The H.R. MacMillan Space Centre is open daily. On Saturday evenings there are viewing of differenct Planetarium production, micro-lecture plus you can always visit to the observatory.

History of the Space Centre

The H.R. MacMillan Planetarium opened for business on October 28, 1968, it was a gift from lumber tycoon H.R. MacMillan to the residents of Vancouver. Space exploration during the 1960s was starting and intrigued H.R. MacMillan who wanted to provide a centre for the people of his day and future generations to learn about space.

At opening the H.R MacMillan centre just had the Planetarium Theatre and they added the exhibit gallery and new theatre in 1997. The Space Centre transformed over the year into the resource for the community as it is known today to provide learning about space for everyone.

The unique look of the H.R MacMillan Space Centre was designed by architect Gerald Hamilton, and it is today one of most original and recognized buildings in Vancouver. The roof of the building may look like a space craft, but is was really made to look at the hats that the native people of that region wore (Haida people). When it opened in 1968, the H.R MacMillan Space Centre has shared the building with the Museum of Vancouver.

Name Changes Over The Years
1968 H.R. MacMillan Planetarium
1997 Pacific Space Centre
2000 H.R. MacMillan Space Centre

Address: 1100 Chestnut Street
Vancouver, BC
V6J 3J9

History
Vancouver’s Chinatown is North America’s second largest and was founded in 1885. In the late 1800′s the Chinese population supplied a large portion of the labour resources for the western region of Canada and attributed to the growth of the city of Vancouver and British Columbia as a province. Once social, economic and political restrictions that slowed the development of the Chinese community were removed Chinatown began to grow in stature and became the 2nd largest Chinatown in North America next to San Francisco.

From the 1980′s to 1990′s immigrants arrived from different parts of Asia and surrounding cities such as of Richmond and other locations began to entice people from Hong Kong, Taiwan and Mainland China generating competing economic and cultural areas of influence. The Chinatown of Vancouver city lost some of its luster as a cultural centre for the Chinese community.

Currently
Vancouver’s Chinatown district is located just east of the downtown area, and contains many of the city’s historic sites and heritage resources. The Chinatown district contains the third largest population of Asian immigrants in the Vancouver city area an it host all kinds of themed events, structures and stores in this district of the downtown core.


The past few years saw a new revitalization of the historical Chinatown. The City of Vancouver and provincial and federal departments along with the local Chinese business and cultural communities had joined forces to contribute to the revitalization.

Today, as it has been for a long while Vancouver city’s Chinatown remains a popular tourist area with many sights, sounds and events in one of Vancouver’s busiest neighbourhoods.

Sights within the Chinatown district include the Millennium Gate , Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Chinese gardens and the close by public park to the many open air shops where you can bargain for goods. This is the best way to become familiar with Vancouver’s rich Asian heritage.

Other events and sights inlude the annual Chinese New Year parade where the celebrations light up the streets of the downtown area, and the narrowest commercial building in the world according to the Guinness book of Records.

Chinatown never dissappoints as it is a treat for the senses, and would be a great stop in your tour of Vancouver city.

History

Robson Street was named after John Robson who was the Premier of British Columbia starting from 1889 to 1892. Back in 1895 there used to be train tracks along Robson street because it was a trading and commercial area and eventually all types of small shops were set up by merchants to service Vancouver’s fast growing population.

After World War II Robson Street was known as “Robsonstrasse” which represented the European shopkeepers influence. The store owners ran small delicatessens, patisseries, and chic clothing boutiques that lined Robson street.  Over the next 100 years Robson Street’s popularity and character continued to evolve.

Robson Street is now Vancouver’s most famous shopping street right n the middle of downtown Vancouver. It’s a three block stretch between Burrard and Jervis street you will a great mixture of shops and restaurants which has become even more pronounced and more appealing in the last 20 years and today locals and tourist alike can find along Robson and its side streets, restaurants for fine dining, premier fashion brand stores and services. Also Robson Street is a great place to sit outside have a coffee and ‘people watch’ as the locals and tourist goes shopping and hangout on the street.

