plated dinners, Cocktails & Canapes specializes in creating a culinary experience with their world-class cuisine that’s sure to elevate your next celebration. To extend their business offerings during COVID they now also feature a delivery brunch box for special occasions like Mother’s Day.

Debut Event Design

Take your event dreams and bring them to reality. 

Debut Event Design is a Strathcona-based business and a must-have for the design of your next celebration – big or small. If you’re planning a wedding then you’re in luck, Debut Event Design insists on creating a unique and memorable design that you’ll never forget. If you’re just looking for help with rentals such as furniture, backdrops, and more they do that too. There is no limit to the event goals you can reach with this Vancouver company. 

There are new doughnuts in town and they’re popping up in Strathcona.

An Interview with Plates By Payts

Meet Plates by Payts, Vancouver’s fresh new sweets vendor who, since the early pandemic, has been improving the lives of Vancouverites one delicious doughnut at a time. If you’ve been lucky enough to catch his pop-up at Strathcona’s Sunrise Market you’ll know that Payton’s Vegan Sourdough Doughnuts (with rotating flavours) are super popular with locals. The lineups have been known to pile up to the back of the store, and the doughnuts are well worth the wait. 

We caught up with founder, Payton Lum, about his creative process and where we can get our hands on his unique offerings. Read along below!

How did Plates By Payts begin and grow to such rapid popularity?

It all started during quarantine. I have always had a passion for baking and had previous experience making sourdough loaves. It wasn’t until last year when I made my first ever batch of sourdough doughnuts. Since then, they are all I could ever think about and I have been hooked on perfecting the recipe and developing the flavours. All in all it really has been the most humbling experience, knowing that so many people love my creations and continue to support me.

What do you think makes your doughnuts stand out from the rest?

A few things…

– The slight tang in the dough. Making products using a sourdough starter as the only leavener provides a naturally sour taste and long fermentation that can be finicky and not as reliable as products made with yeast.

– Free of any animal products. Most doughnuts are made using eggs, milk, and butter. The idea behind Plates By Payts is for everyone to have the opportunity to enjoy these doughnuts.

– Weekly flavour lineups. This is one of my favourite parts where we get to brainstorm different flavour ideas and combinations that work in unison. The goal is to keep everyone excited about new upcoming flavours.

Where can we find Plates By Payts?

Plates By Payts will mainly be doing pop-ups at Sunrise Market (300 Powell Street). You can find me doing spontaneous pop-ups or supplying doughnuts at different retailers around the lower mainland. All of the details of my weekly location can be found on my Instagram @platesbypayts.

Do you have plans to start a retail shop/kitchen of your own?

I’ve been on the hunt for a retail shop, I just haven’t found the perfect spot. I definitely want to continue growing my business and have lots of new, unreleased products and ideas I want to share with my supporters soon (hint… a new dough recipe!). 

How do you decide what types of flavours and ingredients to feature?

I am always inspired by flavours coming from my Asian background and try to incorporate those unique flavour combinations to some of my products. I also like to have different themes to my weekly flavours based on upcoming holidays while using ingredients that are fresh and in season.

What’s your favourite part of the doughnut making process?

I love the behind the scenes when I’m in the kitchen experimenting with new recipes and playing around with new styles of doughnuts.

It’s Time to Patio.

Patio season has arrived and with B.C.’s lifted restrictions there are so many reasons to call up a friend and experience one of Vancouver’s amazing patios. 

We’re so fortunate to have some stellar breweries and restaurants in Strathcona where you can soak up the sun while enjoying a craft brew, dim sum, pizza and more of what your heart desires. 

We’ve got all the info you need to take-in any of Strathcona’s patios including our personal favourite food and drinks. For more Strathcona food and drink options visit our blog here.

