A Stroll Along Kitsilano Beach
Bestselling author Bill Arnott takes readers on an exploratory stroll along Vancouver’s beloved beachside of Kitsilano in his new book, A Perfect Day for a Walk. Crows are in flight, omens of overcast skies, yet the day is different. The horizon is layered in gold as the birds start their day, crossing Vancouver from cottonwood tree rookeries to parkland and seashore. Beloved beachside of Kitsilano.
Arnott gauges the day by the crows’ flight patterns. With a glance out the window at sunrise, he observes if they’re flying high or low, flapping and tacking, or gliding in ruler-straight lines. He avoids the cliché “as the crow flies” because he has seen them weave through updrafts emitted by blacktop, curving roadways mimicking their flight paths.
Discovering Vancouver’s Essence
Beyond the black corvids, whose presence measures space and time, Arnott focuses on Vancouver. He loves it both because of and despite its makeup. Visual beauty and grit, history as multilayered as anywhere, all nestled in mountains and cuddled by the sea. A high-rise pincushion of steel and glass needles, tucked between bodies of water. Or rather, a single saltwater body with many arms, like a Kraken embracing the metropolis. The city motto, “By sea land and air we prosper,” blends optimism and aspiration.
Arnott notes Vancouver’s diversity, where English is not the first language for half the population. Most residents are what the government labels “visible minorities.” Despite its high livability ranking, Vancouver remains one of the most expensive cities. Searching the city online or in person, you find repeated descriptors: scenic views, mild climate, unparalleled natural beauty, ocean and mountains, and living outdoors. An online snippet poses the question, “Is Vancouver a good or bad city?” One reply makes Arnott smile: “Yes, it is.” Another response offers more: “It’s a lovely city, one of the world’s most beautiful, provided you can afford to enjoy it.”
Embracing the Familiar and the New
Having lived in Vancouver for almost four decades, Arnott finds much of it will forever feel new. Not merely new buildings but a recurring sense of discovery each time he steps out the front door, as though he’s a tourist, explorer, or adventurer. Exploration unveils further questions: What exactly am I seeing out there? Who made it like this? Why’s it this way? And what will it be like tomorrow?
Arnott explores Vancouver on foot, feeling like Rousseau, who could only think when he walked. He believes that every step infuses some of the paths we travel, ingesting places we wander. He slows his pace to absorb the city, seeking answers and revelations.
Journey Through Kitsilano
The morning brightens as Arnott heads north into Kits, or Kitsilano, named for Squamish chief August Jack Khatsahlano. He passes the shops on West Fourth Avenue and walks a few blocks to False Creek’s mouth, past the Maritime Museum of Vancouver. Nearby, a leafy tree houses a bald eagle’s nest. Dogs bark and splash along Hadden Beach, a sandy off-leash area Arnott humorously calls an oceanside litter box.
Following the path’s curve, Arnott reaches Elsje Point, a promontory with a panoramic view of the city and inlet. At the point’s end, an anchor is chained to the ground, seemingly holding the slim spit of land in place.
Discovering the Ben Franklin Submersible
Arnott trudges over grass to the Ben Franklin submersible at the Maritime Museum. The steel sausage in yellow and white resembles a squat submarine but is technically a submersible, usually supported by additional ships. Built in 1968, it explored and researched the Gulf Stream, with a maiden voyage from Florida to Halifax in the Summer of 1969.
The submersible’s expedition was of interest to NASA, eager to know how a team would adapt to a month-long voyage in cramped quarters with sensory deprivation. This information was crucial as NASA planned a crewed mission to Mars. The submersible’s journey went well, but its success news evaporated as Apollo 11 made its historic moon landing at the same time.
Continuing the Walk
With the moon almost gone, Arnott continues his walk, the sky a wispy cloud with Burrard Bridge’s art deco loom. For bridge connoisseurs, this one has three spans with two truss types, held by four concrete towers. The bridge now overhangs the Sen̓áḵw construction site, the largest First Nations economic development project in Canadian history. The site, once home to totems depicting traditional Salish greetings, is now marked by cranes and new towers.
Arnott finds plaques from the Vancouver Heritage Foundation, which highlight Musqueam First Nation historians’ insights into Burrard Inlet. This area hosted numerous Musqueam villages and camps, connected by waterways and trails, crucial for hunting, fishing, and processing salmon and other fish.
Cultural Harmony Grove
Veering into Cultural Harmony Grove, Arnott slows his pace, weaving between trees like cedar, maple, and even a monkey puzzle tree. He recites the flora names, concocting a poetic list. By the park, a sign warns of coyotes next to a palm tree and a gnarly spruce.
Arnott retraces his steps westbound, passing a Coast Guard station through a poplar and beech corridor. The area bustles with commerce, ships anchored and awaiting port. A songbird skitters through rocks, a boulder topped with cleanly scraped clamshells.
Reflection on the City
Arnott reflects on the city’s founding economic reasons, citing reporter Tom Zoellner’s quote: “If you want to understand the soul of a city, look at the economic reasons for its founding.” The paddle and flap of waterbirds meld with seagulls and crows, each movement a testament to the city’s thriving life.
A Place of History and Renewal
Arnott pauses at Hadden Park, where the Centennial Totem Pole once stood, carved by Kwakwaka’wakw artist Chief Mungo Martin. Moving to Vanier Park, he circles Gate to the Northwest Passage, a massive steel sculpture commemorating Captain George Vancouver’s 1792 arrival.
The sculpture’s square frame offers a photo-like view, each angle revealing the past’s impact on the present. Arnott reflects on the decimation following the “discovery race,” contrasting it with the renewal symbolized by Sen̓áḵw’s new growth. Beloved beachside of Kitsilano.
Concluding the Walk
Arnott’s walk through Kitsilano intertwines past and present, revealing the city’s layers of history, culture, and natural beauty. His journey, marked by discovery and reflection, encapsulates the essence of Vancouver—thriving, striving, surviving, and ever-evolving. As he continues exploring, Arnott invites readers to join him in rediscovering the vibrant, dynamic, and complex city of Vancouver. Beloved beachside of Kitsilano.
Photo by leonides ruvalcabar on Unsplash
