This morning Kerry had a 9am appointment in Richmond. We left Richmond around 9:30 driving south on Highway 99 heading for the tunnel. I got on the highway at Westminster Highway. There's an HOV lane and I decided not to drive in it but stayed in the lane beside. I glanced in my rear view mirror and saw 2 cars flying up in the passing lane on my other side. I even commented so my husband could have at look at how fast the cars were travelling and where's a cop when you need one.
Actually there was an SUV pulled over at the Burnette overpass and both these cars slowed down to the 90km speed limit thinking it might have been a cop but it wasn't so off they went again. Both black cars, a BMW and a Honda. Women driving both of them. May have been racing each other, darting in and out of traffic. They got to the tunnel way ahead of me and I didn't see them again.
Normally I would have got off Highway 99 at Highway 91 and back to Cloverdale but we decided to drive into White Rock to see my father which meant continuing on to the 32nd Avenue exit. As we came around the bend at the Serpentine River there were a lot of cars pulled over on both sides of the highway. I thought it might have been a work crew but I didn't see any road work going on. A bunch of people were looking down in the river. Kerry said a car was in the river and that the guard rail was smashed. As we continued toward the King George Highway exit a fire truck was racing down Highway 99 on the other side. I watched it in my rear view mirror and it crossed the median and got onto our lane of the highway. As I continued south I saw an ambulance coming down the highway and just before I exited at 32nd Avenue I saw another fire truck joining the action.
On the news tonight I heard that a woman was in the car that crashed into the Serpentine River. In her 20's. She was in the river for an hour and a half. That usually indicates someone is dead when it takes that long to rescue. Apparently the rescue crews were able to revive her and she was airlifted by helicopter to hospital. I haven't heard any further updates. The police said speed was a factor in the crash.
When I told Kerry about it he asked if it was a black Honda. So maybe it was the same woman we saw earlier. We only caught a glimpse of her as she flew past before we got to the Deas Island Tunnel. We think she may have had dark hair.
Here's a link to the news story.
Monday, February 28, 2011
Friday, February 25, 2011
Playing at the Clova from February 25 to March 3, 2011
Playing at the Clova starting tonight, Friday Febraury 25 until March 3 2011 is:
7pm - No Strings Attached
9:05pm - 127 Hours
Last show lets out at 10:38pm. Times are approximate. On busy nights the Clova doesn't start playing the movie until the customers have finished purchasing at the concession. Admission is $8, stay for one or both movies. If there are 2 people in your group admission is $15. Add $4 for each extra person in your group.
7pm - No Strings Attached
9:05pm - 127 Hours
Last show lets out at 10:38pm. Times are approximate. On busy nights the Clova doesn't start playing the movie until the customers have finished purchasing at the concession. Admission is $8, stay for one or both movies. If there are 2 people in your group admission is $15. Add $4 for each extra person in your group.
Monday, February 21, 2011
Cloverdale Mall demolition Feb 21 2011
I took some photos of the demolition at the old Cloverdale Mall. Sorry for the quality - only had my iPhone with me. You can click on the photo for a larger view.
The old Safeway is completely gone and if anyone remembers where the BC Liquor Store used to be beside it, that's gone too, and the bakery that used to be next to it by the side entrance from the 57th Avenue side.
If you stand on 57th side you can see daylight right through to the other end of the mall. One of the photos where I was near the temporary fence, the old ramp for the Safeway trucks is still there, just an indentation in the parking lot now.
The old Safeway is completely gone and if anyone remembers where the BC Liquor Store used to be beside it, that's gone too, and the bakery that used to be next to it by the side entrance from the 57th Avenue side.
If you stand on 57th side you can see daylight right through to the other end of the mall. One of the photos where I was near the temporary fence, the old ramp for the Safeway trucks is still there, just an indentation in the parking lot now.
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Teachers at Cloverdale Elementary
Isn't it funny how you can still remember the names of teachers you had in elementary school but you can't remember the name of a person you met last week?
I went to Cloverdale Elementary from Grade 1 to 7. Back in those days kindergarten was not part of the school curriculum, though it came in while I was in Grade 7 and those 5 year olds came in for half a day.
Cloverdale Elementary school still stands at 17857 - 56th Avenue but was renamed Cloverdale Traditional School in 2003 with a different curriculum than when I attended.
Grade one and two my teachers were Mrs Bell and Mrs Stewart, though I'm a little foggy on who was which grade. I think Bell was Grade 1 and Stewart Grade 2.