During the evenings Robson street and surrounding areas liven’s up with colorful buskers and performers. Both locals and tourist enjoy drinks and fine foods at some of the city’s most celebrated restaurants. Robson street is renowned both on a worldwide level and locally as it remains a favorite shopping destination for locals and well as foreign visitors. Robson Street is must see if you ever visit Vancouver’s downtown area.

Getting there

• By bus Direct Service by #5 Robson/Downtown
• By Skytrain Robson Street is located 2 blocks south of Burrard Street Skytrain Station

History
The first hikers recorded in history to reach the peak in October 1894 named Grouse Mountain. In the late 1800′s, climbing Grouse Mountain was no easy task, and took nearly three or four days to complete, back then there wasn’t a bridge to cross Burrard Inlet and no paved street to the base of the Grouse Mountain. The rugged crew of hikers dredged deep  snow, climbed over rocks and of course fought their way past the dense forest. Grouse Mountain was named after Blue Grouse which was a breed of birds that were plentiful in the mountains, and this was what the band of hikers hunted while trekking to the summit.

After this first climb up Grouse Mountain and word spread the mountain started attracting hundreds of avid and adventurous hikers. Don and Phyllis Munday was one of the those adventure seeker and he built the first log cabin on the mountain. The Munday Alpine Snowpark to this day bears their name in honor of their contributions to mountaineering.

Activities

Skyride – Above the tall Douglas fir trees you can take in the beautiful view of the city of Vancouver, Pacific Ocean, Gulf Islands, and white snow peaks of the mountainside. The Skyride is on of North America’s largest aerial tramway system. You can take pictures on the way up or once up top at the The Observatory you have a wonderful dinner.

Hours of Operation
The Skyride operates 365 days a year, departing every 15 minutes from 9am-10pm.

Wind Turbine Tours – This is the world’s first and only wind turbine that allows you to stand in a clear glass view POD at the top of the tower, 3 metres from its gigantic  rotating blades. Get a 360-degree views of Grouse Mountain’s surrounding environment.

Hours & Price
Daily 10am-7pm, departing the Fire Pit area in the Alpine Plaza every hour.

Family (2 Adults, 2 Youth) – $59.95
Adult/Senior/Youth – $19.95
Child (12 & under) – Free*

Refuge for Endangered Wildlife – This is a wilderness sanctuary on Grouse Mountain where endangered animals can explore and play, it is a refuge where they can be safe and secure. There is also a research, education and conservation centre on the mountain and it’s all included in your General Admission ticket.

Lumberjack Show – The Grouse Mountain’s Lumberjack Show puts together a great crew of lumberjack performers displaying their skills.  The set for the performance is a set features two logging camps from the early 1900s, where Johnny Nelson from the Green River logging camp prepares to battle Willie McGee from Blue Mountain to determine the top lumberjack. This is a 45-minute fast paced show that  features log rolling, a 60-foot tree climb, two-man peg and raker saws, axe throwing, and springboard chop.

Showtimes (May long weekend-September)
45-minute shows at 12:00, 2:30, 4:30

Birds in Motion – Grouse Mountain, in cooperation with the Canadian Raptor Conservancy, invites you to witness some of nature’s finest birds to demonstrate their flying abilities.

Birds in Motion Demonstrations Hours
Daily at 1:30pm, 3:30pm and 5:30pm (late May to mid September).

Helijet (helicopter) Tours – Get high up in the sky and enjoy the awe inspiring views from above the peaks of Vancouver’s North Shore Mountains in a helicopter ride of your lifetime. Helijet offers breathtaking tours that begin at The Peak of Vancouver.

Available Helicopter Tours
Crown Mountain Tour
An 8-minute aerial tour that will take you over the crater of an extinct volcano and the peaks of Goat and Crown Mountains.

The Lions Peak Tour
A 15-minute flight that extends the Crown Mountain Tour, you will be flown over the Capilano Valley before climbing through the peaks of the Lions.

Coastal Scenic Tour
An exciting 20-minute journey over Vancouver’s Coastal Mountains and it’s breathtaking city coastline. The tour includes Grouse Mountain, the Lions Peak Mountains, Cypress Bowl, English Bay, Stanley Park and downtown Vancouver.

