Home Blog Page 11

Road closures on Broadway causes uncertainty for local businesses

By
Peak Web
-
0
Wide shot of construction along Broadway and Cambie
PHOTO: Victoria Lo / The Peak

By: Niveja Assalaarachchi, News Writer

On May 6, the BC government announced the latest detour developments along Broadway in Vancouver. A road closure and a subsequent road detour is set to occur in July on West Broadway between Cambie street and Alberta street. These changes will last for about six months after the FIFA World Cup. Vehicle traffic will be rerouted to West 8th street between Alberta and Ash Street. Due to this road closure, businesses in the affected area will have reduced traffic, with sidewalk accessibility and limited parking. 

This road closure is a result of the Broadway Subject project: a $2.9 billion provincial project that will extend the Millennium Line from its current terminus at VCC-Clark station to Arbutus Street and Broadway. The project has faced numerous setbacks with an original project completion date of 2025 being pushed to the fall of 2027, as a result of construction issues. 

The provincial government shared in a statement that the closure is necessary in speeding up road reconstruction along the corridor, claiming that the detour “will reduce disruption from 14 months to six months.”

The Peak reached out to Rania Hatz, who is currently serving as the executive director of the Cambie Village Business Association, to understand what businesses in the area feel about the new road closure. 

She shared that while businesses expected the road closure to come to their area, they were shocked at the timeframe of the detour. Hatz claimed, “There wasn’t any consultation, and nor was there any notice. We were given notice 20 minutes before the press conference about this. So there are people who renewed leases, not knowing that traffic would be diverted.”

Hatz critiqued the lack of consideration shown to businesses by various levels of government.

“These are people, this is their livelihood, this is their business. They get up every morning expecting to go to work and make some money for their families. We’re not talking the billionaires, we’re talking the ma’s and pa’s”

— Rania Hatz, executive director of the Cambie Village Business Association

She proposed that the municipality could offer a tax break to properties affected by the road closure. She noted that this could allow property owners to lower their tenants’ rents as a form of relief to businesses in the area. “We’re not talking about compensation since they’re not wanting to do compensation [ . . . ] but at least they could stop charging them money.”

In a statement to The Peak, the City of Vancouver said that it “is supporting the province to help make this pending closure efficient to reduce the overall duration of road reconstruction of the Broadway Subway Project.” The city also highlighted two tax reliefs, targeted land assessment averaging and the development potential relief program pilot, on offer for “eligible light industrial and business properties.”

The BC Ministry of Transportation and Transit shared with The Peak that the building of each of these underground stations “requires a tailored approach to complete this phase of work, while minimizing impacts on the surrounding community and travelling public.” They added, however, that “this will be the final full closure of Broadway for the project.”

The Millennium Line extension will add five additional underground SkyTrain stations connecting to the new Arbutus terminus station: Great Northern Way-Emily Carr, Mount Pleasant, Broadway-City Hall, Oak-VGH, and South Granville. At Broadway-City Hall station, a new station will directly connect the Millennium and Canada Line for the first time. 

Motion to support Vancouver’s sex workers faces dramatic reduction

By
Peak Web
-
0
Portrait shot of Councillor Pete Fry next to wide photo of City Hall
PHOTO: Courtesy of @ptfry / Instagram, Viktor Kirichenko / Unsplash (City Hall)

By: Lucaiah Smith-Miodownik, News Writer

Content warning: mentions of disappearance, murder, and serial killer Robert Pickton.

At the Standing Committee on City Finance and Services on May 20, Vancouver Green Party councillor Pete Fry introduced a motion aiming to uphold “the City’s responsibility to maintain adequate, community-connected capacity to support sex worker safety.” Fry included a call to reinstate a second sex work social planner, after the role was slashed to only one active position earlier this year. The motion passed with amendments, which eliminated this commitment. The Peak corresponded with Fry, WISH Drop-In Centre Society, and the City of Vancouver for more information. 

Those in the support position “function as liaisons and planners working directly with people and organizations with lived and professional experience,” Fry explained. They “specifically are not representing or reporting to law enforcement — with a focus on understanding and identifying risks and trends, and creating safe environments in work places and urban realm.”

