On a cloudy, cool morning, 7 Cruisers and friends met at Cameron at 6:30 to walk 21.1k to complete the Virtual Scotia Half. The seven walkers, Kevin, June, Susan, Edie, Flora, Nathan and Ashley enjoyed the scenic route and some stopped to see the birds and entice them to land on their hands. Lots of conversation made the time of 4 hours 3 minutes go fast for the participants.
At 7:15, Alex also started at Cameron to run the distance via the same route and finished in 3 hours and 9 minutes, meeting the walkers on the north side of the trail and at Hume Park/Braid and Joe’s Trail.
Ivan completed 7.5k of the run going to the north side of Burnaby Lake before returning to Cameron. Larry, was a good sport to send off his fellow Cruisers at 6:15 a.m. also walked to Stoney Creek with Laura, Eoin and Cruiser pup, Lucky later in the morning.
Rain held off until 15 minutes before the walkers returned to Cameron, where Rod, Angela, Cruiser pup Lulu and Shannon waited for them. Until the rain began in earnest, we had some snacks, coffee and draw prizes. Fun to do a Cruiser event again – no commute and great company.
On Wednesday, some Cruisers and friends celebrated Canada Day by participating in a Canada Day/Scotiabank Virtual Half. Susan, Kevin, Edie, her nephew Nathan and his girlfriend Ashley, friend June, and Flora started out from Cameron Centre at 6:30 a.m. and walked a half marathon route (21.1 km) going down the trail to Government St., along to the Burnaby Lake trails, walking the south end of the lake around to the north end, then crossing Cariboo Road and on to Joe’s trail, then into Hume Park, up Larry’s hill to Braid, then back through Joe’s trail and back to Cameron Centre, taking only 4 hours to do the route! Good job walkers!
Alex started his half marathon run at 7:15 a.m. doing a similar route, but going around Burnaby Lake north end to south end instead, finishing his run in under 3 hours! Ivan showed up at approximately 8 a.m. and did a 7.5 km run route down to Burnaby Lake and back in under 1 hour. At around 9 a.m., Eoin and Laura and growing pup Lucky arrived and walked with Larry along the Stoney Creek trail to the entrance to the trail that leads to the elementary school, then returned to the Centre, where the half marathoners returned not much later.
Nathan’s mother Shannon arrived with her dog Cali and Edie’s dog April, then Ivan returned with his new pup Lulu. The dogs got acquainted while the folks enjoyed some treats and draw prizes courtesy of Edie. And the rain held off until the last hour of the walk, so although the weather wasn’t the best, it wasn’t too bad.
A great time had by all. Thanks to Edie for the arrangements and treats!
July 4 2020
On a no rain Saturday morning , Alex, Larry, Eoin and Laura with their dog Lucky, Rene, Rod, Bobtoc, Susan, and Flora met at the Centre and opted to walk to Joe’s trail although that destination was changed enroute, to Piper Spit. There seemed to be an increase in ducks and Canada geese, due to baby ducks in the water and on the boardwalk since our previous visit to the Spit. Rene did not go to the Spit, having opted to take a different route due to his running to the Centre from his home. Eoin and Laura with Lucky also did a shorter walk and did not get to the Spit. The others returned to the Centre; distance and time respectively, 7.5 k and 1hr 53 minutes. The group enjoyed a no rain morning.
July 6 2020
On Monday evening, six Cruiser walkers and one Cruiser dog, Lucky, met at the Centre for a walk to Eastlake. Lucky’s people turned back at Production Way, and the remainder walked to Underhill before turning back. Distance and time for the majority, 4.5 km and1.06. The group enjoyed a no rain evening.
July 08, 2020
On Wednesday evening seven Cruisers walked from Cameron Centre to the Stoney Creek Trail to North Road, south to Rathwell Street then returned to Stoney Creek Trail and continued back to Cameron Centre. The group enjoyed a no rain, comfortable temperature evening. Distance and time, 4 k and 54 minutes.
July 11, 2020
Saturday morning saw 10 Cruisers accompanied by the indefatigable Jax and non-stop energy pup Lucky walk from the Burnaby Lake parking lot along Sperling to the gravel trail that flows along the Skytrain route, to Douglas Road, then cross to Still Creek Road and follow that road until Costco, then turn back to return the same way. Lucky and his people turned back about halfway along the route taken by the others. Alex and Bobtoc walked a bit further, to the car dealership, before returning. Distance for the group, about 8 km, time 1h45. We beat the rain! Such dreary weather summer so far.
