An alternate AvatarMeet location (Vancouver) ;)

Started by TrueLoveforNeytiri, December 07, 2017, 06:31:56 AM

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TrueLoveforNeytiri

To start off, my appologies in advance for such a LONG post! hrh :-[ However, I'd like to go into why I think this location would be a highly viable and excellent option in addition to some of the other venues that have been mentioned so far. :)

My suggestion for next year's North American AvatarMeet location is Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. :) Why Canada? Why Vancouver? First, instead of asking "why", I would say, "why not?" :) I believe, for many reasons that I will go into below, that Vancouver is a truly ideal spot for the next AvatarMeet. It offers opportunities for not only urban adventure (if you so please), but you also have the very unique and incredible opportunity to partake in adventures that include gorgeous, rugged, and remote (yes, remote) natural landscapes and activities, and SO much more. All of which is literally within minutes of the downtown core and where the main meet accommodations would be. Vancouver is NOT like other cities. ;) With Vancouver, the landscape is yours to explore, and your adventures and activities are what you make of it. Ultimately, Vancouver is about choice and fantastic accessibility, and it strikes an incredible balance between breathtaking natural landscapes and urban exploration, if you so please. Adventures and opportunities abound, and they are literally endless. ;)

What are some of the things you can do within 5-45 minutes of where the accommodations would be? What's available? :) Here is a shortlist of just some of the things to do there:

- Rugged forests and beautiful mountainous terrain
- Wilderness and car camping in many of the surrounding provincial parks on the north side of town where there are remote and rugged landscapes for literally hundreds of miles/kilometers into the surrounding wilderness.
- Many hiking trails from beginner level (but still beautiful), to rugged and remote trails that can include high elevation gains
- Zip line rides and gondola/cable car rides through the mountains that offer you unique and spectacular views of the surrounding terrain
- Paragliding
- Suspension bridge walks over canyons and cliffs, as well as bridges spanning from tree to tree
- Ecological preserves for potential habitat restoration activities - for what has become a key part of the AvatarMeets (irayo, ma Raiden! ;) )
- Sea kayaking and paddle boarding
- Whale watching
- Aboriginal galleries, museums, and carved wood totem poles - a chance to learn about the native peoples of the area
- Pacific oceanfront parks
- Beaches (including a clothing optional beach for those who may wish to do so)
- Boat tours
- Aquariums
- Aviaries
- Greenhouses and botanical gardens
- Traditional Chinese and Japanese gardens
- Urban parks within the downtown core - both forested and coastal (as an option to the more rugged areas north of town)
- Art galleries
- Theaters
- Movie cinemas
- Shopping of all kinds
- Fresh food and seafood markets
- Coffee houses
- Bars and pubs
- Restaurants of all nationalities

Those are just some of the activities available, and literally all of them, and I mean all of them, are literally within minutes of where the accommodations would be.

I would also like to point out that Vancouver is very progressive, friendly and accommodating to those of the attendees who may be a part of the LGBTQ community. There are also other activities and possible events there for you to enjoy and be a part of as well. So please, feel welcome and safe to do whatever you like, and be a part of what the Vancouver area has to offer.

TrueLoveforNeytiri

Just a word of note to the planning team though: Additionally, I would also like to say that I am more than willing to offer to help plan a meet in Vancouver if it is so chosen for next year's AvatarMeet location. One of the variables I see for next year's meet is that there will be less time to plan a meet in North America because this year's meet just finished a few weeks ago. Given that it looks like there is going to be a separate meet in Germany in the fall of next year, it seems as though a meet here in the summer is more likely. That being the case, that would only give us 7-8 months at the most to get everything researched and planned ahead of time for the meet.