1123 Venables St

Hours: Tues – Thurs 2-9pm | Fri – Sat 2-10pm | Sun 12-9pm

Things to note:

• Heated and covered
• Semi-permanent
• Table service with pizza

Must Try:

The Calzone and a Sbarbatella Keller Pilsner

1216 Franklin St

Hours: Mon, Tue, Wed 2-8pm | Thus – Fri 2-9pm | Sat – Sun 12-9pm

Things to note:

• Permanent patio with additional temporary patio seating
• Partially covered
• Pet-friendly
• Food trucks daily

Must Try:

A Manifest Hazy Pale Ale with Lemongrass Chicken Wings from Henry’s Hip Eats Food Truck (see website for pop-up dates).

505 Clark Dr

Hours: Wed – Sat 12-10pm | Sun-Tues 12-9pm

Things to note:

• Permanent patio with additional temporary patio seating
• Heated and covered
• Pet-friendly

Must Try:

A Fountainbier Orange Cream beer with a Smokie.

403 East Hastings St

Hours: Mon – Thurs 11am-12am | Fri – Sat 11am-1am | Sun 11am-10pm 

Things to note:

• Curbside patio
• Open in all weather

Must Try:

The Mill Burger and a Pat’s Classic Lager.

895 East Hastings St

Hours: Mon – Sun 12-10pm 

Things to note:

• Curbside patio, two options
• Open in all weather
• Partially covered

Must Try:

Premium Pilsner and a Margherita Pizza.

901 East Hastings St

Hours: Mon – Fri 8:30am-6pm | Sat 10am-4pm 

Things to note:

• Curbside patio
• Partially covered

Must Try:

Grateful Veg Panini.

957 East Hastings St

Hours: Tue – Sat 4-10pm 

Things to note:

• Permeant patio with additional temporary patio seating
• Partially covered
• Happy Hour 4-6pm and 9pm to close

Must Try:

Lamb Meatballs and a V.V G & T.

1132 East Hastings St

Hours: Mon – Sun 10am-7:30pm

Things to note:

• Temporary parking lot patio
• Partially covered

Must Try:

Steamed Pork Dumplings. 

1279 East Hastings St

Hours: Mon – Sun 12-10pm

Things to note:

• Curbside patio
• Partially covered

Must Try:

Awaze Tibs.

55 Dunlevy Ave

Hours: Mon – Fri 11:30am-10pm | Sat – Sun 10am-10pm 

Things to note:

• Curbside patio
• Happy hour Mon all day & Tues – Fri 3pm-6pm

Must Try:

Wild Mushroom and Truffle Risotto.

A self-guided tour.

Best times to adventure: Tuesday to Saturday (note: Mónica Reyes Gallery is closed Wed-Fri and Sun)

Getting here:

By Skytrain: Stop at Stadium-Chinatown station, walk 20 min East along W Pender St to Heatley Ave.

By Bus: Stop at Hastings and Princess.

Map of itinerary.

12pm: Begin your Art Walk Strathcona tour at Fazakas Gallery (688 Hastings St.) and take in some solo and group exhibitions presented by Tanúyap Project Space. Named in consultation with a Squamish elder, Tanúyap is a Squamish word meaning ‘welcome everyone.’ This name is a gesture of friendship and exchange, and an acknowledgement of the unceded territories of the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh First Nations on which we are located.

1pm: Steps away, stop by Coastal Eden Cafe (643 Hastings) for a delicious sandwich and a coffee and get ready for a short walk to your next gallery.

1:30pm: Step into Mónica Reyes Gallery (602 Hastings St.) and get ready to experience In the Garden with works by Mina Totino and up and coming artist Maggee Day. Vibrant colours and strong brush strokes bring the feeling of the garden and nature indoors. Be transported to artist Maggee Day’s “Doorstep View”, which inspired bold and abstract views of the garden. 

2:00pm: Walking East four blocks down Hastings Street will bring you to Wil Aballe Art Projects (1129 E Hastings St.). Here, Randy Lee Cutler’s exhibition OTOH (On the Other Hand) uses collage that evokes hieroglyphic forms as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic. You’ll also find a selection of works by under-recognized master of 1960’s black and white photography, Dave Heath. Both exhibits are part of this year’s Catpure Photography Festival program.

Both exhibits run until May 29. If visiting in June, you’ll experience The Cinematic: Group Exhibition.