These positions came as direct recommendation from a Commission of Inquiry, led by former attorney-general Wally Oppal. Their 2012 document Forsaken: The Report of the Missing Women Commission of Inquiry was designed “to inquire into the failures of policing forces between 1997 and 2002 who were investigating the disappearance and murder of dozens of women in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside, and particularly the police investigation of serial murderer Robert William Pickton.” Pickton “was charged with murdering 26 of the women” — although he claimed to be responsible for the death of 23 more — and was found guilty on six counts of murder, according to The Canadian Encyclopedia. He died in 2024 serving life in prison.

This document highlighted many negligent police behaviours surrounding the murder investigation while it was ongoing, as well as systemic issues that led to the vulnerability of women working in the sex trade, including being unhoused and substance use issues. Oppal made a total of 65 recommendations to the government to take “action to directly address women’s vulnerability to violence and serial predation.” One of these recommendations was “that the City of Vancouver create and fund two community-based liaison positions to be filled by individuals who have experience in the survival sex trade.”

Fry’s proposal also acknowledged the immediacy of reinstating the second position, given the city’s upcoming summer events. “There are reasonable and credible concerns about increased risk of violence and harm to sex workers around FIFA events, driven by heightened policing, displacement, venue-area controlled zones, and the erosion or loss of safety supports and peer infrastructure,” the motion reads. Similarly, “during the Olympics in Vancouver sex workers faced heightened police harassment without arrest.”

The original motion also noted that “sex worker safety advocates, SWAN Vancouver, report calls relating to violence and safety concerns increased by 64% between 2024 and 2025, with further increases projected for 2026.” They note that “increasing housing scarcity, economic pressure, escalated violence, service defunding, and the loss of peer-led organizations have compounded new risks for sex workers.” Recently, the sex worker support organization PACE “permanently closed its 24/7 Vancouver drop-in centre after 30 years of operations due to a lack of funding,” according to CBC. Vancouver currently has no 24/7 sex worker support centre. According to Halena Seiferling, executive director of Living in Community, this leaves many with nowhere to go, as “most organizations aren’t open and operating when sex workers need to access them,” as reported by CBC.

Still, the second sex work social planner role was originally cut as part of the city’s effort “to shave costs in response to a direction from mayor Ken Sim’s ABC Council majority to freeze property taxes this year,” according to CBC. The amended motion, which was proposed by ABC councillor Lisa Dominato, included “no commitment to rehiring the worker.” Dominato asserted “that instead of having two sex-worker support staffers there should be a focus on safety across multiple city departments,” according to the Vancouver Sun.

The Peak reached out to councillor Dominato for comment, but did not hear back by the publication deadline.

The City of Vancouver noted that “for the past several years, the city’s work related to sex worker safety has been delivered within a broader planning focus on community and gender safety, including women’s equity, 2STGD+ [Two-Spirit, Trans, and Gender Diverse] safety and inclusion, and MMIWG [Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls] responses.” The City said to The Peak, “As part of this work, some functions are changing or being realigned while ensuring service priorities continue to advance. Community and gender safety, including efforts to support sex workers and related organizations, continues to be a priority in the city.”     

For Fry, however, “the role of the sex-support worker is a highly demanding and difficult job that helps protect this community in ways that other departments, such as the police, can’t,” he shared with The Vancouver Sun.

WISH Drop-In Centre Society, whose mission is to “improve the health, safety, and well-being of women who are involved in Vancouver’s street-based sex trade,” echoed concerns regarding the City’s decision. “Council heard almost an hour of testimony from 20 people with lived experience who spoke about ways the sex worker safety planners provide an essential resource for both individuals and sex worker serving organizations. They received hundreds of emails as well,” the organization told The Peak. “It’s really hard to reconcile the amount of public support shown for these knowledgeable workers with the decision to cut their two-person department.

“There is so much misunderstanding about sex workers’ rights, and discrimination related to sex work stigma, that specialized knowledge is required to have an impact on sex worker safety”

— WISH Drop-In Centre Society

WGOG: If the sun is down, my pen should be too

By
Peak Web
-
0
A student resting his head on a table sleeping, black reading glasses sitting beside him
Abdul Basit Melik / Unsplash

By: Sania Shenasa, SFU Student

There’s a specific feeling that you experience once you hit the 3 hour mark into a final and the world outside has gone pitch black. By 9:15 p.m., your brain isn’t even “testing” anymore, it’s just static — static and grasping at words to write out onto the paper. 