If I were to be given the opportunity to come onboard to be a part of the planning team for this meet, I feel I have the means and capabilities to help make the meet a success. I tend to be very detail-oriented, thoughtful and considerate of all variables, and I also tend to take a pragmatic approach about certain key aspects and considerations of the planning process. I have talked with and learned from some of the other planning team members over the last few years, and I feel that I have something to to offer to help with the planning process. Ultimately, I am most concerned with providing a meet that is fun, and that caters to all people. :)

Additionally, I currently have the time to help research and plan a meet efficiently within the given timeframe we have for next year's event. Part of the reason why I wanted to plan a meet in Vancouver this year is because of the timeframe we have this year. Being that I have the time and resources to help put it together, I could help to expedite the planning process and alleviate the added stress of having to plan a meet within the timeframe we have. Also, one or two of the current AvatarMeet planners could be potentially planning a meet in Germany instead of here, so I would be more than happy to come aboard and fill in to help create a great event for everyone in Vancouver next year. Just my two cents. :-[

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Wind12

Kaltxì ma TLFN!

I have always wanted to experience the PNW area with all the different climates in a short distance from each other, and  it just looks like a beautiful area of the world to me :) I do like the fact that it would be very centralized for travel and it would have lots of activities and nature with in a relatively short distance from the place that we would be staying which would help ease the burden for the amount drivers that would be needed, but also it would give people a chance to explore a different natural environment then they would normally get to see with the benefit that it would be within easy reach from the city center in case there are people who come that have mobility or even health issues that make "roughing it" a bit tough for them, yet there also still being very wild areas not far away for people to "rough it" ( for example if there was to be some camping before the main meet).  Also with the difference in the dollar thing it would help a bit for costs for US members of the meet, and it would maybe help some Canadian Avatar fans to be able to have a meet where they don't have to come to the US( and also it would help them financially since they would have to pay more down here with the strong US dollar at the moment.)

CyanRachel

Well, you definitely have me sold on a Vancouver AvatarMeet!  :D
My parents visited Vancouver a few yrs ago and loved it. I've never been there and would love to visit one day, so count me in! Plus, I'd maybe get to see some of the shooting locations for my favorite DC superhero TV series (The Flash, Supergirl, Smallville, etc).  :)
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Alan

Well, that was a big sell!  Irayo nìtxan for all your research and sharing of information about Vancouver.  It has been talked about a number of times about going to Canada - I think Toronto was talked about, but Vancouver looks a lot better.

The other aspect is that it has been a while since the meet up has been on the west coast.

I think the one thing that does appeal to me is the inclusivity of the location.  There is opportunities for those who wish to camp, which has been a feature of the meet ups before the main meet up.  The other one is easy access.  It might be the Yellowstone is actually accessible by shuttle, as Estes Park was when we went there in 2015. I don't know as I haven't really looked.

Anyway, I definitely think Vancouver should go into the melting pot of potential AvatarMeet 2018 locations.

Alan

Ikxeru

Quote from: Alan on December 07, 2017, 03:06:28 PM
Anyway, I definitely think Vancouver should go into the melting pot of potential AvatarMeet 2018 locations.
Definitly a charming idea to visit the city in summer.  Very much activities for lovers of an urban and rurual lifestyle-  Like the meetup at D.C.+Shenanndoah :)
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`Eylan Ayfalulukanä

Vancouver is certainly a viable option. Certainly easy by train or plane. Driving is better because it makes camping much easier, and I can bring a telescope.

Sometime next year, Apollo 11 is supposed to be on display at the Boeing museum in Seattle, if anyone is interested in that.

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Wind12

I have had in itch to visit the PNW area( which I would include Vancover as part of) for a long time, so it would be a cool place by me, ocean, Mountains, forests, and mild summer weather.

TrueLoveforNeytiri

#9
Quote from: Wind12 on December 07, 2017, 02:15:20 PM
Kaltxì ma TLFN!

I have always wanted to experience the PNW area with all the different climates in a short distance from each other, and  it just looks like a beautiful area of the world to me :) I do like the fact that it would be very centralized for travel and it would have lots of activities and nature with in a relatively short distance from the place that we would be staying which would help ease the burden for the amount drivers that would be needed, but also it would give people a chance to explore a different natural environment then they would normally get to see with the benefit that it would be within easy reach from the city center in case there are people who come that have mobility or even health issues that make "roughing it" a bit tough for them, yet there also still being very wild areas not far away for people to "rough it" ( for example if there was to be some camping before the main meet).  Also with the difference in the dollar thing it would help a bit for costs for US members of the meet, and it would maybe help some Canadian Avatar fans to be able to have a meet where they don't have to come to the US( and also it would help them financially since they would have to pay more down here with the strong US dollar at the moment.)