Grade 3 was Mrs Klassen.
The three lower grades were on the first floor of Cloverdale Elementary and nothing memorable about those 3 teachers stands out for me.
Grade 4 was more interesting when we got to attend class in the annex, a building that has since been torn down. The ground level was a cement play area when it was raining, boys on one side, girls on the other. Washrooms were also down here. Mrs. Bonner was our Grade 4 teacher. She was probably the first hippy I ever met with long hair nearly to her knees. I saw her husband occasionally picking her up after school in their VW Beetle. He also had long hair, not to his knees, but well past his shoulders and a big beard.
Grade 5, 6, and 7 were held on the second floor of the main school. Here things became a little more convoluted as this was when we began switching off teachers for various subjects. The first 4 grades one teacher taught us everything but now we had a teacher for home room who would probably also be our English teacher - or language arts I believe it was called back then.
Mrs. Carter was our Grade 5 teacher and she was probably the only really horrible teacher I had during elementary school. She also doubled as the art teacher for the upper 3 grades. She used to walk around the room looking at the student's art work and yell out "EEEUUWWW" or say something nasty to humiliate the student: "What is THAT?" One time one of my classmates had enough of her humiliation and cursed her out. It was pretty ugly and she ended up in tears and the kid got tossed out of our class. She also taught social studies but that might have only been to our home room class. I don't recall having her for social studies other than that one year.
Grade 6 teacher was Mr. Mountain. He also taught social studies and science and I think math. He was a tough teacher and could be a bit mean with the kids but nowhere near the scale of meanness as Mrs. Carter. When we went on field trips he was actually kind of fun. Oddly enough when I was at University of Victoria I ran into his niece in one of my classes and sadly he was dying from cancer.
Our Grade 7 teacher was Mr Bryan or maybe it was Mr. O'Bryan, I really don't recall which. He played the piano and was also the music teacher for the upper grades. Everyone liked him. He was a fun man. I remember we finished our Grade 7 math curriculum ahead of schedule, several weeks before school ended for the summer. So he taught us how to play bridge for that half hour or however long the class was. I remember the Grade 7 students in other classes were quite envious of our class playing cards while they were sweating away with their studies.
So there's the run down on my teachers. Maybe you remember some of them too.
I went to Cloverdale Elementary from Grade 1 to 7. Back in those days kindergarten was not part of the school curriculum, though it came in while I was in Grade 7 and those 5 year olds came in for half a day.
Cloverdale Elementary school still stands at 17857 - 56th Avenue but was renamed Cloverdale Traditional School in 2003 with a different curriculum than when I attended.
Grade one and two my teachers were Mrs Bell and Mrs Stewart, though I'm a little foggy on who was which grade. I think Bell was Grade 1 and Stewart Grade 2.
Grade 3 was Mrs Klassen.
The three lower grades were on the first floor of Cloverdale Elementary and nothing memorable about those 3 teachers stands out for me.
Grade 4 was more interesting when we got to attend class in the annex, a building that has since been torn down. The ground level was a cement play area when it was raining, boys on one side, girls on the other. Washrooms were also down here. Mrs. Bonner was our Grade 4 teacher. She was probably the first hippy I ever met with long hair nearly to her knees. I saw her husband occasionally picking her up after school in their VW Beetle. He also had long hair, not to his knees, but well past his shoulders and a big beard.
Grade 5, 6, and 7 were held on the second floor of the main school. Here things became a little more convoluted as this was when we began switching off teachers for various subjects. The first 4 grades one teacher taught us everything but now we had a teacher for home room who would probably also be our English teacher - or language arts I believe it was called back then.
Mrs. Carter was our Grade 5 teacher and she was probably the only really horrible teacher I had during elementary school. She also doubled as the art teacher for the upper 3 grades. She used to walk around the room looking at the student's art work and yell out "EEEUUWWW" or say something nasty to humiliate the student: "What is THAT?" One time one of my classmates had enough of her humiliation and cursed her out. It was pretty ugly and she ended up in tears and the kid got tossed out of our class. She also taught social studies but that might have only been to our home room class. I don't recall having her for social studies other than that one year.
Grade 6 teacher was Mr. Mountain. He also taught social studies and science and I think math. He was a tough teacher and could be a bit mean with the kids but nowhere near the scale of meanness as Mrs. Carter. When we went on field trips he was actually kind of fun. Oddly enough when I was at University of Victoria I ran into his niece in one of my classes and sadly he was dying from cancer.