The 7:00 p.m.–10:00 p.m. exam slot should be a crime. SFU is already notorious for those early morning 100-level math classes that defy the circadian rhythm, but this late-night slot? This is its evil twin. In April, there were 51 exams starting at 7:00 p.m. Are they testing our knowledge or testing our physical and mental endurance? 

Cognitive performance relies on a mix of basic alertness, sustained attention, and executive functions like problem-solving and catching your own mistakes before turning the exam in. All of that drops massively in the late evenings. 

“Night owls” have a delayed cycle that tolerates late hours, but the rest of us hit a wall in memory and attention as the evening wears on. It feels like we are being penalized for our brains naturally shutting down as the sun dips below the horizon. At this point, we’re being graded on our ability to ignore our body’s natural urge to relax or eat dinner. 

These late night exams sabotage our sleep schedules and grades! If the sun is down, so should my pen. SFU, please: have the courtesy of letting us fail our exams while it’s still light outside so we can at least enjoy the scenery on the bus ride home. 

 

Political Corner: BC MLA Tara Armstrong shouldn’t be in her position

By
Peak Web
-
0
Portrait photo of MLA Tara Armstrong
PHOTO: Courtesy of Tara Armstrong / Facebook

By: Jonah Lazar, Staff Writer

Content warning: mentions of anti-Indigenous, transphobic, and anti-semitic language.

Tara Armstrong, a member of the legislative assembly (MLA) representing the Kelowna-Lake Country-Coldstream district in the BC legislature, caused an uproar by implying that the New Democratic Party’s (NDP) approach to Indigenous rights in BC is reminiscent of Nazi ideology. Following condemnation from Premier David Eby, fellow MLAs, and the speaker of the legislature, she withdrew her statement. However, a motion to have her apologize failed, and no other disciplinary measures have occurred. This is not the type of person who should have the power to influence our laws. Constituents in her district organized a recall petition, but have not been successful in calling a by-election. This is because currently, you need 40% of a district’s voters to sign the petition; that’s 18,000 people. Even though only 27,000 people actually voted in the last election. The signature threshold should be based on how many people voted, to make it easier to hold their elected representatives accountable — something we’re clearly struggling with. 

While debating the K’ómoks Treaty Act, which would function as a land-back agreement for the K’ómoks First Nation, Armstrong baselessly claimed that the NDP is attempting to create an Indigenous ethnostate that is similar in nature to the Nazi slogan of “blood and soil.” This Nazi phrase was a rallying cry in the justification of a mass genocide of disabled, queer, Jewish, Roma, and other marginalized people living in Germany and various of their WW2 occupied territories, such as Poland. This comparison by MLA Armstrong is referring to the adoption of the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act, which is an act that aims to reconcile with the Indigenous Peoples whose traditional land BC was founded upon. This act is a legal codification of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, which largely focuses on the right to self-determination, to practice cultural traditions, and to use traditionally inhabited lands for Indigenous Peoples. This statement is doubly offensive; it is insensitive to the victims of the Holocaust, as it minimizes the experiences of those who suffered this tragedy and equates respect for Indigenous Peoples to Nazism, which is extremely bigoted.  

Her use of these inflammatory statements in a deliberate, patterned way to play on the irrational fears and prejudices of people living in BC. This is far from the first time that Armstrong has been at the centre of controversy. She also labeled the tragic Tumbler Ridge shooting a result of “transgender ideology,” and put forth a bill to repeal BC’s Human Rights Act, which was voted down. Since being elected, she has left the conservative party, helped found the OneBC party with staunch residential school denialist, Dallas Brodie, and then later abandoned it. 

Constituents in her district should be able to remove her from this elected position. However, the current demand of 40% of eligible voters in the riding to sign a petition for the removal of an MLA is hindering constituents’ ability to practice such an act. The only successful petition occurred in 1998 and the MLA, Paul Reitsma, resigned prior to it taking effect. Unless you have the resources and are well organized, 40% of the voter base is only attainable on paper.

While it’s beneficial for our legislature to have adequate protections for MLAs to avoid a constant revolving door of representatives, for barely one MLA to have ever been successfully recalled in BC history shows that the system needs rewriting.

