As the school year ticks down to a close, parents all over the city are facing that perennial question: “But how am I going to keep them busy all summer long?”
Never fear. We’re on the job for you, and we’ve rounded up our list of Top 10 Things You Must Do With The Kids In New West this summer. And let us assure you, there will be no excuse for boredom in this fair city of ours.
So break out the flip-flops, the hats and the sunscreen. Summer is almost upon us, and your family is going to enjoy every minute of it, starting right now.
1. HIT THE PARKS.
Oh, come on, this one’s just a gimme. You can’t live in a city like New West, with so many gems of parks, and not enjoy them all. The real question is, which one will you hit first? Will it be Grimston Park, the West End favourite with its playground and wading pool? Will it be Queen’s Park, in the heart of the city, with its petting farm, playgrounds, picnic areas, splash park, playing fields and forest trails? Will it be Westminster Pier Park, the waterfront hot spot with the playgrounds, Eats at the Pier concession, hammocks and beach volleyball courts? What about Hume Park, with the spray park, playground, playing fields, pool and always popular blackberry picking? Or Ryall Park, the Queensborough gem with the ball courts, greenspace, playground and spray park? Or Moody Park, the uptown fun spot with the adventurous playground, pool and playing fields? Or the remodelled Sapperton Park with its wooden climbing equipment for all ages under those gorgeous big shade trees? Or one of the countless neighbourhood parks nestled into your very own corner of town?
Doesn’t matter, really. Just pack up the kids and head out on the town.
2. RIDE THE Q2Q FERRY.
If you haven’t hopped aboard to explore the other side of the river, then you should. Whether you live in Queensborough and use it to ride to the Quay, or you’re a mainlander looking for a way to explore the ’Borough, you’re in for a treat. The good news is, both sides of the ferry offer plenty of family-focused fun. On the Quay side, you can explore the boardwalk, the new Quayside Park playground, River Market and Westminster Pier Park. On the Queensborough side, you can talk a jaunt along the Port Royal riverfront trail, check out the community garden and play in the playground at Port Royal Park. Or tie it in with a special event and take the boat over for the annual Art in Bloom event (see item #4).
Tickets are just $2 for a one-way trip, or $1 for concession (seniors, people with disabilities, and children aged six to 18). Check out www.newwestcity.ca/qtoqferry for all the details.
3. HEAD TO THE NEW WEST FARMERS MARKET.
If you haven’t yet ventured out, just drop by Tipperary Park (next to New Westminster City Hall) between 3 and 7 p.m. every Thursday, and you can check out the best farmers market around. Not only is there a wide array of vendors – offering everything from organic and conventional produce to prepared foods and various artisan-made goods – there’s also entertainment, activities for the kids and a gorgeous green space where you can spread your picnic blanket and make an evening of it.
Check out www.newwestfarmers.ca for all the details.
4. ENJOY A GARDEN PARTY WITH ART IN BLOOM AND THE MAD HATTER’S TEA PARTY.
This beautiful family-oriented event is part of the New West Cultural Crawl (see No. 8 on our list), but it deserves a mention of its own. You can enjoy a traditional tea and top-notch art at the Port Royal Community Garden. Volunteer “mad hatters” are on hand to help kids make their own fancy headgear, and entertainers provide live music against the garden backdrop. Plus, you can eat up all sorts of treats and shop from some artisan vendors.
It’s on Sunday, Aug. 12 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Call 604-525-7388.
5. STROLL BACK IN TIME.
Hey, when you live in the original capital city of British Columbia – a city named by Queen Victoria herself – then history and heritage are all around you. Check out the New Westminster Museum and Archives, on the third floor at Anvil Centre (777 Columbia St.), pay a call on the historic Irving House (302 Royal Ave.) or drop in to the Samson V (parked on the river at 880 Quayside Dr.) for a visit to the historic paddlewheeler. Free family drop-ins are offered at the Samson V on Fridays in July, and at Irving House on Fridays in August, between 12:30 and 3 p.m.