Grand Glacier Tour
An awe-inspiring 25-minute flight over Vancouver’s closest glacial icefield; Meslilloet Mountain. The scenery includes Goat, Crown and Cathedral Mountains, Pallisade Lake and Indian Arm before circling Meslilloet Mountain’s Glacier.

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The Ultimate Flying Experience – Tandem Paragliding offers flights launching from the Grouse Mountain Peak and landing in Cleveland Park for an elevation drop of 3,300 feet.

Hours & Price
Flights available daily, 10am-6pm (late June-September) with flights departing on the hour.

Pre-Booked Flights
$229 (inc. General Admission)
$199 (Members)

Mountain Ziplines – Our dual-line, five-line circuit gives you an adrenaline-pumping tour across the peaks and canyons of Grouse and Dam Mountains. The tour lasts about two hours and can be booked as an individual or as a group.

What the tour includes
The zipline experience will give you a unique perspective of Grouse Mountain, combining heart-pounding thrills with an exploration of BC’s old-growth forests. Along the way our fun and friendly guides will look after your safety, and share stories with you that will leave a lasting impression. And then you’ll strap yourself in and…zoom. Make sure to enjoy every second of this jaw-dropping scenery. Because it goes by fast. Crazy, awesome fast.

Hours & Price
Tours available everyday, from 10am-7pm with tours departing every 30min.
$105 (inc. General Admission)
$75 (Members)

The Grouse Grind – The Grouse Grind® is a 2.9-kilometre trail up the face of Grouse Mountain, commonly referred to as “Mother Nature’s Stairmaster.”

This trail is very challenging. Keep in mind that there is a wide range of mountaintop trails that might better suit the average hiker.

Trail Facts
Length: 2.9 kilometres (1.8 miles)
Elevation Gain: 853 metres (2,800 feet)
Base: 274 metres above sea level (900 feet)
Summit: 1,127 metres (3,700 feet)
Total Stairs: 2,830
Statistics: Annually, over 100,000 people hike the trail.
Average Time: On average it takes up to an hour and a half to complete the hike. For novice hikers, two hours is recommended.
Participants: Hikers range in age from 7 to 90, with an equal male/female split.

…and more like dining, Theatre in the Sky, scenic activities and shopping.

Vancouver’s history is rich despite the fact that it is a young city by historic standards. The Aboriginal peoples of the Vancouver region has been there for around 3,000 years. The native settlements around Vancouver shows that the aboriginals were a food-gathering people with a intricate social system.

Captain George Vancouver sailed into Burrand Inlet and landed there in 1792 and it was the catalyst of a big change in the lives of the First Nations near the Northwest Passage.

Next came the fur traders, gold prospectors than the settlers came. In 1808 the North West Company trader Simon Fraser and his ship crew were the first Europeans descended the Fraser river to set anchor in what we know as Vancouver today. In 1862 at McLeery’s Farm on the Fraser River the European started settling here. Following that a sawmill was built at Moodyville which is now North Vancouver and the lumbering industry was started.

Gassy Jack Deighton in 1867 set up a shanty tavern and the settlement of Gastown rapidly built up around the tavern. Three years after the government surveyed the settlement and decided to build a town site and called it Granville. Vancouver was incorporated as a city In 1886, and shortly after the city was destroyed by fire a few months later. The very resilient community vowed to rebuild and within a year the small city was built. Four year later, Vancouver’s future was solidified when the train transportation from the east and traffic of ships of the Canadian Pacific fleet, arrived. This contributed to the future growth of the Vancouver.

Due to the construction of the railroad system (built on Chinese railway workers back) the population grew quickly from 5,000 in 1887 to 100,000 in 1900. The first ten years of the twentieth century, Vancouver’s population increased 300% and which attributed to a construction boom. Stanley Park ring road was the first road to receive pavement which was made out of the crushed shells of the large midden at the old native village of Lumberman’s Arch; Stanley Park ring road was paved for use by bicycles. Only after World War I were automobile roads built to link up Vancouver to other cities.