Our Grade 7 teacher was Mr Bryan or maybe it was Mr. O'Bryan, I really don't recall which. He played the piano and was also the music teacher for the upper grades. Everyone liked him. He was a fun man. I remember we finished our Grade 7 math curriculum ahead of schedule, several weeks before school ended for the summer. So he taught us how to play bridge for that half hour or however long the class was. I remember the Grade 7 students in other classes were quite envious of our class playing cards while they were sweating away with their studies.
So there's the run down on my teachers. Maybe you remember some of them too.
Bad Drivers out again.
I don't know. Maybe the nice sunny weather is bringing out the bad drivers to Cloverdale today.
This morning just after 10:00 I'm driving down 176th Street heading south to 16th Avenue. I'm in the slower lane doing 80 km, got the cruise control set just in case the cops have a speed trap set up. They like to hang out at 48th and 40th Avenues and closer to 32nd as well. Oddly enough everyone around me in both lanes is going around the speed limit too. Usually I get passed along this stretch like I'm standing still but maybe everyone's thinking the same thing and the cops might be setting up a speed trap today. Too bad they weren't!
As I approach 48th Avenue I glance in my rear view mirror and see a pick up truck driving across the bridge that goes over the train tracks, just gum booting it, flying along. I keep glancing in my rear view mirror and he's weaving in and out of the traffic. Eventually he ends up right behind me riding my ass. If I'd tapped my brakes he'd have hit me. There's a break in the passing lane and he gets in there, speeds up and rides the ass of the car that's in that lane who I estimate is going slightly over 80km, maybe 85km.
But now that he's beside me I can see the company name on the truck. Flynn. This is a roofing company. Website also on truck www.flynn.ca
The driver is riding the car's ass and is very agressively swerving back and forth in that lane though he never crosses the line. Eventually he manages to weave back into the slow lane to pass him except the car in front of me is going the speed limit so Flynn can't get around the car he's trying to pass in the other lane. Except the car in front of him puts his brakes on and Flynn nearly slams into him and swerves back into the other lane, nearly clipping the car he wants to pass. That would have been a 3 car collision!
By now I am keeping well back because I am sure agressive Flynn is about to cause an accident. Eventually he gets enough room to weave in and out of traffic again and is flying up 176th. The light at 32nd Avenue turns red. Flynn doesn't care whose lives he puts in danger and runs the red light and flies up the hill. I can still see him as I crest the hill turning left on 24th.
I'm guessing he was heading home. I've seen their company on 192nd Street, a couple of blocks down from 24th Avenue.
I just find it incredible that companies allow bad drivers to drive their company vehicles that are well marked with the company name. It is such bad advertising. Obviously Flynn does not have any company procedures in place instructing employees to operate their vehicles in a safe manner.
In a couple of years we'll probably need to replace the roof on our house. I know what company I won't be calling to do the job!
This morning just after 10:00 I'm driving down 176th Street heading south to 16th Avenue. I'm in the slower lane doing 80 km, got the cruise control set just in case the cops have a speed trap set up. They like to hang out at 48th and 40th Avenues and closer to 32nd as well. Oddly enough everyone around me in both lanes is going around the speed limit too. Usually I get passed along this stretch like I'm standing still but maybe everyone's thinking the same thing and the cops might be setting up a speed trap today. Too bad they weren't!
As I approach 48th Avenue I glance in my rear view mirror and see a pick up truck driving across the bridge that goes over the train tracks, just gum booting it, flying along. I keep glancing in my rear view mirror and he's weaving in and out of the traffic. Eventually he ends up right behind me riding my ass. If I'd tapped my brakes he'd have hit me. There's a break in the passing lane and he gets in there, speeds up and rides the ass of the car that's in that lane who I estimate is going slightly over 80km, maybe 85km.
But now that he's beside me I can see the company name on the truck. Flynn. This is a roofing company. Website also on truck www.flynn.ca
The driver is riding the car's ass and is very agressively swerving back and forth in that lane though he never crosses the line. Eventually he manages to weave back into the slow lane to pass him except the car in front of me is going the speed limit so Flynn can't get around the car he's trying to pass in the other lane. Except the car in front of him puts his brakes on and Flynn nearly slams into him and swerves back into the other lane, nearly clipping the car he wants to pass. That would have been a 3 car collision!
By now I am keeping well back because I am sure agressive Flynn is about to cause an accident. Eventually he gets enough room to weave in and out of traffic again and is flying up 176th. The light at 32nd Avenue turns red. Flynn doesn't care whose lives he puts in danger and runs the red light and flies up the hill. I can still see him as I crest the hill turning left on 24th.