3:00pm: Finish your afternoon with a craft beer at Superflux Beer (505 Clark Dr.). You can catch the Strathcona rays on their patio or grab a 6-pack to take home.

COVID-19 Safety

Galleries are observing COVID-19 protocols and request that you maintain physical distancing and wear a mask while visiting.

Fazakas Gallery – To help implement social distancing, visitors are encouraged to make an appointment to view current exhibitions. Call ahead at 604-876-2729 during opening hours, Tuesday to Saturday 11am-5pm.

Mónica Reyes Gallery – To ensure a COVID-19 safe visit book your gallery viewing appointment ahead through their website.  Opening hours are Monday, Tuesday 11am-2pm, and Saturday 12pm-4pm.

Wil Aballe Art Projects – Walk-ins are welcome but the number of guests permitted in the gallery at one time will be limited. Opening hours are Tuesday to Saturday 12 to 5pm.

Ready for more Art Walk Strathcona experiences? Visit How to Enjoy Art Walk Strathcona Day 1. For information on the opening hours of all galleries and for how to enter the #ArtWalkStrathcona giveaway visit artwalkstrathcona.ca.

A self-guided tour.

Best times to adventure: Tuesday to Saturday

Getting here:

By Skytrain: Hop off at Waterfront Station and walk East towards Railtown.

By Bus: Stop at Hastings and Dunlevy and walk North towards Railway Street. 

Map of itinerary.

12pm: Make your way into Railtown to fuel up before your Art Walk Strathcona adventure. You can enjoy the walk down Railway Street and make your first stop at Railtown Cafe (397 Railway St.) for a smoothie and a twice-baked almond croissant.

12:15pm: Begin your art exploration less than a block away at Howard495 (495 Railway St, 2nd Floor) and get ready to take in Brobdingnagian, a photo collage exhibition by Toronto-based artist Aaron Jones. The exhibit, which is part of the Capture Photography Festival, mixes mediums like magazines, advertisements, newspapers, books, and personal photos and is inspired by the forests and rural landscapes of Southern Ontario.

Brobdingnagian runs until June 26.

1:15pm: Hop over two blocks and treat yourself to a pour-over coffee to-go at Pallet Coffee Roasters (395 Alexander St) and turn the corner to Dunlevy St.

1:30pm: At Monte Clark’s incredible new gallery space (53 Dunlevy Ave) you’ll experience the work of Vilhelm Sundin, who explores the intersection between photography and cinema. The exhibition titled Soon, uses sound, computer graphics, and traditional lens-based media to offer reflections on being alive in a time of constant technological acceleration.

Soon runs until May 29. If visiting in June, you’ll experience an exhibition by Jonathan Syme, Adult Contemporary.

2:30pm: Finish your afternoon by heading next door to Belgard Kitchen and picking up one of their take-home picnic boxes with some Belgard Greens and local craft beers or wine. A short walk away, CRAB Park makes for a perfect picnic spot nearby.

COVID-19 Safety

Galleries are observing COVID-19 protocols and request that you maintain physical distancing and wear a mask while visiting.

Howard495 – Currently all visits to the space are by appointment only to help implement social distancing. Call ahead at 604-251-1379 during opening hours, Tuesday to Saturday 11am-4pm.

Monte Clark – Walk-ins are welcome but the number of guests permitted in the gallery at one time will be limited. To avoid waiting, you may request an appointment during their open hours, Tuesday to Saturday 10am-5:30pm, by emailing info@monteclarkgallery.com.

Ready for more Art Walk Strathcona experiences? Visit How to Enjoy Art Walk Strathcona Day 2. For information on the opening hours of all galleries, visit artwalkstrathcona.ca.

Art Walk Strathcona brings striking contemporary art to East Hastings and invites you to discover Strathcona’s extraordinary gallery district.

May 21 to June 14 find the public art billboards for a chance to win an exclusive Art Walk Strathcona experience, including your very own art piece.  

