The view
I turn the corner from St Peter’s Roman Catholic Church onto Front street, walk down the hill just past the newly-modelled fire station with its totem and memorial to 911, and look up.
I can see the beautiful blue expanse of the Strait of Georgia with a thin green stretch of Gabriola Island, one of the peninsulas that borders Vancouver Island. Beyond it is a chiselled, snow-topped mountain scape whose watercolour blues and greys blend into a west coast sky.
I’m a girl who struggles to put down roots anywhere with the fear that when I hold onto anything, that is when it will be taken away. But returning to that view … a large part of me felt like I was home.
The Superette
The Superette is a delightful mom and pop shop on the corner of Milton Street and Albert Street. Its narrow aisles are packed with discounted items – close to their expiry dates – that have been redistributed by the bigger box stores, and it has an open display at its front and to the side with multi-coloured plastic crates filled with local produce.
Early on, I was warned off buying any meat from the store but I always stop there on my weekend walks to pick up some local fruits and vegetables in various stages of ripeness. And to catch my breath after the steep climb up Albert Street.
With its hand-written product/ price signs, its lock-and-chain on the ice cream fridge to deter shoplifters, and the quirky conversations with the colourful cashiers, every visit is a unique experience.
I recently saw that the store was up for sale and the thought that it would no longer be a regular stop, and may be replaced by a high rise of apartments, saddened me.
Colliery Dam
Colliery Dam is a green oasis in the Harewood neighbourhood that can be easily reached on foot or through public transit. When I first moved here, my homestay mother lived close to Colliery Dam and it quickly became a favourite.
Clustered by tall green trees and the sound of gently lapping water, I would often go there for a moment of solitude and peace and whisper words of gratitude to the tall trees.
During the summer, after the water had warmed up, I would swim in the man-made lake. The cooler temperature of the water took a while to adjust to, as did the new sensation of fresh water on my skin: it felt light and silky on my skin compared to the heavier and more sticky saltwater that I was used to from the Indian Ocean.
Island Intrigue 