I'm guessing he was heading home. I've seen their company on 192nd Street, a couple of blocks down from 24th Avenue.
I just find it incredible that companies allow bad drivers to drive their company vehicles that are well marked with the company name. It is such bad advertising. Obviously Flynn does not have any company procedures in place instructing employees to operate their vehicles in a safe manner.
In a couple of years we'll probably need to replace the roof on our house. I know what company I won't be calling to do the job!
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Playing at the Clova from February 18 to February 24 2011
Playing at the Clova this week starting on Friday February 18 to the 24th is:
7pm - The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Trader
9:10pm - The Green Hornet
Last show lets out at 11:10pm. Admission is $8 or $15 for 2 people. Add $4 for each extra person in your group. Tuesday nights are $5 per person. Stay for one or both movies for this price. Bring your own reusable popcorn and drink containers and fill them up at the concession for $2.50.
7pm - The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Trader
9:10pm - The Green Hornet
Last show lets out at 11:10pm. Admission is $8 or $15 for 2 people. Add $4 for each extra person in your group. Tuesday nights are $5 per person. Stay for one or both movies for this price. Bring your own reusable popcorn and drink containers and fill them up at the concession for $2.50.
Friday, February 11, 2011
Pancake Breakfast at Cloverdale Legion Saturday February 12 2011
Forgot to post this earlier but the Cloverdale Legion on 57th Avenue is having its pancake breakfast tomorrow morning, Saturday February 12 from 8am until 11:30am. Cost is $4.50 and that gives you pancakes, eggs, sausages, coffee, tea, and orange drink type of juice.
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Demolition at Cloverdale Mall February 10 2010
There's been a track hoe or maybe it has another name - heavy equipment machine - chewing away at the Cloverdale Mall on the Cloverdale Bypass between 58th and 57th Avenues.
The old Safeway building is half gone and there is a growing pile of lumber and debris in the parking lot.
The building is open to the elements and I believe rain is in the forecast.
There is a fence around the mall and part of the parking lot and a security company is there in the evening keeping an eye on things.
The old Safeway building is half gone and there is a growing pile of lumber and debris in the parking lot.
The building is open to the elements and I believe rain is in the forecast.
There is a fence around the mall and part of the parking lot and a security company is there in the evening keeping an eye on things.
Playing at the Clova from February 11 to February 17 2011
Playing this week at the Clova from Friday February 11 until the 17th is:
7pm - True Grit
9:05pm - Blue Valentine
Last show lets out at 11pm. Admission is $8, stay for one or both movies. If there are 2 in your group admission is $15. Add $4 for each extra person in your group.
7pm - True Grit
9:05pm - Blue Valentine
Last show lets out at 11pm. Admission is $8, stay for one or both movies. If there are 2 in your group admission is $15. Add $4 for each extra person in your group.
Saturday, February 5, 2011
The old Chinese Food restaurant in Cloverdale
There used to be a Chinese restaurant in Cloverdale on 176th Street next to the Clova Theatre. I hate to say I can't even remember the name of it. Clover Garden Restaurant? Clover Leaf Restaurant? When I was a kid it served both Chinese and Western food. My parents liked to eat there at least once a month. I was glad for the Western cuisine and always ordered a burger and fries. As a kid I never liked Chinese food all that much. As I got older I found I could go into a Chinese restaurant and enjoy a dish or two and find something to eat, but its not my first choice when we're going out to eat.
As the years went by it changed hands. The last time I actually recall getting something to eat there was in the mid-90's, take out at a friend's place after enjoying looking at Christmas lights around Surrey. When smoking bylaws came into place the proprietors blatantly disobeyed and still kept ashtrays on the tables and allowed patrons to smoke in there. I saw this quite clearly when I walked my dogs past in the early part of the 2000 decade. Eventually the bylaw officer must have fined them because the ashtrays were removed and I didn't see anyone smoking in there. I'm not sure if it changed hands because I hardly saw anyone dining there. I don't think they even offered Western food choices anymore either. Mostly I just saw the proprietors and their family sitting at a table and kids jumping all over the booths whenever I walked past. Eventually it closed down and sat empty for awhile.
A couple of years ago I was walking the dogs through Cloverdale and I stopped at the restaurant when I noticed activity inside, particularly the door open and a lady outside cleaning something. I stopped to chat with her and learned that her and a partner were opening up a tea shop here. From what I gathered the premises were quite filthy and they had a big cleaning job ahead of them. This was in May and unfortunately they were not going to be open in time to catch the crowds of people enjoying the parade and rodeo.