Strathcona’s galleries are coming together to bring a diverse selection of contemporary art from Indigenous and Canadian artists to the streets through five billboards along East Hastings. Art Walk Strathcona is a self-guided experience that invites people to take a walk, discover the public billboard images, and enjoy a change of perspective. Follow what intrigues you and explore the associated exhibitions taking place throughout May and June in Strathcona’s gallery district. 

“After a year of being stuck at home, we’re all starved for fresh ideas and inspiration. We can’t think of a better antidote to the bleak mundanity of pandemic life than the Art Walk Strathcona experience,” says Mónica Reyes, Gallery owner and arts supporter. “Art has the power to bring joy, provoke questions, and spark conversations. By bringing art to billboards we can extend the public’s access to the power of art while sharing local artist’s work with audiences who might not normally engage with it”.  

When you discover the featured artworks on billboards along East Hastings, snap a picture, share to your Instagram account, use #ArtWalkStrathcona and tag @madeinstrathcona to be entered to win an exclusive Art Walk Strathcona experience prize. The winner will have the opportunity to choose an art piece from a selection from Mónica Reyes Gallery to kick-off your own art collection, experience a private tour for you and friend with the gallery owner at Fazakas Gallery and Howard495, as well as win $200 in gift cards to local cafes, restaurants, and breweries to start and cap off a day of exploring art in Strathcona. Each billboard can be used as a photo entry, up to five entries per person. The contest starts May 21st and runs until June 14th. 

It’s no secret that Strathcona is home to a flourishing arts community. Strathcona has also become a hub for some of the most notable contemporary art galleries in Vancouver and across the country. We invite you to discover our extraordinary gallery district. You’ll find galleries focused on lifting up local emerging artists, Indigenous artists, and artists who are renowned nationally and internationally. The diversity of art disciplines, exhibition approaches, and unique spaces offer something for everyone.

Featured Galleries and Artists

Art Walk Strathcona features the following participating galleries and artists:

Howard495

495 Railway St, 2nd Floor

Howard495 exhibits a rotating, secondary market inventory of contemporary work by international and national artists at all junctures of their careers. They are dedicated to offering diverse art, across all disciplines, as a compliment to Vancouver’s world class local artists.

Featured Artist: Aaron Jones

Aaron Jones is a multi-disciplinary, visual artist based in Toronto. He works with different forms of collage to build characters and space that reflect upon the nuances of his own upbringing, current life, and the environment. For Jones, the act of collage-making is part of a journey of self-discovery; to see one’s self separate from the stereotypical constructions of people and places in media.

Fazakas Gallery

688 E Hastings St

Fazakas Gallery promotes a diverse selection of contemporary art with a special emphasis on works by established and up-and-coming Indigenous artists. They offer a vibrant program that features an array of art aimed to enhance, enrich, and broaden visibility and understanding of Indigenous art.

Featured Artist: Beau Dick (1955 – 2017)

Chief Beau Dick, Walas Gwa’yam was a Kwakwaka’wakw (Musgamakw Dzawada’enuxw First Nation) artist and activist who was acclaimed as one of the Northwest Coast’s most versatile and talented carvers. He began carving at an early age, studying under his father, Benjamin Dick, his grandfather, James Dick, and other renowned artists such as Henry Hunt and Doug Cranmer. He also worked alongside master carvers Robert Davidson, Tony Hunt, and Bill Reid. Dick created several important public works, including a transformation mask for the Canadian Pavilion at Expo 86 in Vancouver and the Ga’akstalas Totem Pole for Stanley Park, carved with Wayne Alfred and raised in 1991.

Mónica Reyes Gallery

602 E Hastings St

Mónica Reyes Gallery is dedicated to young emerging and mid-career artists with a focus in contemporary art. Located in the heart of Strathcona the gallery is uniquely positioned to create dialogues with the artists and cultural engineers who call the neighbourhood home

Featured Artist: Annie Briard

Annie Briard is a Canadian visual art and media artist whose work challenges how we make sense of the world through visual perception. Creating lens-based and light-focused works, she explores the intersections between perception paradigms in psychology, neuroscience, and existentialism.

