Summer colours in Steveston

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Summer colours are here! When it comes to dressing for the season, nature can put any fashion house to shame. 

The roses in the Steveston Museum garden are in full bloom and the flower baskets in front of Steveston Seafood House were overflowing with blossoms and leaves.

Enjoy what nature has to offer you, wherever you are!

Merry 2017 Christmas to all

Steveston Museum/Post Office

There is something to be said for shifting one's perspective once in a while - to see something familiar in a different light.

A simple practice of elevating your point of view could change your mood and awaken a new sense of wonder.

Take our familiar landmarks in the heart of Steveston. You must have walked past the post office/museum buildings without so much as a glance - knowing in your mind's eye its exact shade of cheerful yellow. Further down the block, it's easy to circle around the expansive Gulf of Georgia complex without noticing the jolly maritime jingle spilling out of its front doors. And who hasn't walked along Moncton lost in thoughts and blind to the cheerful neighbourhood shops that have added their individual stamps on the Steveston experience.

So this year, I decided to draw these familiar scenes from a whole different perspective - from above. The way Santa and his trusty reindeer would see them this time of year.

The Gulf of Georgia Cannery

Neighbourhood shops

I hope these seasonal illustrations capture the spirit of joy and peace that descend on our village as gently as the first winter snowfall. They are available as art cards at the Gulf of Georgia Cannery.

An early Steveston Christmas greeting!

Some of you will be going through this front door in the coming weeks.

You will be hugging Christmas cards and parcels as you figure out whether you have enough days till December 25th.

I was walking past this beloved landmark when I decided to deck it out in seasonal decorations and see what happens.

First I came up with a postcard:



Then I added a dolly and a couple of parcels and made up a Christmas art card:



If you like them and want to send them out to spread some Christmas cheer, they are available for sale.

I will be participating in the South Arm Community Association Christmas Craft Fair on November 19th and the Steveston Community Centre Christmas Craft Fair on November 26th.

If you can't make it on both days, no worries - just email me through this website and we can make it happen.

Hope to see you at the fair!

If not, let's plan to bump into each other in the post office.

Steveston Museum shares park with new neighbour

The Steveston Museum lies in the heart of our village and in the heart of all villagers.

Not only is the structure stunning, but the park surrounding it offers a modest but welcome patch of green to those seeking a temporary refuge.

When my children were young, we loved threading our way through this park. In the spring, there was a chance of getting caught in a burst of cherry blossom shower. Once it rained caterpillars instead. The wriggling and writhing critters blew off the trees and landed on the hapless pedestrians below. Again, shrieks of laughter, but this time mixed with terror! When the summer temperatures climbed past "tolerable," we would grab a few cones from Sara's Ice Cream and cool our heels on a park bench.The white picket fence gave us a sense of privacy and safety and my children loved observing passersby from their secret hiding places.

Early in December 2009, my heart sank when I read the blue signs posted on the park property. After considering various sites and gathering community input, the City of Richmond General Purposes Committee recommended to the Richmond City Council, on February 3, 2009, to relocate the "Doctor's & Hospital Offices" heritage building from 4091 Chatham to the Steveston Town Square - i.e. the property where the museum and park are located.


Posted sign beside the museum


The preparation was already in progress. One section of the park has been stripped bare and orange cones marked areas off limits to the public.

On January 20, 2010, I caught sight of the "Doctor's & Hospital Offices" heritage building resting on its new site. Perched on the tall foundation, it appeared large, dwarfing the museum beside it and chewing up a sizable chunk of green space.


Back of the building, facing the park


Front of the building, facing First Avenue

I returned a few days later to view the transplanted heritage building with fresh eyes. It still looked disproportionately large for such a small lot, but at least from certain angles, I could see it blending in with its surroundings.


Not bad. What do you think?

According to the report to Richmond City Council, the relocated building will be set in place carefully, to make it aesthetically pleasing to the community. Having the building in the heart of the village will also maximize its public use and accessibility. And, most important to me, most of the existing trees on the property will be left unharmed and the park will remain open to the public.

I will be posting newer photos on this blog to keep you updated on the site transformation. Till then, let me leave you with a photo of the Steveston Museum before all these changes happened. I did not realize that Moncton Street has been Google mapped and thank goodness for that! Here is a screenshot of the street view directly in front of the building.


Street view of Steveston Museum

Better yet:
(1)Go to www.google.com
(2)Click on "Maps"
(3)Type "Steveston Museum Richmond" in the text box
(4)Click "Search Maps"
(5)In the "Steveston Museum" pop-up box, click "Street view"
(6)Walk up and down Moncton Street