Kaltxì, ma W12! ;) Long time no see! ;D

Sweet! I'm glad Vancouver seems to appeal to you. That was definitely one of my concerns is accessibility, as well as variety for everyone attending. Once I started doing my research, even I was stunned at how much there was to do. As I mentioned, Vancouver offers a perfect mix of wilderness exploration, urban adventures and everything in between. But it was the closeness and accessibility of it all that was really the most surprising thing. And yeah, the cheaper Canadian dollar would be beneficial to visitors coming in from the U.S., the U.K., or other parts of Europe for sure. :)

Quote from: CyanRachel on December 07, 2017, 02:53:41 PM
Well, you definitely have me sold on a Vancouver AvatarMeet!  :D
My parents visited Vancouver a few yrs ago and loved it. I've never been there and would love to visit one day, so count me in! Plus, I'd maybe get to see some of the shooting locations for my favorite DC superhero TV series (The Flash, Supergirl, Smallville, etc).  :)

Awesome! :D Despite the meet, I've always wanted to go to Vancouver too. I'm glad your folks enjoyed their stay. :) And for sure! You could visit all those places if the meet is there! If I were you, I'd have a look online to see if there is any kind of tour that takes people from location to location for some of those things. Vancouver is a lesser-known hotspot for Hollywood movie and TV productions. In fact, I'm pretty sure the company my father works for supplied the lighting and other production equipment for most of those productions. So if you see the lighting in some of those movies and shows, there's a possibility my dad fixed some of them. hrh XD Anyway, that's pretty neat though. I had forgotten some of those were filmed there. :)

Quote from: Alan on December 07, 2017, 03:06:28 PM
Well, that was a big sell!  Irayo nìtxan for all your research and sharing of information about Vancouver.  It has been talked about a number of times about going to Canada - I think Toronto was talked about, but Vancouver looks a lot better.

The other aspect is that it has been a while since the meet up has been on the west coast.

I think the one thing that does appeal to me is the inclusivity of the location.  There is opportunities for those who wish to camp, which has been a feature of the meet ups before the main meet up.  The other one is easy access.  It might be the Yellowstone is actually accessible by shuttle, as Estes Park was when we went there in 2015. I don't know as I haven't really looked.

Anyway, I definitely think Vancouver should go into the melting pot of potential AvatarMeet 2018 locations.

Alan

Hey, no worries, ma Alan. :) I put some effort into researching Vancouver and I've learned a lot. I've done some initial groundwork on accommodations and I plan on doing more. Canada has been mentioned before, and Toronto would be a good venue too, but Vancouver is an even better location I think. There are other cities in Canada that would be great to have a meet in too, but perhaps other Canadian destinations could be considered sometime down the road.

And yeah, for sure. It's been a while since there was a meet on the west coast. It's been four meets since the meet at Lightstorm in 2014! Can you believe it's been that long already? Where does the time go? ???

In all fairness, I did forget to mention that in my post of concerns regarding Yellowstone. I did wonder if there was perhaps a shuttle from one of the airports to a venue somewhere in and around the park. Getting people around from activity to activity might still be a hurdle though. More than likely there would have to be enough people attending that are willing to drive and/or rent a car, as well as enough vehicles to get people around. Something to consider.