July 13, 2020
On Monday Alex, Edie, Flora, Rod, Susan and Bob walked the Stoney Creek trail, continued to Chapman Avenue, returned to the Stoney Creek trail to get back to the Centre. Time and distance, 1.07, and 4.5 km. The group enjoyed summer weather: not too hot, and shade on the trail.
Other news: Enjoyed very much a phone call Tuesday evening from Jennel, our long-time member in Coquitlam.
July 15, 2020
Jennel ran 25km Tuesday. From her house, ran down to Town Center and looped it twice…then ran down Westwood to Running Room…did some shopping then on towards Coquitlam Mall. Forgot to get a free hat, so ran back, then back toward the mall. Stopped in their to do more shopping and then ran toward the Coquitlam Crunch and walked steadily up that….getting to Panorama and Running home! 25 km in total! Phew! Felt like I was running in Africa..it was a HOT one….this took me a LONG time….but no responsibilities today…so off I ran….
On Wednesday night, the virtual 20 Minute Running Room Challenge (no one at the store) consisted of Edie with April, Edie’s friend June, and Alex and Angela walking for 25 minutes just past Fox Park and return. The coffee shop was closed so they went to Edie’s for refreshments on the porch. Flora went to the Running Room at 6:30 but it was closed. Meanwhile at Cameron Centre, Larry, Susan and Rod met and walked along the Stoney Creek trail to North Road and returned the same way, distance 4 km and time 50 minutes. The park and playground just west of the Centre was quite crowded with families enjoying the summertime weather.
July 18, 2020
On Saturday morning, Alex, Edie, Eoin and Laura together with their dog Lucky, Len with his dog Jax, Larry, Rod, Susan and Bobtoc met at the Burnaby Mountain Golf Course at 7600 Halifax Street at 8:00 a.m. to walk a route devised by Larry in North Burnaby to go to the present Burnaby North Secondary School, where the replacement school whose construction has begun on sports fields previously used by the present BNHS. Eoin and Laura did not complete the full walk with the others.
The route was comprised of some trails we have not used for some time if at all. They were all asphalt paved and many had shade trees which were helpful since the morning was quite a bit warmer than what we have experienced recently. For those who may not know the history of Burnaby North High School, they may be interested, or may not, that the first BNHS has been for many years the elementary school at Rosser Ave. and Triumph St. called Rosser Avenue School, a frame structure built in 1922.
Bobtoc was in the first grade 5 class and first grade 6 class of the successor Rosser Avenue School. It still stands, and is still an elementary school. The second BNHS was constructed at Willingdon and Albert Street in the 1940’s. It in turn was succeeded by the present BNHS in the 1960’s , whose fields are at Kensington Avenue and Curtis Street.
The new BNHS will be constructed on the fields of the present BNHS, and the fields of the new school will be north of the new school. Not that anyone cares perhaps about some history of old pharts, but Bobtoc and his wife Marie were members of the graduating class of 1953 of that second BNHS, and their sons Jeff and Larry were grads of the third and present BNHS at Kensington and Curtis. Bob and Marie were married in late 1959. I make no secret of how much I love her. Ah, happy lives, memories…
July 20, 2020
On Monday evening, Saturday morning, Alex, Edie, Kevin, Rod and Bobtoc, due to the hot temperature, opted to walk the Stoney Creek trail and return to the Centre. Time and distance, 57 minutes and 16 seconds, 4 km.
July 22, 2020
On Wednesday evening of no precip and warm temperature, Alex, Edie, Kevin, Larry, Rod and Bobtoc once again walked from Cameron Centre to the Stoney Creek trail and returned to the Centre. Time and distance, 58.27, 4 km.
July 25, 2020
Bob’s Tour – Sharing a little Local | Personal History with the Crew
On Saturday morning , Alex, Edie, Eoin & Laura together with their dog Lucky, Larry, Len & Miriam, Susan and Bobtoc met at the Eileen Dailly Swimming Pool at Confederation Park for the purpose of continuing the inspection of other school buildings that were Burnaby North High School buildings, plus an elementary school on Gilmore Avenue which continues to this day as an elementary school, which never was a high school.
