VICTORIA — To inspect or not to inspect? It shouldn’t be a question.

Here’s some advice for buyers bypassing home inspections: Don’t be a fool.

Making an offer conditional on home inspection is one of the best tools buyers can employ to safeguard their real-estate investment dollars.

But first you must inspect the inspector’s credentials.

Look for a home inspector who is registered with the Canadian Association of Home and Property Inspectors. You don’t want to rely on someone who has the savvy to put out a business card and not much else when it comes to advice on a home purchase.

CAHPI inspectors must pass written exams and conform to industry standards of practice. Your inspector should have insurance against errors or omissions. A properly qualified professional is unlikely to make serious errors, but it’s better to have insurance against an expensive mistake.

Or you can go the extra mile and hire a professional engineer to assess your home structurally. Years ago, we had a home inspected by professional engineer at a cost that was about 2.5 times higher than a regular home inspector. It turned out to be money well spent. He pointed out a structural flaw that would in time translate into repair bills that might have outstripped the purchase price of the home. When we asked him if we should buy the house, his response was: How much do you want this house? If you love it and can’t see living anywhere else, buy it, but with your eyes open. We passed on the house. Remember, the ultimate decision and pricetag for repairs will rest with you.

A home inspection report is not a to-do list for the seller. According to HouseMaster Inspectors, people often ask inspectors “who should make the repairs,” and “should I buy this house?” The role of the home inspector is to provide their opinion of the home’s condition at the time of inspection. Buyers should look to their real estate professionals and lawyers to answer other questions.

Remember that a home inspection is not a pass/fail test, but an opportunity for the prospective buyer to learn what they’re getting into on their investment. Some buyers are willing to invest in a sizable renovation; others may only be looking for a home that they will occupy for only a few years and may want a trouble-free house.

Remember that a home inspection may reduce the risk in buying a home, but it cannot entirely eliminate it.

Ignore the inspector’s advice at your own peril. A house’s defects can only worsen as they deteriorate through usage and age. Address outstanding concerns as soon as possible.

Your real estate agent or mortgage adviser can usually recommend three home inspectors in your area, or you can find one through the Canadian Association of Home and Property Inspectors at www.cahpi.ca.

© The Vancouver Province 2005

Relics recalling a remarkable moment in Canadian history are being unearthed by a team of archeologists in, of all places, southern Georgia, where the discovery of a long-lost fort from the War of 1812 is shedding new light on a battle fought three weeks after the signing of a peace treaty that was supposed to end the conflict.

The bungled British assault on New Orleans on Jan. 8, 1815 is widely — and inaccurately — remembered as the final clash of that war, and no less a chronicler of Canadian history than Pierre Berton has noted that “having won the last battle, the Americans were convinced that they won the War of 1812.”

But it wasn’t the last battle and — shall we indulge in a little Canada Day bluster? — they didn’t win the war.

Five days after the disastrous Battle of New Orleans, a British-Canadian force led by Capt. Robert Barrie overwhelmed an American fort at Point Peter on the southeast tip of Georgia, occupied the town of St. Marys and prepared for an inland invasion of the United States — until word finally came that the war was already over.

Now, nearly two centuries after Barrie‘s little-known victory, the remains of the fort he seized at Point Peter are being excavated — all thanks to a construction crew that broke ground for a housing project and struck archeological paydirt.

Historians had lost all sense of the fort’s precise location. And nearly all records of its design, arsenal and troop complements were destroyed during the burning of Washington in another of the war’s famous events, making the rediscovery of the physical fort a stunning prize for scholars.

“This is national history, this is world history,” said a giddy Scott Butler, project manager with the Atlanta-based heritage preservation company that’s carrying out the Point Peter dig. “What happened at New Orleans really overshadowed what happened here. For the Americans, New Orleans was a great victory and they didn’t want to dwell on what happened here.”

The heroic Barrie — whose name was given to the Ontario city — was born in British-controlled Florida in 1775 and died in Britain in 1841, but spent most of his adult life in Canada. As a young sailor he helped chart the British Columbia coastline, and as commander of HMS Dragon during the War of 1812 he notched brilliant victories all along the Atlantic coast, destroying or capturing scores of American ships.

He went on to become the senior naval officer in Canada from 1819 to 1834, playing a key role in Great Lakes navigation, canal-building projects and the defence of Canada against a possible postwar renewal of U.S. aggression.

But, back in January, 1815, it was Barrie who was on the attack and the Americans who were on the defensive.

Even though the Treaty of Ghent ending the war had been signed in Belgium on Dec. 24, 1814, it took weeks for the news to reach North America. Barrie was at the head of a three-ship convoy that captured Cumberland Island and then, on Jan. 13, the fort at Point Peter.

The victors went on to occupy the town of St. Marys — “an undefended prize,” notes Butler. His team has found hundreds of pieces of ornate china — apparently looted from the townsfolk and smashed by Barrie‘s men.

Other recovered artifacts include musket balls, military buttons and most of an 1803 rifle. The foundation walls of the fort — stripped of its cannons, burned to the ground and eventually buried by time — are being revealed after almost 200 years.

“It’s a great story,” says Butler, “a fort lost to history” — and now found.

© The Vancouver Sun 2005

Quality restaurant equipment at substantial savings

When it comes to food equipment, Jerry Wowchuk knows his stuff.

After years in the service and repair end of the food equipment business, Jerry turned his attentions to auction­eering.

He and his wife Charlene figured the Lower Mainland was ready for an auc­tion house specializing in quality new and used food equipment .

