Dining in Burnaby

If you are looking for a variety of cuisines, look no further than Burnaby, BC. Though Burnaby is not as large and metropolitan as Vancouver, your taste buds can travel the world without getting on a plane. If you are tired of your own cooking, or your spouses, looking to try something new and different, or maybe you are just tired of steak, pizza, seafood, and burgers.

Exotic Cuisines:

If you are looking for something more exotic, new, and a refreshing change, one of these might become your new favorite restaurant.

African – Simba’s Grill
Russian – Romanoff’s Restaurant
Vietnamese – Paradise Vegetarian Noodle House
Hungarian – DANUBE – European Restaurant
Greek – Moldovanos Restaurant
Mediterranean – Romana Restaurant
Thai – Bamboo House

Traditional International Flavors:

You can always count on the variety and selection of options from better-known international cuisines to help get your palette out of a rut.

Italian – L’Artista Ristorante Italiano, Baci Restaurant, Anton’s Pasta Bar

Chinese – Burnaby Palace Restaurant, First Choices Chinese Foods, Big Lai Palace Restaurant, On On Wonton House, Ming Kee Kitchen, and more

Japanese – Sushi Oyama, Sushi Town, Sushi Garden Japanese Restaurant, Daimasu, Gohan West Coast Japanese Restaurant, Izumi Sushi (Metrotown)

Mexican – Cactus Club Cafe

Indian – Agra Tandoori Restaurant, Bombay Bhel, Saffron Indian Cuisine, James Street Cafe & Grill

Five Family Friendly Options:

While you may not be able to get your children to try new foods, you can be sure they will be happy with the menu if you chose one of the following restaurants to eat with your whole family.

The ABC Family Restaurant
Balkan Grill
Boston Pizza
IHOP (International House of Pancakes)
Swiss Chalet Rotisserie & Grill

No matter what your dining preferences might be, you can find it all in beautiful Burnaby. Live on the edge and explore some of the tempting, tasty delights available.

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The Vancouver Whitecaps FC

The Vancouver Whitecaps Swangard Stadium is located in Central Park in Burnaby, BC and is the current home of the team. In the summer of 2011 the team will be moving to BC Place stadium in Vancouver now that they have gotten a Major League franchise. The team and franchise have big goals for the team in the future, including a state-of-the-art training facility and becoming one of the Top 25 teams.

The team is built on the European Club model that works with area youth and beginners all the way up to the professional team, to encourage active lifestyles, understanding and enjoyment of the game, and future stars.

In addition to the men’s team, there is also a women’s team. On January 13, 2011, it was announced that 8 women from the 2010 Whitecaps FC team have been called to the national team to play in China.

If you want to stay up on the latest happenings with the team through social media, they can be found on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Flickr:

The Whitecaps have a fan page on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/whitecapsfc

Follow the team on Twitter @WhitecapsFC

For videos on YouTube – http://youtube.com/vancouverwhitecapsfc

Photos can be found at – http://flickr.com/whitecaps

The Whitecaps Foundation is part of achieving the goal to make the next generation the fittest generation in British Columbia. The target date for this goal is 2020. To achieve this goal and assist the youth of the area, the Foundation needs your help. Please consider donating to the Foundation to help improve the health of the children and next generation of soccer stars.

One of example of what the Whitecap Foundation did during the 2010 year was to help the women’s team captain, Martina Franko, return to playing soccer competitively a few months are giving birth to a baby boy. The Foundation helped to provide care for Micah during the season so Martina could be both the team captain, player, and mother.

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River Rafting with Hyak Adventures

If you are looking for a river rafting adventure, then look no further than Hyak Wilderness Adventures. Hyak has been operating in British Columbia since 1980. They offer a variety of one, two, and three-day trips, both by power or paddle raft. They offer a fabulous 6-day adventure as well. The scenery and amazing whitewater on some of the best rivers in the northwest make the Hyak river rafting adventures an unforgettable experience no matter how old you are.

The Chilliwack and Thompson River day trips are very popular. The Chilliwack run is a fabulous choice May through July since it is fed by Mount Baker snowmelt. This trip is 4-½ hours and covers 12 miles of river. The Chilliwack River can also be done in an afternoon.

The Thompson River trip offers breathtaking views of Black Canyon and 27 sets of rapids on the exhilarating 4-½ hour-long day. Both day trips include a riverside lunch and all the required gear. The Thompson River also has afternoon, 2 and 3-day trips also. The Fantasy Island 2-day trip covers over 80 km of river and is available mid-July through mid-September. You can add to the fantasy and have the all-you-can eat “Steak and Crab” Extravaganza plus camp-side entertainment for a luxurious addition to the fantasy trip.

Schools can book one or two-day trips or an afternoon on the river as a group for Chilliwack or Thompson River. If none of the packages work, you can build your own.

The spectacular 6-day 3-river adventure takes you on the Chilco, Chicoltin, and Fraser Rivers. This is an outdoor adventure that includes camping, wilderness, glorious scenery, and fishing in quiet areas, speeding rivers, rapids, and canyons. It is an experience that you will never forget.