A threshold to trigger a by-election that was proportional to the actual voter turnout rather than net constituents, of which many do not turn out to vote, would better reflect the voice of the district. Because 18,000 signatures is a very lofty threshold, one that the legislature will know is unlikely to be met, Armstrong will continue to poison the legislature until the next provincial election. It is unacceptable to give her space to harm to Indigenous, trans, and other marginalized people from her seat.

Club Profile: the Filipino Student Association

By
Peak Web
-
0
A group photo of the Filipino Student Association members in the SUB Ballroom
PHOTO: Courtesy of Unique Mariano

By: Marie Jen Galilo, Staff Writer

SFU’s Filipino Student Association (FSA) was founded in 2021 by Filipino international students who recognized the need for a community on campus, a space for Filipinos — who make up around 3% of the student body. Off the heels of an eventful spring semester, I spoke with Unique Mariano, the club’s president. 

Mariano joined the FSA when she started her academic journey at SFU, where she studies psychology. “I wanted to find my community,” she said. She started out as a graphic director, back when the club was still “a baby.” She became communications director, then vice-president of communications, before becoming president this summer. 

Her journey included moving to Canada when she was 14, leaving behind many of her family members back home in the Philippines. It wasn’t until university that she decided to start putting herself out there, she tells The Peak. When she joined the FSA, she found a family, and the other members “share that same sentiment.” The FSA was “founded through love” and “the humour is Filipino humour.” 

The club consists of members from different age groups and those who were born and raised here, those who are mixed Filipino, and immigrants from the Philippines. This diverse composition creates learning opportunities which strengthen every member’s connections to the culture. Those who grew up in Canada teach the others about “the other side of the Filipino Canadian community,” while fluent Tagalog speakers teach those who don’t know the language. Mariano gushed over how heartwarming it was to watch members become more comfortable speaking the language, and grow into their Filipino roots.

Throughout the year, the FSA hosts a variety of events, including icebreakers, Christmas parties, and karaoke nights to share Filipino culture with the rest of the campus community. They collaborate with Filipino associations in Langara, Douglas, and UBC and other SFU groups, including the karaoke club SFU Peak Frequency. During these events, the FSA serves Filipino food from Filipino businesses — two of their favourites are Plato Filipino and Pangpanga’s Cuisine. “Filipinos bring their friends who are not Filipino,” she reminisced. “That’s so Pinoy, and it’s so cool that they’re enjoying it.” Pinoy is a slang term for anyone of Filipino descent.

Mariano’s favourite FSA event so far has been Pistang Sari-Sari, which was hosted in the SUB ballroom a couple of years ago. “Pistang” translates into fiesta or festival, while “sari-sari” means variety — local Filipino artisans, business owners, and performers were invited. The event holds a special place in her heart because it was the first event she helped organize. She said the process of planning it felt like a lofty dream. “‘You want to invite more than eight Filipino business owners and bring them to SFU during summer?’ Summer’s very hard for clubs because no one’s at SFU. No one’s going there just to go to a club event,” said Mariano. The event ended up being a massive success with a reward of nearly 100 attendees. 

The FSA will be resting over the summer semester, but they’re planning a variety of events for fall that students can look forward to, including online events on Discord, fundraising events, study sessions, and Tagalog workshops. You can keep an eye out for those on their Instagram, @sfu.fsa or TikTok with the same name.

When asked about her favourite Filipino holidays and traditions, Mariano highlighted “pasko,” or Christmas. In the Philippines, the Christmas celebration is four months long, starting in September because September is the first month ending with “ber.” 

As a second-generation Filipino Canadian, Mariano’s story resonated with me. One of the core values of our culture is the importance of family — loved ones give us the strength to keep going even when confronted with challenges in life. Pasko is also one of my favourite Filipino traditions — I’ve always looked forward to waking up to my family playing Christmas music on September 1. 

There’s always a reason to celebrate in Filipino culture, which Mariano also loves — Filipinos always find a reason to bring family and friends together for even the smallest moments of joy in life. “There’s no dull moment,” Mariano said. “What are we doing inside the house, let’s go karaoke, right? Those are the stuff I really treasure as a Filipino.” 

Mariano’s favourite part about being Filipino is how hospitable Filipinos are, even if it’s your first time meeting. “You just start chatting right away,” she said. She also loves how joyful Filipinos are and how contagious that joy is. “Whenever I hangout with my friends or with the Filipino club, we always laugh,” said Mariano. This is something I couldn’t agree with more — whenever I’m with my Filipino friends and family, everyone ends up smiling, and the harmonies of joyous laughter make the world a brighter place. 