Jerry attended the renowned Repperts School of Auctioneering in Auburn, Indi­ana and became an Auctioneer and Certified Appraiser before starting Kwik Services.

Everybody loves a bargain, especial­ly in the restaurant business where staying afloat is not an easy thing.

Serious amateur chefs also appreci­ate the durability of professional equip­ment, as well as the money saved of course.

Jerry figures savings at Kwik are somewhere between yo and 6o per cent and much more in some cases.

The selection is ever-changing but a recent auction featured the complete contents of a Quiznos Sub shop includ­ing an almost new walk-in freezer/cool‑

er combo and a sandwich/pizza con­veyor oven.Other items included: pani­ni grills, new 20 and 30 quart Uniworld mixers, coffee machines, sausage stuffers, four and six burner ranges and convection ovens, soft serve yogurt machines, restaurant chairs and booths, new countertop broilers and griddles, cash registers, cookware etc., etc. In other words everything you need to set up a restaurant – except the staff – and the capital.

“The key to this business is to main­tain a lot of inventory and offer sev­eral items in each category,” says Jer­ry. Consequently he spends a lot of time buying.

Helping companies liquidate is a huge part of Kwik’s business.

“We strive to find new ways to get customers the most money for their surplus equipment,” says Jerry. Integrity before profits is the com­pany motto.

The biggest job Kwik has been involved with so far was liquidating 96 Boston Market Stores within 30 days. For information on upcoming auctions visit www.kwikauctions.com

Initial architectural image of the proposed CBC development.

One of Vancouver‘s most distinctive — perhaps most reviled — buildings is about to undergo a major redesign.

The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation’s “media factory” at Georgia and Hamilton streets is being re-imagined by one of Canada‘s leading green architectural firms, Hotson Bakker Boniface Haden.

The project is a partnership between the CBC and Concord Pacific, the Vancouver developer responsible for most of the condo towers lining the north shore of False Creek.

Concord Pacific is planning to build two residential and retail towers on the Robson side of the property, while CBC wants to create a building that will take it “into the Olympics and beyond,” said Ralph Segal, Vancouver’s senior development planner.

“They want a far more prominent venue for their broadcasts,” Segal said.

“Rather than the introverted black box circumstance they now have, certain of their studios they really want to project to the street.”

The initial plans for the project were sent back to the drawing board earlier this month by the city’s urban design panel.

The project’s architects will return to the panel next month for a second presentation.

The CBC building was built in the 1970s and designed by architect Paul Merrick, who won a governor-general’s award for it. But its severe lines and factory-like appearance have not been popular with everyone, and Segal said Wednesday the panel is not committed to preserving the “bunker-like structures” that house some of the broadcasting studios on the property.

“Frankly, we’re not so enamoured of those bunkers that we wouldn’t want to see them encompassed or surrounded by something more esthetic and more active,” Segal said.

“So we’re happy to see those black box structures . . . covered up by something more attractive.”

According to the minutes from the panel’s June 8 meeting, architect Joost Bakker explained the CBC is going through a “major cultural change” in respect to the relationships it holds with Canadian communities. Bakker said the original metaphor for the building was a “media factory,” and the new proposal aims to make the building more visible.

Bakker was not available Wednesday for comment, but Segal said the CBC wants to make its broadcast studios visible from Hamilton Street.

On the Robson Street end of the property — where there is now a parking lot — Concord Pacific plans to build two residential towers with stores at street level. Architect Walter Francl is designing the towers for the developer.

Concord Pacific will not buy any part of the property, but will have a long-term lease arrangement with the CBC, Segal said.

Overall, the urban design panel — which includes architects, an engineer, a developer, a planning commissioner, and a landscape architect — liked the plan, but had concerns about specific elements, such as a proposal for townhouses along Hamilton Street and the level of sustainability.

One panel member said although the CBC’s is not a beautiful building, it should be treated in a manner that allows it to “stand proud” on the Cambie Street side, according to the meeting minutes.

There are others with a similar fondness for the building.

“There are those who believe it should be put on our recent landmark heritage list because it’s expressive of a certain style of architecture,” Segal said.

“It’s not something we should do away with. Not every style of architecture is beloved by everyone. This particular form is very expressive of a particular function.”

© The Vancouver Sun 2005

CREDIT: Ward Perrin, Vancouver Sun Photo …the vessel experienced an engine problem docking at Horseshoe Bay.

A dramatic accident at Horseshoe Bay Thursday in which a 7,000-tonne ferry apparently lost power and plowed into a marina could have been far worse had it not been for the quick thinking of the ferry’s captain, according to a Canadian Coast Guard official.

“If he had slammed right into the big dock, there would have been an awful lot of damage,” said Terry Tebb, assistant commissioner of the coast guard. “Obviously he did some fancy manoeuvring to minimize the damage and that’s how he ended up where he is now.”

BC Ferries’ Queen of Oak Bay collided with Sewell’s Marina around 10:10 a.m. Thursday and ran aground — destroying several pleasure boats, including about half a dozen that sank to the bottom of the bay, and stranding 544 passengers on board for more than six hours.

There were no injuries.

The cause of the collision is still under investigation by both Transport Canada and the Transportation Safety Board.

But initial reports suggest the vessel lost engine power as it neared the terminal.

“Typically when they come in, they shift into reverse in order to slow down,” said Tebb.

However, with those reverse thrusters disabled, said Tebb, the ferry was in danger of slamming into the terminal, with disastrous consequences for both passengers on board and those on shore.

“Obviously, they did an avoidance to not slam right into the dock,” he said.

Witnesses said the ferry began sounding its air horn repeatedly while it was still several hundred metres from the terminal — leading many to believe at first that another boat was in its way.