Monte Clark

53 Dunlevy Ave

Established in 1992 in Vancouver, Monte Clark exhibits and promotes the work of contemporary Canadian artists alongside a selection of international artists, situating the gallery platform in a global and historical context.

Featured Artist: Jonathan Syme

Jonathan Syme received his BFA from the Alberta College of Art and Design. His art practice includes painting, sculpture and installation works. Syme currently lives and works in Vancouver, BC.

Wil Aballe Art Projects

1129 E Hastings St

Wil Aballe Art Projects (WAAP) exhibits local and international artists, notably the innovative younger generation of artists in Vancouver. The program focuses on interdisciplinary, concept-oriented and space-based exhibitions in a variety of media including sculpture, video, sound, painting, printmaking, photography, and performance. 

Featured Artist: Nico Williams

Nico Williams is an Anishinaabe multidisciplinary artist from Aamjiwnaang First Nation. Nico uses beadwork to create experimental forms and create a dialogue with his own experiences of being NDN. His studio practice is based in Tiohtiá:ke| Mooniyang| Montréal.

Participating galleries have implemented extensive safety measures to keep their visitors safe. In some cases you are required to book a time slot in advance to help maintain social distancing measures. For a map of our district galleries and to learn more about their opening hours and current exhibitions visit artwalkstrathcona.ca.

ABOUT THE STRATHCONA BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION (SBIA)

The Strathcona Business Improvement Association (SBIA) operates on the unceded territories of the xwməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), sḵwxwú7mesh (Squamish) and səl̓ílwətaʔɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations. It extends from Clark Drive in the east, Gore Avenue in the west, Venables Street in the south and Railway Street in the north. The SBIA employs staff and is governed by an elected Board of Directors made up of business members from across the community. Our vision is for Strathcona members to thrive in a mixed-use, inclusive, resilient and prosperous local economy. 1220 East Hastings Street, Vancouver BC  V6A 1S6 | 604-258-2727

Become a fan of /StrathconaBIA on Facebook and follow @StrathconaBIA on Twitter and @madeinstrathcona on Instagram for more Art Walk Strathcona stories and features.

MEDIA CONTACTS

Strathcona Business Improvement Association

Johanna Lauyanto | 604-258-2727 | johanna@strathconabia.com

We all have a role to play.

We all understand the importance of having a clean and safe community with proper resources and programming to help keep our neighborhoods accessible, beautiful, and thriving. Taking action to tackle our climate emergency and lower our carbon footprint is an essential part of keeping our communities thriving. From an organizational level to an individual level, we all have a role to play in creating a sustainable and flourishing planet. 

At the Strathcona BIA, Environmental Sustainability is one of our six core values. It’s a lens that informs our programming and placemaking work, including things like community waste management, transportation advocacy, or implementing granting programs for our members that promote sustainable choices. As individuals, adapting small things in our daily routines like composting or opting to ride our bikes to work instead of driving are the little things that add up to a whole lot if everyone gets involved.

Doing our part to change some of our less eco-friendly habits not only contributes to a more sustainable planet but can actually help to restore our Mother Earth. Yes, we said restore the earth! 

It seems like a huge job, we know, but with 7.5 billion people sharing this planet and all making the extra effort, it doesn’t seem so far-fetched when you really think about it. Combining actions of individuals and bigger systems changes, together we can #RestoreOurEarth to build a better future.

For Earth Week we want to highlight some of the ways Strathcona contributes to a sustainable community. We also want to offer resources on what more you can do to help restore the earth.

For more information on how you can help be apart of the change visit earthday.org

Five Ways Strathcona Contributes to a More Sustainable Community

Reducing your carbon footprint can be as simple as discarding your old items the right way. Strathcona is home to North Star Metal Recycling, a company that will buy, sell and recycle scrap metal and other materials like batteries, wire, and cables. Located just off Powell Street near Clark Drive, North Star Recycling will take unwanted items ranging from appliances and household scraps to vehicle rims, motors and industrial metal. They will then repurpose the materials saving them from a potential lifetime in a landfill. 