Quote from: Ikxeru on December 07, 2017, 07:20:31 PM
Definitly a charming idea to visit the city in summer.  Very much activities for lovers of an urban and rurual lifestyle-  Like the meetup at D.C.+Shenanndoah :)

Yeah, sadly, I didn't attend the meet in D.C. and Shenandoah, because I didn't know there was an AvatarMeet at the time! hrh :-[ Which is a shame, I really would have loved to have seen the Appalachian mountains. I have a bit of an affinity for them. I planned on hiking the entire Appalachian Trail in 2012 - all 2,200 miles/3,500 kilometers of it! :o But sadly, I had to pull out at the last moment. :'( It's one of those lifelong ambitions of mine to eventually do it. One day though. :)

I'll miss you at the meet next year, but I hope the meet in Germany is a blast! I'm sure it will be. I'd LOVE to see Toruk again! In a way I'm a bit envious! :-[ Hopefully I can visit Germany one day though. I actually have a cousin who lives in Berlin. Again, maybe one day! :D

Quote from: `Eylan Ayfalulukanä on December 07, 2017, 11:25:54 PM
Vancouver is certainly a viable option. Certainly easy by train or plane. Driving is better because it makes camping much easier, and I can bring a telescope.

Sometime next year, Apollo 11 is supposed to be on display at the Boeing museum in Seattle, if anyone is interested in that.

Yep, Vancouver is pretty easy to get to. :) It's funny you mention trains though, because I have the option of taking the train from where I am to Vancouver by rail. Four days and three nights! I've always wanted to take the train across Canada, and if the meet was to be in Vancouver, I'd be able to consider it. If I took the train out there, I'd be able to see all the parts of Canada I haven't seen yet, including the Canadian Rockies. It would be an interesting trip out west for sure. :) It's a funny thing you mention your telescope though, which actually leads me to my next post. ;)...

TrueLoveforNeytiri

#10
I did a little more research and it looks like there is not only one, but possibly two observatories in Vancouver to visit! Not only that, but both of them are close to the hotel! One is a university observatory, so I am not sure if it is open to the public though. I still have to look into that. But here's is what I found about the other one. ;)

https://freeactivities.ca/gaze-at-the-stars-at-macmillan-observatory-for-free/

http://www.spacecentre.ca

In addition, I also found a museum nearby that would have some interesting exhibits of local aboriginal artifacts and history, amongst other things. I just discovered this, but it looks like they might even do interactive sessions with groups as well(?). Of interest though, the museum is a part of the University of British Columbia grounds (again, close to the hotel), which is where the other observatory is. So perhaps it's open to the public too? Again, I'll need to do more research on that. However, in the link below, just make sure to click on the "Exhibitions" tab on the header at the top, and then click on "On Now & Up Next". Right now they have an exhibition all about the indigenous of the Amazon and how the natives there are being confronted by threats caused by political violence, mining, oil and gas exploration, industrial agriculture, forest fires, and hydroelectric plants. It's too bad the exhibit only runs until January 28th, 2018! Ugh! An exhibit like that would be PERFECT for the AvatarMeet in regards to how the events of Avatar parallel what is happening to indigenous peoples all over the world. :'(

http://moa.ubc.ca


TrueLoveforNeytiri

In addition to those areas, there is also the opportunity to do zip lining and cable car rides, and even paragliding for the adventurous among us. ;) All of these activities are within minutes of where the accommodations would be.




TrueLoveforNeytiri

There are also suspension bridge walks over canyons and cliffs, as well as bridges spanning from tree to tree.




TrueLoveforNeytiri

#14
Vancouver also has activities on the ocean as well. You can go sea kayaking and paddle boarding, or you can go whale watching or go on one of the many boat cruises available.





TrueLoveforNeytiri


TrueLoveforNeytiri

There are also aquariums, aviaries, greenhouses and botanical gardens, as well as traditional Chinese and Japanese gardens to walk through.








TrueLoveforNeytiri

#17
Not to mention there are many, many urban parks close to the accommodations to visit that include both forested and coastal areas.







TrueLoveforNeytiri

There are also museums, art galleries, aboriginal art museums, and theaters all close by for attendees who would like to partake in the arts and history.





TrueLoveforNeytiri

There are also a fresh food and seafood market close by at the Granville Island Market (no ferry needed), as well as many, many coffee houses, and bars and pubs. All right by the hotel.




Granville Island Market: