The Roundhouse is celebrating its Fifth Anniversary.
September 9th- Arts in the Community is for real - Sign up for a course now

---

For the uninitiated The Roundhouse is the Yaletown Arts Community Centre in Vancouver, beside the new high rise urban society on False Creek. That it is here at all is remarkable; after all in Vancouver, anything old is pretty much an anathema to a city in the process of shedding it’s 20th Century skin and the Roundhouse is the oldest building of them all.

Built as the turnabout building for the city’s trains over a century ago, it was once the lynchpin for the then intensely industrial False Creek. Yaletown itself survives as a reminder of the once plentiful warehouses around here, now reinvented as loft homes, fancy restaurants and cool bars. *The new Opus Hotel will be opening in September, just a few yards up the road on Davie, built in 19th century style and makes a good companion piece to the redbrick and broadbeam Roundhouse building. Every city should keep something of its past, for there really isn’t much left of old Vancouver downtown. The Roundhouse (restored and modernised to be sure) is a visual treasure.

There are good reasons for the changes in this city however. The old False Creek was not something to especially savour and the stink from the polluted False Creek was so bad in the 1950's there were plans to drain it. Now it has become a huge natural resource and real estate dream. Vancouver has been in the forefront of de-industrialisation and the new sophisticated urban living environment built up around the Roundhouse by Concord Pacific and other developers around Yaletown is quite remarkable. Since the 1986 Expo, which many date as the time modern Vancouver really got started in world consciousness, construction has been relentless, with only world recessions slowing things from time to time. The Concord Pacific developers have kept their word on building public spaces and parks as well as waterfront walkways and this too has contributed to the high living quality of the area. This corner of False Creek really has become a great area to live in, with a wide choice of facilities. Even though one might think it would attract single, wealthy clubbers as the residents; the waterfront, parks, playschools and general security has meant that a lot of young families have gravitated to living here too. They are attracted by the idea that you can actually have a higher quality of life if you don’t have to commute to the suburbs everyday and the ‘things that you do’ are right on their doorstep. Just like New York or Boston.

The Roundhouse serves these people, families and urban dwellers with eclectic tastes and broad minds. It stands because of the commitment of the volunteers, and the spirit of community. This is a place where you can just go to the gym, or study yoga, karate, opera, dance, pottery, cooking, sports of all kinds, upholstery, Ikebana (Japanese Flower Arranging), basic ballet, acting, wine appreciation, just about anything you want. They even kept the old locomotive Engine 374, which stands proud in its own wing.
In a world where everything is squeezed for maximum profit – it’s great to find this creative oasis in the bosom of the city. Sure there are other community centres in cities around the world, even in Vancouver, but few that can celebrate such a unique architectural heritage, good organisation and atmosphere. It’s a place that celebrates diversity, the people in the community and their values and ideas.
You can find the Roundhouse at www.roundhouse.ca and sign up for my own course.

‘Screenwriting for Beginners’ Course No:4116.401- September 26th – Nov 28th
10 weeks 30 hours on Thursday Nights.
If you live around Vancouver, sign up. See you there! Bring your imagination.
Call 604 713 1800 or email info@roundhouse.ca

---

THIS SEPTEMBER MONTH ON HACKS
Skinner in Ephesus and ancient whorehouses. Hernandez is the world’s expert on Skullcaps ‘Not a lot of people know that’, Haslett is Single and Proud of It, Campion turns 40, Marzban wants to kill spammers. Tabytha Towe is on a party bender. Dabrowski is in China, Hy Lyfe in in Thailand, Anton Velev contemplates an AOL future Dunstall is in Madame Tussauds and Wendy Frezzen is worried about the Montreal Expos. David McKnight worries about Iraq and James Campion remembers 9/11 as does Rev A. Hernandez.
David McKnight questions Bush's judgement on Iraq.
Rev. Heranadez investigates the life of Vidocq - the inventor of fingerprinting. Alex Grant reviews the movies ‘One Hour Photo’,‘Sunshine State’ 'City By the Sea' as well as various mysteries. There’s more to come.
Oh yes, it’s that time of year when we take students on Hacks. So if you want an intensive introduction to freelance feature writing and live in Vancouver. Sign up.
Have a great September.

Oh yes and just across from The Roundhouse on Granville Island there's this:
SuperNova Nina and 'Road'
SweetSista'Shorts Carousel Theatre- Granville Island - September 5-15th 2002 only

Look out for the Fringe Festival on Granville Island 700 Productions in 11 days
Want to review some productions? Well email us.

© Sam North - Editor September 2002 Hackwriters

Previous Editorials:
LADY LUCK
The Kids stay in the picture August

PEOPLE IN GLASS HOUSES
Hacks visits the new Museum of Glass in Tacoma- August

Hot Sweats in a Cold Read at the Anza Club- August

LIFE ON FAST FORWARD - Vancouver on speed -September

email: editor@hackwriters.com

---

SOME VANCOUVER SUMMER EVENTS

Find out who won the 48 Hour Fest
Info: WWW. REELFASTFILMS.COM

The 24 Hour Film Contest - New One Starts September
www.24HOURFILMCONTEST.COM
Contact Kryshan Randel Producer

Vancouver Film Festival is coming

email: editor@hackwriters.com

< Back to Index
< Reply to this Article

© Carine Thomas - A Brighter Image Company

Submissions

FICTION . TRAVEL . LIFESTYLES . REVIEWS . FIRST CHAPTERS

We judge HACKWRITERS.COM to be
an award winning author site!