For those who are trying Filipino food for the first time, especially ones that aren’t so mainstream, Mariano recommends dinakdakan, a dish originating from Ilocos. It consists of grilled pork, onions, and chili peppers coated in a tangy calamansi (a native citrus fruit) dressing. “My parents are Ilocano,” she said. “I think that’s one of the best Filipino foods.” She also recommended bicol express, a rich dish consisting of pork simmered in coconut milk, balanced by the spice from chili peppers. For dessert, Mariano enjoys yema, which is a sweet, milky candy made from egg yolks and condensed milk. In regards to shape, “it needs to be triangle,” she specifies. Finally, an honourable mention was the Filipino homestyle peanut butter. “It needs to be the orange lid and it needs to be sold in ‘palengke,’ or Filipino marketplaces,” she said. “It doesn’t have a brand, you don’t know who’s cooking it — it’s just so good.” 

A way that Mariano bridges the geographical distance is by learning about current events happening in the Philippines. “One of my ways to still be connected to my culture is to look and listen, and read articles about the Phillipines, read news,” she said. That includes “Filipino pop culture.”

For students interested in joining, Mariano assured, “Don’t be afraid to reach out to the club. We’re super friendly [ . . . ] If you saw our events in the SFSS SUB ballroom, come in and enjoy.” She continued, “Don’t be afraid, don’t think that you’re not Filipino enough. You are.

“Being Filipino is not just about if you have the blood of a Filipino or if you grew up in the Philippines,” she said.

“If you have a Filipino heart, you’re Filipino.”

— Unique Mariano, president of the Filipino Student Association 

Pinoy Festival 2026 fosters community

By
Peak Web
-
0
An illustration of the Pinoy festival, with tents, stalls, and flags of the Philippines
ILLUSTRATION: Sonya Janeshewski / The Peak

By: Sia Garg, SFU student

June is Filipino Heritage Month across Canada, and in BC, this year’s community celebration is the 4th annual Pinoy Festival, taking place at Swangard Stadium in Burnaby, on June 20 and 21. The festival’s organizers are connecting their celebration of Filipino culture to the spirit of unity seen on the world stage during this year’s FIFA World Cup summer. The Peak got in touch with Paul Clemente, the chairman behind this year’s festival, to learn more.

At the heart of the festival, we have a focus on the Filipino concept of bayanihan, the tradition of communities coming together to support one another.

As Clemente has put it, that spirit will be reflected throughout the events, being entirely “volunteer-run,” and built through the efforts of local community groups. Many have come together to help each other out and to create something beautiful that showcases the Filipino culture, heritage, and pride. Every feature, ranging “from the art exhibit to the family fun park” has included community groups who spent months preparing booths, performances, and cultural showcases that will fill the festival grounds throughout the weekend.

Kicking off the weekend, the festivities will begin on Saturday with the Solidarity Parade, one of the festival’s signature events. Led by a marching band, the parade features “contingents from Filipino organizations representing different regions, provinces, interests, and associations.” Participants are invited to arrive in traditional attire, carrying communal banners, and performing chants that past participants have described as creating a lively and colorful atmosphere. Other immigrant communities will also march alongside the Filipino community, highlighting the festival’s broader message of solidarity across an array of ethnic and cultural diversity.

The remainder of Saturday includes an opening ceremony, cultural performances, and a Philippine cultural fashion showcase. Later in the evening, the festival will be shifting gears with a DJ show collaborating alongside Tables Tutors DJ Studio, involving 11 DJs, “alongside some breakdancing, and a special performance by Vino [Cuenca], a national Canadian beatboxing champion.”

The following Sunday will be filled with live music, with bands performing throughout the day. Hungry attendees will be glad to hear that across both days, there will be a large selection of many featuring food trucks and stalls serving everything from sizzling street food to classic home-cooked Filipino classics, such as chicharon bulaklak and ginanggang, as well as a Beer Garden, a pop-up marketplace featuring local handmade goods, and interactive community booths, all of which are worth lingering around a little longer.

However, we also got a sneak peek at one feature Clemente is hoping to receive a lot of attention this year: the Arnis showcase! Arnis is the national martial art of the Philippines, and will be demonstrated live by local clubs who will be coming down to offer visitors a chance to experience an important part of Filipino cultural heritage firsthand.