As I walked away I wondered what the chances of survival were for a tea shop in Cloverdale. However I'd thought the same thing when a tea shop opened up in White Rock near my parent's house called Clancy's Tea Cosy. That was in the mid 90's and its still operating. So people in White Rock must like going out for tea! But Cloverdale is another story.
I'm not a tea drinker myself. Neither coffee. Or any other hot drink. Its not like I'm at Tim Horton's or Starbuck's a lot but I go in occasionally mostly for a donut, muffin, or pastry and will have a cold drink.
The new restaurant opened named the China Tea Cup Company. They've done a nice job of fixing it up inside with cute tables and chairs. They offer pastries and a light lunch menu in addition to all kinds of tea choices. I'm embarrassed to say that I have not gone in there but I'm not big on drinking tea. Their hours are a little limited too. They're open Tuesday to Saturday from 10am to 4pm so they're mostly targeting retired customers who don't work during those hours. Its their shop they can choose the hours. That's all part of the fun of owning your own business. Choosing when you'll work. Sadly I never see many customers inside when they're open and I'm walking past with the dogs. I don't know if that's because of the hours or whether Cloverdale residents just aren't tea aficionados.
They have a sign on their window saying the business is for sale and to enquire inside. Obviously they have decided to move on for whatever reason and I wish them the best.
Sorry I'm not a tea drinker.....
As the years went by it changed hands. The last time I actually recall getting something to eat there was in the mid-90's, take out at a friend's place after enjoying looking at Christmas lights around Surrey. When smoking bylaws came into place the proprietors blatantly disobeyed and still kept ashtrays on the tables and allowed patrons to smoke in there. I saw this quite clearly when I walked my dogs past in the early part of the 2000 decade. Eventually the bylaw officer must have fined them because the ashtrays were removed and I didn't see anyone smoking in there. I'm not sure if it changed hands because I hardly saw anyone dining there. I don't think they even offered Western food choices anymore either. Mostly I just saw the proprietors and their family sitting at a table and kids jumping all over the booths whenever I walked past. Eventually it closed down and sat empty for awhile.
A couple of years ago I was walking the dogs through Cloverdale and I stopped at the restaurant when I noticed activity inside, particularly the door open and a lady outside cleaning something. I stopped to chat with her and learned that her and a partner were opening up a tea shop here. From what I gathered the premises were quite filthy and they had a big cleaning job ahead of them. This was in May and unfortunately they were not going to be open in time to catch the crowds of people enjoying the parade and rodeo.
As I walked away I wondered what the chances of survival were for a tea shop in Cloverdale. However I'd thought the same thing when a tea shop opened up in White Rock near my parent's house called Clancy's Tea Cosy. That was in the mid 90's and its still operating. So people in White Rock must like going out for tea! But Cloverdale is another story.
I'm not a tea drinker myself. Neither coffee. Or any other hot drink. Its not like I'm at Tim Horton's or Starbuck's a lot but I go in occasionally mostly for a donut, muffin, or pastry and will have a cold drink.
The new restaurant opened named the China Tea Cup Company. They've done a nice job of fixing it up inside with cute tables and chairs. They offer pastries and a light lunch menu in addition to all kinds of tea choices. I'm embarrassed to say that I have not gone in there but I'm not big on drinking tea. Their hours are a little limited too. They're open Tuesday to Saturday from 10am to 4pm so they're mostly targeting retired customers who don't work during those hours. Its their shop they can choose the hours. That's all part of the fun of owning your own business. Choosing when you'll work. Sadly I never see many customers inside when they're open and I'm walking past with the dogs. I don't know if that's because of the hours or whether Cloverdale residents just aren't tea aficionados.
They have a sign on their window saying the business is for sale and to enquire inside. Obviously they have decided to move on for whatever reason and I wish them the best.
Sorry I'm not a tea drinker.....
Friday, February 4, 2011
Playing at the Clova from February 4 to February 10 2011
Playing this week at the Clova February 4 to 10 is:
7pm - The Fighter
9:10pm - The Dilemma
Last show lets out at 11pm. Admission is $8 or for 2 people its $15. Add another $4 for each additional person in your group.
7pm - The Fighter
9:10pm - The Dilemma
Last show lets out at 11pm. Admission is $8 or for 2 people its $15. Add another $4 for each additional person in your group.
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