“It was like somebody with a car horn just holding it down,” said Sara Brocklehurst, who was getting an ice cream cone while she waited for the ferry. After two or three minutes of sounding its horn, the ferry slowly crashed past the marina’s breakwater and then into several rows of boats.

“Part of me was saying, ‘He’ll stop before the boats,’ ” said Brocklehurst. “But he actually came right into them and started crushing them like boxes.”

While no one on the ferry was injured, its passengers were stranded for most of the day — unable to leave the ferry while divers searched the waters below to ensure no one was trapped underneath.

Finally, around 5 p.m., the ferry was towed to its berth and passengers were allowed to depart.

Susan Tapp of Courtenay was one of the passengers who walked off.

“It’s been a long day. Eight hours. I’m supposed to be in Osoyoos,” Tapp said. “We walked around the ship, enjoyed the sunshine, read a book. There wasn’t a lot you could do. They fed us.”

She said ferry officials gave passengers a five-minute warning to “sit down and brace ourselves and he [the captain] held that whistle down the whole time we were coming in.” Tapp said she saw the ferry “take out” a few boats but “we didn’t feel anything.”

Bob Walker, who was waiting to board the ferry, said the massive vessel simply rolled over many of the large sailboats in its path.

“The masts just snapped over like twigs as it came in,” he said.

Tracey Morettin, who was on the beach with her children, said passengers on the ferry’s car decks appeared to realize something was wrong and were yelling at people in the marina to get out of the way.

As it advances, the ferry pushes into a fleet of smaller craft.

The Queen of Oak Bay continues on its crash course.

The ferry comes to a halt after crunching several boats.

The ferry goes out of control while the captain tries to dock.

CREDIT: Ward Perrin, Vancouver Sun Photo BC Ferries’s Queen of Oak Bay crashed into Sewell’s Marina after …

Mike Bromley’s 11.5-metre charter sailboat was one of those crushed by the ferry.

“My business is toast this season,” said Bromley, who wasn’t at the marina at the time of the accident.

“I only have a four-month season and now it’s over.”

The crash took place during one of the busiest weekends of the year for BC Ferries and resulted in the cancellation of several sailings out of Horseshoe Bay and congestion on other routes.

“We have no choice but to wait,” said Lasqueti Island-bound passenger Jan Rae, who was supposed to board the Queen of Oak Bay at 10:30 a.m. and was still waiting in line several hours later.

BC Ferries president David Hahn said the company will do its best to add extra sailings over the weekend to make up for having one of its vessels out of commission, but admitted things will be tough for travellers.

“This is obviously the worst possible timing,” he said. “It’s a day that will, quite frankly, ruin some people’s weekends. I don’t think there’s any way around that.”

Hahn said the Queen of Oak Bay will be placed in dry dock and inspected to try to determine what happened.

“It won’t go back in the water until it’s clear what went wrong,” he said.

The ferry, which was built in 1981, was put back into service just 17 days ago after undergoing a $35-million refit of its lifesaving equipment, passenger accommodations and engine.

However, Hahn said Thursday there is no indication that the refit had anything to do with Thursday’s collision.

“There was work done on a number of issues in the engine room but I can’t correlate any of that to what happened today,” he said.

[email protected]

BC FERRIES REFUNDS RESERVATION FEES:

– Are refunds being given for reservation fees? Yes. B.C. Ferry Services is automatically refunding all reservation fees for Friday sailings between Horseshoe Bay and Nanaimo that were scheduled to depart after the accident.

– Will ferry reservations be honoured today? Yes, reservations between Tsawwassen and Swartz Bay will be honoured, but BC Ferries will not be taking last-minute reservations for that route today. On the Horseshoe Bay to Nanaimo route, reservations will be honoured only if BC Ferries is able to bring in a replacement vessel. It was not clear Thursday evening whether a replacement ship would be available.

– For more information, go to www.bcferries.com, or call 1-888-BCFERRY (1-888-223-3779)

SAILING ON TROUBLED WATERS:

Some of B.C.’s worst ferry accidents:

July 2003 — Four passengers suffered minor injuries when the Spirit of Vancouver Island collided with its dock at Swartz Bay. The accident caused tens of thousands of dollars of damage to the dock and the ship.

May 2003 — The Queen of Surrey was taken out of service for two months after an engine fire. No one was injured, but 318 people were stranded.

September 2000 — Two Americans were killed when their 10-metre yacht collided with the Spirit of Vancouver Island near Swartz Bay.

CREDIT: Ian Lindsay, Vancouver Sun Files AUG. 9, 1979: The Queen of Alberni ran aground near Sidney, damaging vehicles it carried.

RICHARD LAM/VANCOUVER SUN Officials watch divers searching the water beneath a pleasure boat crushed by the Queen of Oak Bay at Horseshoe Bay on Thursday. RICHARD LAM/VANCOUVER SUN A man relaxes while watching crews work on the Queen of Oak Bay after it ran aground. RICHARD LAM/VANCOUVER Frustrated travellers sit stranded on the tarmac of the Horseshoe Bay ferry terminal. The terminal was shut down while scuba divers entered the water to search for survivors and survey damage to the boat.

August 1992 — A mother and her two daughters died when their van plunged off a ferry loading ramp at Nanaimo.

March 1992 — The Queen of Alberni collided with a Japanese coal carrier in thick fog off Tsawwassen. Eighteen people were taken to hospital.

February 1992 — The Queen of Saanich collided in the fog with a catamaran operated by Royal Sealink Express, injuring 23 people.