Don’t miss out on this exciting opportunity to celebrate Filipino culture without having to travel a long distance. Gates open at 9:00 a.m. and the celebration runs until 10:00 p.m. for both evenings. Admission is free, which gives visitors many opportunities to celebrate Filipino culture together with family or friends!

Stay up to date with the festival by following their Instagram page @pinoyfestivalca.

Book talk explores the nuances between tradition and modernity in Iran

By
Peak Web
-
0
Cover of Modern Iran and the Avant-Gardes: 1948–78
IMAGE: Courtesy of Hirmer Publishers

By: Nejdana Houshyar, Peak Associate

On Friday, May 29, guest curator Pantea Haghighi, along with Iranian architect and artist Hossein Amanat, and scholar Jeff Derksen, came together at the Vancouver Art Gallery to discuss their contributions and the historical backgrounds behind the newly released book, Modern Iran and the Avant-Gardes: 1948–78. The talk focused around Amanat’s design of the Shahyad Tower, or the Azadi Tower, which is widely known as the “Gateway Into Iran,” while Derksen dove into his research on the “dynamic dialogue between tradition and modernism.”

The rise of modernism — the 20th century movement in arts that draws focus on experimentation, subjectivity, and abstract expression — was the main topic of concern when discussing Amanat’s designs. He explains how it was his time at the University of Tehran, where he got to hone in on his studies of architecture and art. He shared, “You have to be an artist first,” when working with architecture, as it is the foundation for impactful and important buildings. It was when he was a college student that he was introduced to modern art and environments, while simultaneously taking inspiration from traditional Iranian villages. That was the moment where the interactions between tradition and modernism became some of the biggest influences of his life. 

Amanat’s blend of tradition and modernity is the staple for the Shahyad tower. For his love of the former, he discussed how he wanted the material used, which was white marble stone, to be “proper for the period.” He acquired the material from a stone worker who knew virtually nothing of the quarries where the stone was found. Then, every stone had to be hand-carved, which was done by men who mostly had no education. He raised this point to reiterate that the creation of the Shahyad tower was done by the ordinary people of Iran, suggesting that, “it talks of a talent that existed in all layers of Iranian society those days.” Additionally, the stunning ribs that run along the sides of the interior and exterior of the tower create arches reminiscent of Islamic architecture.

Derksen was then asked about his take on how the relationship between tradition and modernity changes the role of Iranian culture. He observed that there was a “continual dialogue that was being set up, continual contestations within artistic, architectural, and poetic communities” and “the students who were forced to study outside of Iran.” It was the case that the relationship between tradition and modernity was altered by culture rather than culture altering between them. 

As someone who comes from an Iranian background, it was illuminating to be able to attend this event and learn more about the culture of my homeland.

The move from tradition to modernity through arts and architecture is fascinating, as it shows that art has the ability to change lives and cultures.

Of course, I also found out that this switch was not always perfect, as Amanat explained with the introduction of cars and modern machinery, it became difficult to keep the same traditional beauty of a city, when he was briefly discussing the transformation of Tehran. These new inventions become tools in everyday life, and as Amanat stated, “it helps most of the time, and sometimes it destroys other things.” I found Amanat’s take to be not only true but also identifiable to so many places. That is what makes art revolutionary: when it discusses real-world issues and can speak to anyone at any time in history. 

I encourage anyone who is interested in the rich art and culture of Iran to purchase the book Modern Iran and the Avant-Gardes: 1948–78. It not only provides an in-depth knowledge on Iran’s great poetry, art, and architecture, but also gives insight into how they are created and how modernity can change tradition. Additionally, starting from December 11, 2026, an exhibition for Modern Iran and the Avant-Gardes will be on display at the Vancouver Art Gallery. This will be the first exhibition in Canada to explore how Iran embraced modernism. 