Visit www.hyak.com for more information, dates, rates, and reservations. Book early so you get the trip you want.

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Golfing in Burnaby

Whether you are a beginner or an experienced golfer, Burnaby has something for everyone.

The Pitch & Putts located in Kensington Park and Central Park are open to players ages eight and up and are open daily weather permitting. This is a less expensive, quicker option for those days when you are in a hurry, or are still learning. Senior (over 65) and Junior (under 18) rates are available. The Pitch & Putts use the following rules of play:
1-    Stay within one shot of the party in front of you
2-    Hit when ready and safe (no honour system)
3-    Continue putting until you hole out.
These rules are enforces to ensure the enjoyment of all players.

Burnaby Mountain and Riverway are the major golf venues in the area. Burnaby Mountain is a contemporary style course and Riverway offers a classic 18-hole course.

Lessons are available at both locations from CPGA golf professionals regardless of your skill level. They offer clinics, group or private lessons. Individualized swing training and club fitting are also available. Lessons are available for golfers as young as 4 years-old, standard group lessons are for between 4 and 7 students per class.

Burnaby Mountain stats – Par 71, Slope 121, 6,431-5,830 yards
Riverway stats – Par 72, Slope 127, 7,004-5,437 yards

The Pro Shops offer clothing for men and women, accessories, clubs and shoes for all levels of golfers. The shop employees can help you with all your golfing needs including booking a tee time, lessons, or selecting the right equipment.

For more information or to schedule a tee time or lessons, visit www.golfburnaby.net

In order to keep play moving along a certificate of ability is required for golfers under the age of 9 years old. Please contact one of the golf courses to arrange for a test. For liability reasons, parents must also sign a Waiver of Liability before their child may play golf.

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The C.W. Parker #119

The 1912 C.W. Parker Carousel is on the grounds of the Burnaby Village Museum. The carousel is open during museum hours, but you do not have to go to the museum to ride the carousel. During the summer, the carousel is closed from 1:00-1:30 for a lunch break. The last call for rides is 10 minutes before the museum closes.

The carousel was built in the C.W. Parker Company factory in Kansas and was the one hundred and nineteenth carousel built in the factory; hence it is called Parker 119. After a history of traveling with the Lone Star Circus, returning to the factory, spending time possibly in California and Washington, it found a home at HAPPYLAND in Vancouver in 1936.

In 1989, the carousel was going to be sold piece by piece at auction. The “Friends of the Vancouver Carousel Society” was formed by concerned citizens, who wanted to keep and restore the beautiful old carousel to its former glory. The society raised the money to buy and restore the carousel after the museum agreed it could be placed on the grounds. The Burnaby Centennial project is to build a new permanent facility to house the carousel. The carousel receives regular restoration and maintenance to ensure it remains in perfect working order and is as beautifully detailed, as it was when it was first built.

The name carousel actually comes from the name Parker gave them, which was “Carry-Us-All’s” since he did not think “Merry-Go-Round” did justice to his creations.

The carousel has 36 hand-carved horses, 4 cast aluminum ponies, a wheelchair and a chariot. The detailed history of each horse and the chariot can be found at http://heritageburnaby.ca

The music that accompanies the carousel is from a restored 1925 146B Wurlitzer Military band organ. The authentic band organ creates the right music and atmosphere for riding the carousel.

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Burnaby Village Museum

The Burnaby Village Museum offers many programs for all ages, including camps for children, educational programs, and annual events, like the heritage fair and haunted village.

The Heritage Village allows you to be transported to a 1920’s village. The combination of heritage and replica buildings enables visitors to explore at their own pace. Museum employees become people living and working in the town through their period costumes, demonstrations and information. Popular stops in the town are the blacksmith, the print shop, and the General Store. The site is wheelchair accessible and also offers a gift shop, ice cream parlour, with light meals and snacks, and picnic tables.

Spring Break Camp is for children ages 8-12 and runs March 21-25, 2011. Activities include baking spring themed cookies, nature walks, daily carousel rides, try blacksmithing, and play heritage period games.

The Summer Camps are for children ages 5-12, divided by age groups. Camps are Monday through Friday from 9 am to 3 pm unless otherwise stated. The cost is $150.00 for a five-day week, which does not include taxes. Camp topics include Back to Nature, Fun and Food, and Archaeological Explorations.

Walking Tours include the Haunted Deer Lake tour. The Haunted tour is only for people ages 16 and older. It is an evening tour that takes you through five reportedly haunted buildings, learn their history and what mysterious phenomenon is associated with each location.

Traditional Walking Tours are offered in the Spring, Summer, and Fall.

Educational programs are historically themed and are designed to complement the BC Social Studies curriculum. In the Three R’s program children grades 2-5 can spend a day like they are in school in the 1920’s, from topics of study, texts, “mini-lessons in reading, writing and ’rithmetic”, and recess games.
 
Blacksmithing classes at the forge are available for basic, forge welding, tool making, and women.  Sessions are $75.00 and run from 9am to 1pm.

Pre-registration is required for all museum programs.

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