December 1991 — The Howe Sound Queen collided with a dock at Horseshoe Bay. Six passengers were taken to hospital.

June 1989 — The Queen of Alberni crashed into a dock at Departure Bay, injuring six passengers.

August 1985 — The Queen of Cowichan crashed into a family’s pleasure boat off Bowen Island, killing a mother and her two sons.

October 1984 — The Queen of Surrey smashed into the side of the Horseshoe Bay dock, causing $200,000 in damage to the dock.

August 1982 — The Queen of Prince Rupert was heavily damaged when it ran aground near Bella Bella.

August 1979 — The Queen of Alberni ran aground in Active Pass. There were no injuries, but there was extensive damage to trucks and automobiles on board.

October 1971 — A car carrying an elderly couple plunged off the Queen of New Westminster at Departure Bay when the ferry lurched from the ramp while being unloaded. The occupants of the car were saved by two bystanders.

August 1970 — A heavily loaded Russian freighter sliced into the side of the Queen of Victoria, killing three people. The accident happened in Active Pass, between Galiano and Mayne Islands.

Source: Amy O’Brian

CREDIT: CP

The Queen of Oak Bay ran aground just two hours past low tide. The afternoon high tide, though not nearly as high as the nearest nighttime highs, was enough for the vessel to be freed. Data below plots Thursday’s high and low tides.

© The Vancouver Sun 2005

CREDIT: Jon Murray, The Province Tom Hughes, a waiter at Bravo Bistro, brings martinis to customers enjoying the view of Coal Harbour and the seawall. CREDIT: Jason Payne, The Province Go Fish offers some of the best fish ‘n’ chips in town, plus a great oyster po’ boy.

It’s that time of year where we like to dine in our flipflops and underwear, but it’s best to wear a shirt and shorts or pants to these joints and avoid showing up on an episode of Vancouver‘s Top Cops. Quaff an ale, sip some wine, slurp some mussels or gnaw a steak and enjoy the great outdoors with overhead bug zappers for good measure. Here’s a bunch of my favourites — some old, some new, all with either a view or enough good food and libations to brighten any patio perspective.

SAVORY COAST CUCINA MEDITERRANEA

A view over the Robson Street shopping coastline from a walled-in patio with Tuscan garden touches and some very tasty pasta dishes. The Penne Amatraciana with house-smoked pork cheeks in tomato sauce is excellent, and for heftier fare, try the veal chop with chestnut noodles or the osso bucco and hope a crow doesn’t swoop down and steal the meat.

133 Robson St., Vancouver, 604-642-6278

BRAVO BISTRO

Comfortable Adirondack-style wood chairs, opera on the stereo and an amazing view of Coal Harbour and the bustling Spandexed seawall culture. They do some pleasing seafood dishes, like the braised escolar spiced with Moroccan chermoula or a potato-wrapped halibut with ratatouille roasted-corn salsa.

550 Denman St., Vancouver, 604-688-3714

GO FISH

A simple wooden patio fronts this fish shack by the docks, looking out at sailboats bobbing merrily in the marina and the chug of fishing vessels delivering fresh catches of marine life. And whatever fish they’re pitching off the boats is gonna end up on your plate minutes later. One of the best halibut or cod ‘n’ chips in town, plus a great oyster po’ boy sandwich and a daily fresh sheet of grilled fish species such as char-grilled Pacific sockeye or a medium-rare albacore tuna sandwich. Not licensed, but who cares when the food and atmosphere are intoxicating?

1504 West 1st at Fisherman’s Wharf on False Creek, 604-730-5040

LIFT BAR GRILL VIEW

They include the word view in the name of the place and they ain’t just whistling Dixie. An upper-deck patio with two fireplaces to warm the cockles on cooler evenings looks out over Coal Harbour and all its trappings, and this newly built edifice itself is a bit of a swanky facelift for the shoreline. There are 230 wines up for grabs and a kitchen creating some spiffy dishes along with a separate sushi chef experimenting and taming the raw flavours of Pacific sealife. Crowd here looks like a million bucks to match the millions poured into building this restaurant.

333 Menchion Mews, Vancouver, 604-689-5438

SOCKEYE CITY GRILL

Dining at Sockeye is “pier pleasure” goes their motto and, with a patio nestled next to the Steveston docks, the atmosphere couldn’t be better. The whiff of sea air is a prelude to all your fresh finned friends being cooked up in the kitchen. Great fish or oysters and chips, fire-grilled wild salmon with prawns or blackened halibut, seafood tagliatelli brimming with the best of the Pacific Northwest, plus some toothsome steaks on the menu if fish ain’t your thing. Sample a pint of the Sockeye City lager or sip a Sandhill Pinot Blanc and digest to the gentle rhythm of boats rocking in the harbour.

108-3800 Bayview St., Steveston, 604-275-4347

HART HOUSE

A recently expanded patio plunks you down in the peaceful pastoral setting of Deer Lake. Greenery abounds and surrounds this heritage house and estate and you’ll feel to the manor born after chowing down on Executive Chef Carol Chow’s eclectic dishes. Try rockshrimp and shiitake mushroom springrolls to start, followed by ostrich in a red-wine demi-glace, a beef shortrib cabbage roll or seared halibut with a prawn-and-tomato salsa. It’s a touch of elegance tucked into casual pants.