 

New Artopia lodge Cosmo creatively repurposes industrial space for artistic use

By
Peak Web
-
0
A photo of the Artopia City Centre Lounge
PHOTO: Maya Barillas Mohan / The Peak

By: Maya Barillas Mohan, Staff Writer

Notoriously expensive with an undeniable creative pulse, Vancouver is still able to create affordable working spaces for full-time artists, thanks to David Duprey. In an interview with Duprey, the founder of artist-forward Narrow Group, The Peak learned more about the upcoming artist lodge Cosmo and his philosophy behind affordable spaces for Vancouver’s diverse artists. Mount Pleasant’s newly-opened Cosmo building occupies a former industrial building on West 4th. Duprey doesn’t “change walls or staircases,” he just reads the flow of a particular space. 

“Arts and culture is just fundamental,” Duprey started. “We all have it around us every day. It’s design, it’s stuff we look at online, it’s the soundtrack of our lives.” He is motivated “to create a vibrant and exciting art scene,” from his artistic background as a photographer, which was later combined with his interest in business. He has opened up “affordable places for people to work and thrive” over the past 20 years. Units range from 90 to 968 square ft with prices ranging from $275 a month to over $2,000. These “Artopia” working spaces are possible because Narrow Group makes “deals with landlords for empty buildings they couldn’t find a use for.” These savings are passed onto the artist so “people can afford to be there and afford to create.” Duprey expressed that there is a “broad reach of what is considered art, but as long as it’s something creative that you’re doing, then you’re in.”

Artopia offers a creative use for empty buildings, but bylaws, zoning, and permits can be “incredibly difficult.” Some buildings from 50 years ago are not “up to today’s building codes,” so finding flexibility in the City of Vancouver’s bylaws is a recurrent challenge. “A staircase 2 cm too small, we should really be letting things like that go,” Duprey reflected. In the spirit of giving artists the “capacity to build their own infrastructure” within Artopia buildings, Duprey uniquely offers freedom that other spaces in Vancouver don’t. Some put restrictions on oil painters or ceramicists due to the precautions required for solvents or kilns, but it’s not a problem for him as long as “it’s up to safety standards.” 

According to Duprey, some cities like Calgary or Victoria support artists by relaxing bylaws in artist-occupied buildings. “I’d love that to happen in Vancouver, where we’re working with the city and the permitting department,” he reflected. Bylaws are different from working around larger projects like the Broadway subway expansion, though. “That’s way above my paygrade,” Duprey laughed. “I do appreciate that nothing lasts forever. I have buildings that have been filled with artists for 20 years, and others that are going to last three or four.” He continued that he will make any space work because “the nature of everything is that it’s change [ . . . ] but we’re going to get value out of it, we’re going to create some stuff, and make it affordable. I think that’s what’s most important.” 

When I went to the Artopia City Centre Artist lodge, I was impressed by the way the space hosts a great variety of artists who were all ready to chat with each other and myself. I believe that it is spaces like these that push artists into the view of the public. It’s inspiring to see what these existing spaces have done and what upcoming spaces will do to continue to serve the city’s arts scene.

Vancouver Youth Choir wins first place at the Cork International Choral Festival

By
Peak Web
-
0
A photo of the VYC mid-performance
PHOTO: Juliana Manalo / The Peak

By: Marie Jen Galilo, Staff Writer

Back in May, the Vancouver Youth Choir (VYC) led by artistic director Carrie Tennant won first place with an impressive score of 95.1% in the Fleischmann International Trophy Competition, one of the many events in the Cork International Choral Festival. The VYC sang a total of four choral pieces in the competition, including “Angelus Domini” by Giovanni Gabrielli, “Fire” by Katerina Gimon, “Õhtul” by Pärt Uusberg, and “O Sapientia” by Tadeja Vulc. Tennant was also awarded the McCurtain and McSwiney Memorial Trophy for expressing her creativity and musical artistry through her choral leadership. In addition to the competition, the festival also has several non-competitive events, such as fringe concerts and pop-up performances, some of which the VYC also participated in. 

The VYC, which was founded in 2013, is now Canada’s largest youth choir consisting of more than “700 singers across 16 ensembles in 8 levels,” between the ages of 5 to 24. The VYC aims to create an environment where singers feel supported as they learn various vocal techniques and grow into their own unique voices. The VYC participates in events at both the national and international level through which they share their passion for music, such as the 2025 Jeju International Choral Symposium.

The Peak spoke with Zayan Kassam, a tenor 2 apprentice section leader in the VYC, to learn more about the festival experience.