The first school they visited, Rosser Avenue Elementary, at Pandora Street and Rosser Avenue, was originally the first Burnaby North High School (BNHS), and built in 1922. A wood frame building, it had classrooms on the main floor plus an above ground basement which included additional classrooms plus room for recess activities for use in inclement weather. When the “new”, second, BNHS was built on Willingdon Avenue, the first BNHS was reborn as Rosser Avenue Elementary.
Bobtoc speaks from his experience, having been in the first grade 5 and 6 classes in Rosser Avenue Elementary in the late 1940’s, when the second BNHS on Willingdon Ave and Albert Street came into being near the end of the Second World War. (As Bobtoc mentioned to the Cruisers who attended last Saturday’s morning walk, that second BNHS was situated on the grass site on Willingdon and Albert Street south of the swimming pool.)
The Rosser Avenue building structure is unchanged and is still in use today for grades 1 to 6. Bobtoc recalls in its transformation that there were science tables in some of the rooms in the basement, still equipped with Bunsen burners, leftovers from the days when the school was a high school.
From there, the Cruiser group walked over to Gilmore Avenue to look at the elementary school formerly known as Gilmore Avenue School, built circa 1915. It is a red brick building, added to by the creation of a new gymnasium as well as an addition on the south end of the building. Gilmore Avenue School was and still is a showcase structure, well regarded by folks who reside in this Vancouver Heights area of Burnaby.
As Bobtoc recalls: “When I came out to the coast from the praiiries by train with my Mom and younger brother Ken, I became a pupil of Gilmore Avenue School. His wife Marie was also a pupil there, although we two had no knowledge of each other. There are some chuckles, however, of legends of the school. A Grade 4 teacher, Miss Scott, into whose class I was assigned when coming out to Burnaby from Saskatoon, could not remember the names of girl pupils. She had to point to them and call them Girly. Anyway, [that is] now ancient Vancouver Heights folklore.”
From that place, the group spent time walking through the Vancouver Heights residential area west of Gilmore Avenue as far as Boundary Road, using many of the streets of homes running east to west. The area contains homes from the 20’s to new replacements; all well maintained,tree-lined boulevards, churches, the most notable being the St Helen’s structures, which occupy half a city block in the Oxford, Cambridge streets area and include the newer St Helen’s Catholic Church, St Helen’s school, which Cruiser Len attended, and additional offices housed in the first St Helen’s church building, which appears to be still in good repair. A number of Protestant churches are also in this Vancouver Heights area.
Bobtoc’s family, his wife Marie’s family, and fellow Cruiser Len’s family all lived at times in Vancouver Heights, although all south of Hastings Street.
Bobtoc states: “Speaking for myself and my wife, we met in the Burnaby North High School on Willingdon Avenue and at the Vancouver Heights United Church. We are privileged to have been able to live in Vancouver Heights.“
My thanks to Eoin for the photos he and Laura took during our walk and provided to all the participants; they add a lot to the experience we had and my attempts to report the walk. – Bobtoc
(Time and distance: ~ 1.5 hours, 5 k.)
Subject: Bike ride report – June 25, 2020
Hi Bob,
13.6 Km ride from New Life church along Winston, pedestrian overpass, along Burnaby lake parking lot, Kensington Ave, Canada Way to Burnaby City Hall to the Burnaby Farmer’s Market. Time out 10:30 – 1 pm, including eating sweet cherry tomatoes, raspberries, cherries and carrots at the market. – Cheers, Flora
July 27, 2020
On Monday evening Alex, Edie, Rod, Larry and Bobtoc walked from the Centre only to the Stoney Creek trail due to the high temperature experienced on the day. The five walked to the North Road end of the trail and returned to the Centre. Distance, 4k, time, 56.41.
July 29, 2020
On Wednesday night, Rod, Larry, Alex and Kevin walked the Stoney Creek trail to North Road and back, distance 4 km and time 58 minutes. It was warm but very enjoyable in the shade of the trail most of the way, and the children’s park just west of the Centre was again busy with families out enjoying the weather. Take care everyone. – Larry the younger