6664 Deer Lake Ave., Burnaby, 604-298-4278

KINGSTON TAPHOUSE AND GRILLE

Not just one but two patios help this joint live up to its billing as an urban oasis in the heart of the urban jungle. A garden patio on the second floor and a rooftop space gaze out to the city, lush with palm trees and other shrubbery. Great ahi tuna springrolls or calamari for starters before hitting the entree listings that roam the seven continents. From chorizo penne to Kung Pao chicken, baby back-ribs brushed with chipotle sauce to a red-curry prawn bowl. The toothsome chuck-steak burger is a winner, as are the savoury thin-crust pizzas and the Flat Iron steak sandwich on gorgonzola-imbued bread.

755 Richards St., Vancouver, 604-681-7011

THE FLYING BEAVER BAR & GRILL

It’s a very good thing our national rodent can’t fly. Imagine 60 lbs. of divebombing flapjack tail smacking you upside the head and teeth that could open a can of beans grazing your hair transplant. The place is named for the famed Canadian floatplane — which you can watch take off and land while sitting on the deck of this great river spot. Incredible burgers to be had along with other pub grub done up a notch like chicken wings, nachos and a fuselage full of tongue-flapping appetizers, not to mention the many microbrews on tap.

4760 Inglis Drive, Richmond, 604-273-0278

MONK MCQUEEN’S

A longtime favourite in Vancouver patio history with two deck levels to choose from offering a spectacular panorama of False Creek and environs. Gaze across the water to distant bridges spanning the horizon and admire health nuts in neon sports attire sweat the seawall below you. As usual, more seafood than a Jacques Cousteau special. Hit the oyster bar and cancel your Viagra prescription. From panko-crusted soft-shell crab to a plate brimming with bivalves, tiger prawn linguine to a grilled lamb trilogy, Monk’s, unlike me, just gets better with age.

601 Stamps Landing, Vancouver, 604-877-1351

MILL MARINE BISTRO

This joint wears the crown for the largest patio in Coal Harbour, with views of all the usual scenic suspects plus the waterworks fountain nearby so the kids can play while the parents drink. Check the daily BBQ specials and see what meat or seafood they’re tossing on the coals, plus plenty of classic pub fare such as nachos, chicken wings, quesadillas, pizza and paninis along with larger plates of fish done up in a whackload of sauces. The new summer menu is kicking into gear so belly up to the patio table and let nature take its course.

1199 West Cordova St., Vancouver, 604-687-6455

SANDBAR

Nuzzle up to this patio spot beneath the Granville Bridge support struts, check out the seismic updating and enjoy a sunset between the girders. If the big one hits, you and your martini should be safe. Appetizer listings are especially tasty, with offerings like scallop kabobs with chili lime aioli, Korean-style BBQ ribs or sweet and sour wok-flipped poultry. Larger dishes include pizzas, burgers, cedar-plank salmon, daily pasta specials plus an extensive sushi menu. If you’re crazy about the aquatic life try one of the many pincer- and claw-filled chilled seafood platters that’ll feed two or more people. Swanky crowd, so wear your best polyester.

1535 Johnston St., Granville Island, 604-669-9030

TERRACE BAR AT THE PAN PACIFIC

The venerable place with the five pointy things opens their Terrace Bar all day for a stunning view of ocean, mountains and seasick cruise-ship tourists disembarking from their vessels. A great setting for West Coast lazing over some excellent signature dishes like the Cobb salad with fresh crab meat, coconut jumbo shrimp lolling in citrus yogurt sauce or a Dungeness crab burger if you like crustacean on a bun.

300-999 Canada Place, Vancouver, 604-895-2480

GALLERY CAFE

Uber-urban gazing overlooking the concrete jungle thrumming with throngs of shoppers and the sound of skateboard punks biting pavement. Do the cafeteria shuffle with the art crowd and Shaughnessey social-tea set with delectable paninis like barbecued chicken, Californian with pesto, chicken and brie, the Caprese with roasted red peppers, bocconcini and roma tomatoes or the sunny veggie Mediterranean, plus nicely dressed sandwiches from roast beef to tuna and everything else trapped between land and sea. Also great salads, quiches and amazing desserts, including the luxurious bread pudding topped with caramel sauce.

750 Hornby St., on the second floor of the Vancouver Art Gallery, 604-688-2233

BRIDGES RESTAURANT

Twenty-five years old and still kicking, packing them in on the patio like a Tokyo subway. The view of city and mountains is always impressive and the grub is always tasty. Sink your molars into a cornmeal-crusted oyster burger, linguini studded with clams and pancetta, roast halibut swimming in a coconut, ginger and sweet chili sauce, a variety of pizzas with inventive toppings and some equally intriguing cocktail concoctions.

1696 Duranleau St., Granville Island, 604-687-4400

JOHN B. NEIGHBOURHOOD PUB

A garden oasis lush with shrubbery and patio furniture at this 20-year fixture in the Coquitlam beer-enthusiast community. Wine weenies aren’t neglected either, with a vast list of crushed grapes by the glass. The scarfing gets serious with grilled offerings from steaks to ribs to seafood along with the usual pubgrub of burgers, nachos and chicken wings. Every Saturday, weather permitting, there’s a barbecue on the patio with a cheeseburger, chicken or bratwurst special for $5.95 between 2 and 5pm. Nothing like the smell of sizzling wiener skin wafting on a summer breeze to start your summer rolling.

1000 Austin Ave., Coquitlam, 604-931-5115

BEACH SIDE CAFE

Near Ambleside Beach with all the tranquil trappings implied in the name and a panoramic schlimazel for the senses of oceanside atmosphere and saltwater sniffing. Traditional Italian dining done with flair and fresh ingredients and you can’t go wrong with any dish you order. For starters some albacore tuna carpaccio or escargots, if you want to get revenge on all those gastropods making hay in your garden, and for mains merlot-braised lamb shanks, Spaghetti alla Norcina with black truffles or crispy duck breast quacking its last under a wild lingonberry glaze. And with dishes like this, you know the wine snozzling’s going to be good.