Did you know that producing steel from recycled materials compared with virgin material saves 75% of the energy needed? We also learned from North Star that the 36 billion aluminum cans landfilled last year had a scrap value of more than $600 million. Someday, we’ll be mining our landfills for the resources we’ve buried. 

For more information (and cool facts about metal recycling!) visit: northstarmetalrecycling.com

What does a custom awards producer have to do with sustainable energy? In our neighbourhood, a lot. 

Eclipse Awards is a business located in the heart of Strathcona that makes eco-friendly awards, plaques and trophies that help people feel recognized, appreciated, and celebrated. They have also dedicated their East Vancouver rooftop to solar panels that power their business. If that’s not incredible enough, all of the excess energy the business doesn’t use goes into the city’s power grid. 

For more information visit: eclipseawards.com

Owner, Toby Barazzuol, has not only established sustainability initiatives at his business, but helped pioneer sustainability programs within the Strathcona community as well. During his time as Strathcona BIA Board Chair, Toby helped establish a sustainability committee that looked at ways we could help businesses reduce their energy consumption, divert waste from landfill, and implement greening initiatives in the community. One of our long-standing programs that came from this work is Recycle in Strathcona, a community waste management program. 

Recycle In Strathcona is a comprehensive and cost-effective recycling service provided to SBIA members by Recycling Alternative and Shift Delivery. The program offers waste management services at exclusive rates for Strathcona BIA members. If your workplace only produces a small amount of waste, a zero-emissions trike pick-up option through Shift Delivery is available.

Other benefits include education and support for your staff, no long-term contracts, and flexible bin sizes and collection frequency to fit your needs. The more members that join this community recycling program, the more optimized the pick-up routes can be, lowering carbon emissions and the amount of truck traffic we see in our lanes and streets.

For more information visit: strathconabia.com/member-programs/recycle-in-strathcona/

The Strathcona Community Garden is located near Hawks and Prior Street and is a volunteer-managed space. The garden sits on the unceded territory of the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh Nations and is a space that is operated by the Strathcona Community Gardeners Society, a non-profit and leader in community-run ecological stewardship. The garden provides the neighbourhood’s residents an opportunity to grow their own plots of food, herbs, and flowers locally. The space provides rare inner-city habitat for wildlife. With over 200 individual plots, a greenhouse, a bee shed for bee-keeping, orchard, and wildlife habitat area, the space is a green oasis in the city.

For more information visit: strathconagardens.ca 

We know that a big part of tackling the climate crisis is changing how we move around the city and our communities. Strathcona is an eclectic mix of industrial spaces, hidden retail gems, and community spaces in the heart of East Vancouver, so it’s no wonder that a focus on accessibility is kind of our thing.

Walking, biking, or taking transit, are all great modes of choice for getting around in our well-connected community. Nine bus routes run through Strathcona, and it is considered a “walker’s paradise” with a walking score of 95. Strathcona also has some incredible bike paths throughout the district that will smoothly lead you to the rest of the city.

Resources and Opportunities

Check out some of these links to learn more about how you can make an impact and contribute to a sustainable community.

For Citizens

• Get inspired around all the ways you can take action this week and beyond at earthday.org. There will be plenty of live-streamed virtual events with a focus on this year’s Earth Day theme: Restore the Earth.
• On a local level, check out the City of Vancouver’s Climate Emergency Action Plan, and learn how to get involved.

For Small Businesses

• Do you strive to create a positive impact in the world through business? Learn about how to measure your impact using impact assessment tools at an upcoming free B Corp 101 workshop by the BDC and Vancouver Economic Commission. Workshops dates are May 13 or June 10.

For Innovators

• Vancouver Economic Commission recently launched Project Greenlight, a program that connects enterprises with big challenges to innovators ready to build and pilot sustainable solutions. Learn more here.

For Industry Associations

• The Climate Change How-to Guide for Industry and Professional Associations is a great in-depth resource by the BC Council for International Cooperation with best practices for addressing climate change at the industry level.