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SkyTrain
and SeaBus: A Shopping Mall 20 Miles
long
by
Jerry W. Bird
 Remember
the grand old department stores of yesteryear -
where a pert, petite, uniformed elevator operator
sang out the stops as you rose at a stomach-
churning rate? So, it was only Woodwards Department
Store, but in your 12 year old mind it felt like
you were zooming to the top floor of the Empire
State Building. "Third floor - lingerie - perfumes
- toiletries ..." Now for contrast, imagine a
shopping area with 19 stops, offering a world of
choice; snacking or fine dining, sightseeing or
business, big league sporting events, education or
worship, photo opportunities or people-watching,
movies, live theater and shopping for everything,
from a cardigan to a Corvette. All for around four
dollars for the whole day. Join us on a tour of
Greater Vancouver aboard the dynamic duo; a ten
minute SeaBus ride across Burrard Inlet; SkyTrain
from Waterfront Station to New Westminster and over
the Fraser River Sky Bridge to Surrey, a sururban
city that stretches all the way to White Rock and
Blaine on the U.S. border. And there's much more
underway (click
for map).
Regarding
design and
function,
a news article stated, "SkyTrain has many merits in
its design. Fast, frequent and dependable, it
solves the problem of long, uncertain waits at the
bus stops. SkyTrain's most glamorous feature is its
elevated track, offering a perspective of the city
that makes daily problems seem smaller. Although
some creatures prefer tunneling, most future
transit systems will be elevated."
If I were a
tourist or business visitor to British Columbia,
this Sea- to- Sky tour of Greater Vancouver is one
attraction I'd rank high on my agenda. Some friends
on a week-long visit from the east coast put it
this way,"Just pocket change buys a DAY PASS that
allows you complete freedom to come and go ... to
see and enjoy so much of Vancouver and
area.
Lonsdale
Quay, North Vancouver
Here's
where our Sea-to-Sky excursion
begins.
Vancouver's
North Shore waterfront presents a carnival
atmosphere as a fleet of stubby black and orange
tugboats bob up and down like bumper cars, while
squadrons of sassy sea gulls dip and dive. Nearby
Burrard Dry-dock adds an industrial touch. Folks
bask on the boardwalk deck and harbor side tables;
others perch near the fountain. A troop of street
musicians performs a continuous show. It's a fun
scene.  Creativity
blossoms in tempting food displays, arts and
crafts, costumes, sights, smells and colors.
Lonsdale Quay Public Market provides a spectacular
view of Vancouver's skyline, as the tricolor SeaBus
approaches. Recently removed from the area is one
of its attractions, the old North Vancouver Ferry
#5 , that was given a new life as a "The Seven
Seas, " seafood restaurant. Lonsdale Quay is midway
between Vancouver's two harbor bridges; Lions Gate
to the west; Second Narrows to the east. Every 10
minutes, a SeaBus takes you across the inlet to
Waterfront Station, where our elevated "Pocket
Tour" of Greater Vancouver begins.
It whisks you through the heart of the city's
commercial, shopping and financial districts, it's
major league sports stadia... it's remaining
industrial heart... then at roof top level through
a mix of light industry, older residential
districts, parks, shopping malls... all the way to
King George Station in Surrey. We recommend this
trip to visitors who are short on time and want to
see as much of the Greater Vancouver area as
possible. The total traveling time both ways is
hardly more than an hour, but you could easily
stretch it to a day, because each stop presents an
opportunity to get off and check out the area, then
re-board at any time. Click for Sky Train
Map
of New Routes.
Update
www.skytrain.com/whatsnew.htm
(13
more stops to come)
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