1362 Marine Drive, West Vancouver, 604-925-1945

FIDDLEHEAD JOE’S

Tucked away on a curve of seawall with a great view of the water and the Burrard Bridge in the near distance, close enough for atmosphere without hearing the rumble of Goodyears plus the thrill of the odd rollerblader bouncing off the seawall concrete barriers. Casual by day, fancypants at night, though the price is always right. The patio has been renovated and Fiddlehead Joe, who earned his nickname flogging the strange veggie as a boy in New Brunswick, is cooking up some summery delights. Pan-seared soft-shell crab, ahi tuna and tiger-prawn ceviche, maple-, hoisin- and ginger-glazed salmon or beef tenderloin wrapped in phyllo with portobello fungus and havarti cheese.

The lunch menu offers PEI mussels in a variety of enticing sauces from a chipotle pepper to a chorizo shindig, and the gourmet sandwiches would make even Dagwood Bumstead smack his lips in anticipation.

1A-1012 Beach Ave., Vancouver, 688-1969

5 great patios on which to smoke a stogie with the bigwigs

CREDIT: Gerry Kahrmann, The Province If the dog’s smoking, odds are that you can, too.

1. Joe Fortes: Great rooftop patio with its own bar, where you can light up a Cuban with a twenty and maybe impress the oyster-fuelled stockbrokers on the make for a second wife or looking to sell investments in an imaginary gold mine.

777 Thurlow St., Vancouver, 604-669-1940

2. Diva at the Met: Award-winning place with all the swanky accolades and, after your stogie on the patio, you can always join the after-dinner businessmen’s rush at the Swedish Touch down the street.

645 Howe St., Vancouver, 604-602-7788

3. Smoking Dog: Dogs don’t smoke except in those canines-playing-poker paintings or in Paris, I think. On that note, this French bistro with a sidewalk patio probably wouldn’t mind if you fumigated the toy dogs in the neighbourhood.

1889 West 1st Ave., Vancouver, 604-732-8811

4. Gotham Steakhouse: Chew steaks and stogie ends like the bigwigs do, covering all your vitamin bases on this dazzling fireplace bedecked deck where the well-heeled show-off face peels and laser-whitened teeth.

615 Seymour St., Vancouver, 604-605-8282

5. La Terrazza: Puff a little smoke toward those dot-com millionaires munching Subway sandwiches on the sidewalk nearby, as you digest some spanky eats and swish some fine fermented grape juice.

1088 Cambie St., Vancouver, 604-899-4449

5 great People-watching patios

CREDIT: Jon Murray, The Province Provence husband-and-wife owners Jean-Francis and Alessandra Quaglia.

1. Havana Restaurant: Enjoy pseudo-Cuban food while taking in the spectacle of pseudo-hippies and the heavily tattooed in this great passing parade of Old World meets counter-culture.

1212 Commercial Dr., Vancouver, 604-253-9119

2 .Cactus Club: Watch the bold, the beautiful and the surgically altered amble along the busy Robson Sreet thoroughfare as you sip a big-assed martini and throw down some chicken wings.

1136 Robson St., Vancouver, 604-687-3278

3. Chopstick Cafe Shiru-Bay: from the designer meshback trucker-hat-clad to the Porsche-driving crowd angling for parking space while you relax with some intriguing izakaya-style eats.

1193 Hamilton St., Vancouver, 604-408-9315

4. Provence Marinaside Seafood Bar & Grill: Fancypants folk in their trendsetting attire, part yachting crowd, part Yaletown condo canyon-dwellers and great Mediterranean cuisine, especially the antipasti listings.

1177 Marinaside Cr., Vancouver, 604-681-4144

5. Caribbean Breeze Tapas Bar & Grill: Shoot the breeze with drinks and jerk chicken and watch the semi-clad beachbum lads and lassies shuffling the strip in their flipflops and George Hamilton tans as collector autos cruise the street.

14945 Marine Dr., White Rock, 604-536-0877

5 great Sea-To-Sky patio views

CREDIT: Jon Murray, The Province Chef Kevin Negoro on the patio of the Pacific Crab Co. Oyster Bar & Grill.

1. Galley Patio & Grill: Offers an unobstructed view usually only seagulls can enjoy, as you take in Locarno Beach and beyond and sip R&B ales and enjoy some great nachos or burgers.

1300 Discovery Ave., Vancouver, 604-222-1331

2. Cardero’s: Effusive nautical views of the Eastern Burrard Inlet bustling with the shipping news while you crunch into cornmeal-crusted pan-fried oysters

1583 Coal Harbour Quay, Vancouver, 604-669-7666

3. Saltaire: Sweeping views of Stanley Park and Howe Sound on this third-floor patio, a whiff of sea air complementing a menu that wanders the global tidal pool.

235-15th St., West Vancouver, 604-913-8439

4. Pacific Crab Co. Oyster Bar & Grill: Spectacular view of English Bay from the thin patio of this second floor eatery so that the heads of the maddening hordes don’t get in the way while you glug back oysters and wine.

1184 Denman St., Vancouver, 604-633-2722

5. The Boathouse: Besides a streetlevel patio, this joint also boasts a rooftop shindig to give you an unimpeded view of Semiahmoo Bay.

14935 Marine Drive, White Rock, 604-536-7320

5 great courtyard patios

CREDIT: Jason Payne, The Province Saltaire’s patio offers sweeping views of Stanley Park.