When he was first told that the VYC’s application to compete was accepted, Kassam said he was “very excited certainly.” As he reflected, VYC isn’t “exactly a traditional choir per se,” which led him to wonder about how the competition’s judges would receive their entry, but he was nonetheless intrigued about the preparation process that would follow. 

In preparation, Kassam said that the choir did “lots of rehearsals and at-home practicing,” but also collaborated with a “fantastic clinician (guest conductor),” who assisted the choir with several persistent challenges. It was here that Kassam and the VYC learned how to practice “setting intent,” which he described as “thinking about the music, what we want to portray, and focusing on our artistry,” so that “we can put our whole heart into that performance.”

Having the opportunity to visit Cork and be a part of the festival was a truly incredible moment for Kassam and the team, as they shared the stage with hundreds of “musicians of such a high calibre.” Personally, he reflected that, “stepping on stage is something I’ve done many, many times in my life, but I’ve never competed before. That was a really exciting feeling.” 

“Watching an audience see their first VYC performance is always so fun because of how much it transforms people’s perspectives on choral music, and I’m so grateful that I get to be a part of that.”

— Zayan Kassam, VYC Member

After the competition, the VYC — as is customary for the winning team to perform a piece following the announcement of winners — also performed “Kei Wareware i a Tātou” by Margaret Ngaropo Hati, Charles Te Wake-Mathews, and Latoya Leef-Mathews. Following that, at the closing gala, they went on to perform “Quizassa” by Merrill Garbus and “Here Comes the River” by Patrick Watson.

The VYC and choral events like the Cork International Choral Festival show that choral music is more than singing notes on a page — it is a bridge that brings people together, transcending time, space, and language so that the harmonious blend of their voices can bring the notes on sheets of music to life.

 

What your favourite film director says about you

By
Peak Web
-
0
A black-and-white composite image of film directors (from left to right): Abbas Kiarostami, Hirokazu Kore-eda, Hayao Miyazaki, Christopher Nolan, Steven Spielberg, Greta Gerwig, Alice Wu, Hong Sang-soo, and Wong Kar-wai
IMAGE: Abbey Perley / The Peak, with stock courtesy of Flickr and Wikimedia Commons

By: Your Letterboxd account

Abbas Kiarostami: You have a deep appreciation for the mundane and the small beauties of life. Unfortunately you are also deeply melancholic. I’m sorry you’re going through such a difficult time — maybe you need to watch something other than Taste of Cherry to cheer you up.

Hirokazu Kore-eda: You have significant family trauma and you have the urge to vicariously live through Kore-eda’s filmography. The emotional pain of watching his films on a loop gives you catharsis while you’re still looking for that found family. 

Greta Gerwig: Are you a white feminist? I promise you there are more films about the experience of being a woman than Barbie and Lady Bird. May I direct you towards Kinuyo Tanaka’s filmography? 

Christopher Nolan: You need to branch out and watch more movies. I’m sorry, but having a non-linear plot and everything composed by Hans Zimmer does not make a masterpiece. If you’re looking for suggestions, start with Park Chan-Wook’s The Handmaiden — now that’s a non-linear king. 

Hayao Miyazaki: Your nervous system is deeply unregulated which is why you always turn to the classic, slow-paced wonders of Miyazaki. You deeply relate to Kiki’s Delivery Service because of its exploration of burnout, and that should be a lesson you take to heart!

Hong Sang-soo: You are very, very socially awkward. However, that’s not the real problem. Just like his pretentious self-insert characters, you believe you are entitled to love, but spend little time considering other people’s emotions.

Ousmane Sembène: You have a deep sense of purpose and originality. Just like a real film lover, you’re aware that Europe is not the centre.

Steven Spielberg: You think film is primarily for entertainment. There’s nothing wrong with that, you’re just a straightforward person. 

Wong Kar-wai: You think you can cure loneliness by travelling to neon-lit cities. Alas, that is not the case. Didn’t you learn anything from Happy Together?

Alice Wu: You are gay with a great sense of humour! Honestly, you’re probably more chill than the rest of the people on this list.

 

1...101112...1,448Page 11 of 1,448

Simon Fraser University’s independent student newspaper since 1965.

For advertising inquiries: [email protected]
For promotional inquiries: [email protected]

© The Peak Publications Society

Simon Fraser University’s independent student newspaper since 1965.

For advertising inquiries: [email protected]
For promotional inquiries: [email protected]

© The Peak Publications Society