Flaneuring aka wandering is one of the keys to being an everyday tourist, as you can do it anywhere any time. You can do it for 10 minutes, or you can do it all day. Often leave early and park further away or get off at bus stop further from my destination so I can flaneur a bit before I need to be somewhere. Or I will flaneur the neighbourhood after I my meeting.

It is a great way to get to know a new place as you just head out the door and see where your whim takes you. Recently we spent over three week flaneuring in Vancouver. Pretty much everyday we just took the bus to a different part of the city and started walking to see what we would find

Given it is now 2024, I thought it might be fun to share with you 24 of our fun flaneur finds, in no particular orders. Everything from public art to hidden public spaces, from thrift store finds to urban dancing. Too much fun!

Let the flaneuring begin….

#1 1090 West Pinder Art Show

I am always on the lookout for new public artworks and was intrigued when I saw this vibrant image in the lobby of a new office building at 1090 West Pender, while on the bus. Later, I just happened to be walking by when I realized the artwork was a video on a continuous loop on a huge screen. I was mesmerized.
Unfortunately I couldn’t get inside the lobby as the building isn’t open yet.

#2 The Alberni

At the corner of Alberni and Cordero is the Alberni residential tower (see photo below) a very strange, some might say aggressive looking building from a distance. But when you walk by, it has an inviting ramp to magical space that that is in fact the sidewalk to the entrance to the building.
From the ceiling hang randomly organized sticks of wood, (actually are metal tubes made to look like wood due to fire restrictions), along with mirror pillars and a moss garden create a sacred place. It is as if you have walked into another world. As far as I can tell it is open to the public as there is no fence and no gate, no signage saying private property.

#3 Dancing Safeway

On New Year’s Eve we went out for a walk and found this amazing light show on the facade of the Safeway store on Davie Street. The colours danced up and down and across the half block long facade creating an eerie experience that reminded me of the Northern Lights. I loved it!

#5 Polar Bear Enclosure

#6 Emily Carr And Friends

Wandering up South Granville we wandered into Heffel Auction House and on the way out I just happened to look up West 7th Ave as side streets are the best places to find hidden gems. Lo and behold there was this sculpture. Turns out it Joe Farard’s “Emily Carr and friends.” What a delightful piece depicting Emily with her monkey Woo and dog Billie.

#7 The Wall

Found this lovely mid-block passage/plaza way with its concrete relief mural/wall located just off of Burrard at Burnaby. You will find it near the Jim Pattison Toyota dealership.

#8 Playful Plaza

Loved this colourful, creative public space created along South Granville. Sadly this singer didn’t attract any audience both times we passed by. I expect on a nicer day it would be a fun place to meet for a coffee or just people watch.

#9 Chinatown Coin Bank

I first saw this heritage bank in Chinatown on the bus and was intrigued by the unique columns. Later when exploring Chinatown I experienced it from the street and realized the columns look like a roll of coins. Opened in 1915 it is an example of a temple bank, in the Edwardian Baroque Style.

#10 The Heart Pedestrian Bridge

This Pedestrian/Equestrian Bridge in the middle of Stanley Park was a definite fun flaneur find.

#11 Mother Nature

While wander back from Stanley Park I found this exotic looking plant clinging to the underside of a tree trunk. It was one of several strange tree trunk plants I found both in the park and along the sidewalk enjoying Vancouver’s wet climate.

#12 Empty Train Station

Vancouver is home to two heritage train stations. The majestic Pacific Central station (1919) on Main Street at Terminal Ave is empty most of the time as only a few VIA and Amtrak trains arrive each week. We wandered in and found a few gems like the unique clock and repurposed phone booths.

#13 Totem Pole Village

Located just off the Sea Wall in eastern arm of Stanley Park is a collection of totem poles that is definitely worth a visit. We found them accidentally when we’re wandered off the sea wall pathway by some playing fields.

#14 Nine O’clock Gun

If you walk along the sea wall from Coal Harbour you will soon come upon a small building that encloses a canon pointed back a downtown. Turns out the twelve pound muzzle-loader cast in 1816 at Woolich, England was brought to Vancouver in 1894. It is called the Nine O’clock Gun as it is fired off every night at 9 pm.

#15 Pitch & Putt

You never know what you will find when you play Stanley Park’s Pitch & Putt golf course. This time we found a tree had fallen across a green creating a huge divot. The tree trunk had been cut into small chunks some of which were very sculptural. This intriguing sculptural piece (I would have loved to take this home) was placed on a stump, like a pedestal in a museum. There were also some creative flags to mark where the hole is located on the green. Even the birds were creative in the pattern of their holes in a dead tree.

#16 Gold Rush Camel

At the corner of Lonsdale Ave and 13th St E we encountered a life-size camel - very strange. Turns out the camel sculpture pays tribute to the the camels that once walked the British Columbia’s Caribou Trail during the gold rush. Who knew?

#17 Tiny Cows

Located also on Lonsdale Ave just a bit north are several tiny cows integrated into the rain water runoff system. Turns out this public artwork “Lost Cows of Lillooett” pays homage to the Burrard-Lillooet Cattle Trail and the Log Flumes two pioneer transportation routes that created the framework for current roadways. Too much fun!

#18 Douglas Coupland Trail

In Ambleside Village along Marine Drive we were treated to not one, but three Douglas Coupland artworks. This is the massive sculpture inspired by the plethora of driftwood in Vancouver is titled “Tree Snag.”

“Float Stack” is inspired by the colourful floats that are part of the city’s marine culture. Below is another Coupland piece titled “Deer Vertebra.”

#19 Granddaughters Mural

I have walked around the Lost Lagoon in Stanley Park but somehow I have never passed by the Nature House with its in your face "Grandaughters Mural.” The mural is an “in your face” reminder of the complex history of Stanley Park between the indigenous people and the European settlers.

#20 White House Surprise

While wandering home along Comox St. near Stanley Park, I was surprised to find “The White House” mid-century apartment block with two beautiful, but strange murals. I couldn’t find no information on the murals or the artists.

#21 Vancouver General Hospital Thrift Store Fun

#22 The Perfect Niche

While wandering along Marine Drive in Ambleside Village we came upon this quirky sculpture in front of the Niche eye glass store. I loved how it created a fun sense of play for pedestrians walking buy. How could I not stop and take a photo? Then I noticed the mirror and had to get some fun selfies. FYI: For some reason eye glass retailers often have “eye catching” window displays. LOL!

#23 Pole Dancer

While flaneuring South Granville I became intrigued by this guy pasting posters on telephone poles. In this age of online social media this was very old school advertising. I loved how he danced around the pole making very rhythmic brush strokes - to me he was dancing around the pole.

#24 Funky Chairs

While wandering the Pacific Center indoor shopping mall I found these funky chairs.

They were very popular. I waited around for awhile but never got to use them.

Last Word

24 Fun Flaneur Finds in Vancouver