1. Il Nido: A Tuscan setting tucked into the courtyard of the Manhattan Apartments for true global meshing and atmospheric and digestive tranquillity, exemplified by the new summer menu and pleasant wines.

780 Thurlow St., Vancouver, 604-685-6436

2. Brix Restaurant & Wine Bar: A veritable vino and food grotto with one of the most enticing inner-city patios, the sky outlined by surrounding brickwork walls and terrific West Coast tapas and entree offerings.

1138 Homer St, Vancouver, 604-915-9463

3. El Patio Spanish Restaurant: Secluded patio with creeping ivy that’ll make you feel like you’re on a Spanish backstreet, and some great seafood tapas with a particular panache when it comes to prawns and sardines.

891 Cambie St., Vancouver, 604-681-9149

4. Sapori Italian Restaurant: Secreted away in a spiffy cobblestoned mews with homey Italian food and live jazz every Friday and Saturday night.

#106-12 Water St., Vancouver, 604-682-8272

5. Cassis: A small patio is tucked into the ancient alleyway, decaying brick contrasting with fresh flower arrays and, of course, some savoury slow-cooked French country fare.

420 West Pender, Vancouver, 604-605-0420

5 great places to practise chip shots between drinks

CREDIT: Jason Payne, The Province Hazards assistant manager Lauren Mickey serves up a Sunburst salad on the patio of the Coquitlam restaurant, located at the Westwood Plateau Golf Academy.

1. Westward Ho Public House & Grill Room: Pastoral setting with golfers swearing and searching the shrubbery while you watch from the patio chowing down on great food, or try the fine beer and hotdog stand on the 10th green.

University Golf Club, 5185 University Blvd., Vancouver, 604-224-7799

2. Hazards Restaurant: Expansive view of the Fraser Valley and Mount Baker, beautiful patio jutting out over the greenery and dishes spanning everything from eggs benedict to salmon to ribs to sandwiches.

Westwood Plateau Golf, 1630 Parkway Blvd., Coquitlam, 604-941-4219

3. Eagle’s Nest Bar & Grill: Nestled amongst mountain scenery, just think of savoury chicken wings, burger offerings or a wide array of wraps while you’re hacking divots on the back nine.

Golden Eagle Golf Club, 21770 Ladner Rd., Pitt Meadows, 604-460-1111

4. Creekside Grill: Play the course or hit the driving range to work up an appetite. Plenty of food and drink specials afterwards to soothe the soul and keep you from breaking your putter.

Eaglequest Coyote Creek Golf, 7778 152nd St. Surrey, 604-597-4653

5. Northlands Restaurant: Doesn’t get more scenic than this, surrounded by mountains and old-growth forest. Between the breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner and pub menus, this restaurant doesn’t miss a shot.

Northlands Golf Course, 3400 Anne Macdonald Way, North Van, 604-924-2950

2611 West 4th Ave., Vancouver, 604-734-4444

5 great patios for margarita-sipping

CREDIT: Jason Payne, The Province The Lift Bar Grill View is aptly named. In addition to this deck, it offers an upper patio with two fireplaces to keep you warm on those cooler nights.

1. Las Margaritas Restaurante and Cantina: What’s in a name? asked Shakespeare, and though he might not have been down Tijuana way, this place wouldn’t call a margarita a rose no matter how many you drink. Sidewalk patio for street-gazing and some tasty California-Mexican border-crossing eats.

1999 West 4th Ave., Vancouver, 604-734-7117

2. Little Mexico Cantina: This patio almost has a view of the Fraser, but you can certainly sniff the sea air and see the ships in the distance as you slurp a slushy tequila creation and sample some classic Mexican dishes. Homemade salsas are excellent.

#150-3131 Chatham St., Richmond, 604-272-5123

3. Bichos Mexican Taste: After a few of the margaritas here along with some authentic Mexican food you just might mistake the Semiahmoo Bay view for the Gulf of Mexico.

15077 Marine Drive, White Rock, 604-542-5191

4. Cincin: When I asked a regular of this place what makes the margaritas so good she replied, “The bartender, of course.” A beautiful patio to match the beautiful people who frequent this joint. The margarita doesn’t look too bad itself, and that’s without the botox.

1154 Robson St., Vancouver, 604-688-7338

5. Andales: Insanely vibrant place, much like the Kits street parade you can savour on the patio as you suck back one of the many margarita specials.

3211 West Broadway, Vancouver, 604-738-9782

5 great romantic patio enclaves

CREDIT: Les Bazso, The Province The Fish House has it all: gardens, wine and tasty food.

1. Parkside: Old World meets modern cuisine and design, and the whole place seems rather secretive, just like the foliage-filled courtyard patio. The food could romance the pants off a snarling warthog, it’s that good.

1906 Haro St., Vancouver, 604-683-6912

2. Circolo: If music be the food of love, then pan-seared foie gras and a good bottle of wine can’t be far behind. A treat for all the senses in this garden patio setting as you nuzzle up to your loved one and some goose liver.

1116 Mainland St., Vancouver, 604-687-1116

3. Beach House at Dundarave Pier: Hunkered away in a setting so quaint it’ll make your eyes ache with the beauty of it all, from the ocean view to the snazzy summer menu to the wine list for massaging the limbic system.

150 25th St., West Vancouver, 604-922-1414

4. Fish House in Stanley Park: You can’t help but be romanced by the surrounding gardens and woods unless you’re a zombie, and if that doesn’t work, the wine list and inventive food should do the trick.

8901 Stanley Park Drive, Vancouver, 604-681-7275

5. Quattro on Fourth: The Italians are renowned for whispering sweet nothings in your ear while offering something more substantial for the belly. This patio is lush with food, wine and atmosphere, sending the senses into overdrive and the tastebuds to heaven.

2611 West 4th Ave., Vancouver, 604-734-4444

© The Vancouver Province 2005

The Telus building at 3777 Kingsway in Burnaby is being named in honour of Brian Canfield, the former president and CEO of the company who is now chairman of Telus’s board of directors.

The building will be known as the Brian Canfield Centre for Excellence in Telecommunications in honour of Canfield, who worked for Telus for 49 years.

“What we are achieving today has been made possible by leaders like Brian who have come before us,” said Telus president and CEO Darren Entwistle in a statement. “These people have built the legacy that they now bestow upon us.”

© The Vancouver Sun 2005

A coalition of eight coastal B.C. first nations plans to build at least three or four ultra-luxurious resort lodges that would be patterned after the successful King Pacific Lodge on Princess Royal Island on B.C.’s north coast.

Aboriginal tourism officials have already contacted King Pacific Lodge for help in managing the new facilities and several potential development sites have been identified — including one about 40 km north of Skidegate on the Queen Charlotte Islands.

King Pacific Lodge president Michael Uehara said the new lodges would cost from $8 million to $16 million each, with funds to be raised by attracting investors who would expect varying rates of return.

“The potential for these kinds of facilities is huge,” Uehara said in an interview. “They provide authentic adventure experiences in a five-star envelope and there aren’t a lot of those around the world.

“As baby boomers reach retirement, they’re looking less for access to fabulous buildings and more for those authentic natural experiences that are becoming rarer and rarer.”

He said the first new lodge to open would likely be the Queen Charlotte Islands property, possibly in 2007.

The exclusive King Pacific Lodge, which opened in 1999, features 14 guest rooms and three luxury suites, along with a spa, health club, lounge and dining room.

The floating wilderness lodge attracts high-end clients from all over the world and a seven-day stay at the resort — featuring guided hiking and kayaking, wildlife viewing, spa treatments, all meals and open bar — can cost up to $20,000 US per person, depending on the room. Uehara said it costs an average of $1,700 a day to stay at the lodge.

Coastal First Nations Initiative vice-president Colin Richardson, whose organization represents the eight first nations, said the coalition wants to build the new lodges so it can become a “real player” in tourism. The eight aboriginal groups would share ownership of each new lodge, with the host First Nation holding majority ownership.

“We’ve been looking at doing something like this for a couple of years now,” Richardson said in an interview.

“It’s a great way to build the economy and do it in a sustainable manner.”

He noted the Haida nation is already active in developing aboriginal tourism, with plans to open the first phase of a new $21-million, 50,000-square-foot heritage centre in Skidegate next year.

The value of aboriginal tourism across Canada is worth hundreds of millions of dollars annually but boosters expect those revenues to skyrocket when the fledgling industry reaches its full potential.

There are an estimated 100 aboriginal tourism companies operating throughout B.C. and at least another 100 working to become operational, involving a wide range of activities — including hiking businesses, kayaking firms, whale-watching operations, retail shops and interpretive centres.

© The Vancouver Sun 2005

OTTAWA — The federal government is exploring options for helping seniors who may be house-rich but cash-poor.

With an eye to easing the financial worries of low-income homeowners, Housing Minister Joe Fontana has asked the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. to investigate models for government-backed reverse mortgages.

Reverse mortgages for seniors are not new in Canada. But at this point they’re strictly private-sector, the sole domain of the Canadian Home Income Plan.

The plan enables seniors who’ve paid off their homes to borrow against the value of those homes. The loan and accumulated interest are paid when the house is sold or the homeowners die.

Tony Ianno, federal minister responsible for seniors, says he suspects low-income seniors would feel more comfortable tapping into a reverse mortgage program if it was insured by the government.

“Often people are afraid to do a deal regarding their home, taking into account they want to leave it to their family,” Ianno said. “Their nervousness is high.”

Ianno says he wants to eliminate the prospect of people being forced to sell their homes because they can’t afford to fix the roof and pay other bills.

“What we are trying to do is reduce that stress level,” Ianno said.

The idea is part of a broader effort to help struggling seniors. The government has already moved to raise the Guaranteed Income Supplement for the poorest seniors, and to expand rental supplements and the supply of affordable housing units.

Ianno said a government-insured reverse mortgage plan would give homeowners an added sense of security. It also would be able to offer lower interest rates because there would be no requirement to make a profit, he said.

Steve Ranson, president and CEO of the Canadian Home Income Plan, questioned the need for the government to get involved in the reverse mortgage business.

“I don’t actually know what the government would bring to the product,” he said, stressing there is no income criteria in the CHIP program.

The Canadian Home Income Plan reverse mortgage has attracted about 6,000 customers so far, Ranson said. It allows homeowners 62 years or older to borrow up to 40 per cent of the value of their home. Homeowners must borrow at least $20,000, and take that sum in a lump sum off the top.

In return, the Canadian Home Income Plan gets a priority lien on the home when ownership changes hands. The debt is capped at the value of the home.

Ranson said demand for reverse mortgages has been rising steadily in recent years.

Making use of the mortgage
Reverse mortgage an opportunity to raise needed funds
Reverse mortgages for seniors are currently the sole domain of the private-sector Canadian Home Income Plan. The plan enables seniors who’ve paid off their homes to borrow against the value of those homes. The loan and the accumulated interest aren’t paid until the house is sold or the homeowners die. A government-insured reverse mortgage plan would be able to offer lower interest rates because there would be no requirement to make a profit.

© The Vancouver Sun 2005