Plus, the New Westminster Museum is bringing its pop-up museum to a variety of parks on Thursdays from 12:30 to 3 p.m. Check it out at Moody Park July 5, Queen’s Park July 12, Hume Park Aug. 2 and Quayside Park Aug. 9. Call 604-527-4640 for more on the city’s heritage spaces.
6. GET BACK TO NATURE.
Sure, you live in a densely populated urban area that’s at the heart of Metro Vancouver – but you also live in a city that has some easy access to natural beauty. Take a stroll through Glenbrook Ravine, for starters. Keep your eyes open for the turtles, ducks and fish in the pond, and watch for wildlife as you wander the forested trail. (You can enter the ravine from Jamieson Court, next to the amenities centre, from the ramp off Glenbrook Drive or from the stairs down from Victoria Hill.) Or check out the waterfront walk at Sapperton Landing or the trails off Lower Hume Park. Plus, don’t forget there’s an entirely undeveloped side to Queen’s Park – if you leave the mayhem that is Rainbow Playground behind, there’s a forest waiting to be discovered.
7. DON YOUR RAINBOWS AND SHOW YOUR PRIDE.
Yes, New Westminster is full of special events and festivals all summer long, but we’re singling out New West Pride, which this year is set to run from Aug. 11 to 18. This festival isn’t just about family fun – although there’s plenty of that on offer, especially at the annual street festival on Aug. 18 – but it has an important message to convey to the up-and-coming generation.
“The purpose of the New West Pride Society is to empower, celebrate and promote inclusivity, acceptance and respect among persons of all sexual orientations and gender identities in New Westminster and surrounding communities,” as the society’s website says.
That’s a message we all need. So swing out to the dollar store, pick up your rainbow hats and rainbow flags, and get yourself to Columbia Street for a party with a purpose. See www.newwestpride.ca.
8. GO CRAWLING FOR CULTURE.
For an overview of all the amazing artistic life in the city, there’s no better introduction than the New West Cultural Crawl. The fun begins on Aug. 10, from 5 to 7 p.m., with opening night at the Anvil Centre. You can check out the opening of the new Worlds of Light and Shadow exhibition by Artists in the Boro, enjoy drinks, listen to live music and mingle with artists. Then, on Aug. 11 and 12, you can take map in hand and visit open studios, shops and galleries across Sapperton/Victory Heights, downtown, uptown, the West End and Queensborough.
The crawl is presented by the Arts Council of New Westminster and the Van Dop Gallery. Check out www.newwestculturalcrawl.com for details.
9. ENJOY SOME OUTDOOR ENTERTAINMENT.
There’s nothing quite like listening to music or taking in a theatre production under the summer sky.
New West offers plenty of options for those who like their entertainment al fresco. For starters, here’s Shadows and Dreams Theatre Company’s free Shakespeare in the Park at the Queen’s Park bandshell. Romeo and Juliet is on Saturdays and Sundays at 2 p.m. on three weekends: July 21, 22, 28, 29 and Aug. 4 and 5.
Don’t forget the Sunday afternoon entertainment at the Queen’s Park bandshell, which runs (weather permitting) from June 17 to Sept. 2 and features a variety of musicians, dancers and other family entertainers.
And, of course, don’t forget about Music by the River, bringing all-ages fun with live outdoor concerts to Westminster Pier Park on Thursday evenings from July 5 to Aug. 9. Shows are from 6 to 8 p.m. – check out www.artscouncilnewwest.org for the details.
10. RACE LIKE THE PROS.
Young riders across the city, aged 12 and under, are invited to put their cycling skills to the test in the New West Kids Prix – part of all the New West Grand Prix fun - on Tuesday, July 10. There are categories for four and under, aged five and six, seven and eight, and nine to 12, with distance depending on age. Check in between 4 and 4:30 p.m. to race at 4:45 p.m.
There’s also a youth race starting at 5:30 p.m.
Plus, your whole family can stay to watch the pros take on the Grand Prix, a criterium-style race that’s part of the prestigious B.C. Superweek. Pro women start at 6:15 p.m. and pro men at 7:30 p.m., with awards at 9 p.m. See www.newwestgrandprix.com for all the details.
Do you have another favourite summer event or outing? Share your ideas by emailing Julie, [email protected].
