| It's been a most unusual winter in Vancouver... winter | | | | news for the three local ski hills. They have been |
| storm after winter storm. Enjoyable and refreshing, | | | | enjoying fantastic ski conditions and slopes packed |
| the city took on another type of beauty covered in | | | | with skiers and snow-boarders. |
| a blanket of snow. Vancouverites made snowmen | | | | The trick to winter fun is to prepare and plan ahead. |
| and tobogganed down hills smugly knowing that soon | | | | Here are a few tips: |
| the rain would come and wash the snow away. | | | | - have proper winter tires on your vehicle instead of |
| Then, it would be back to gloating about typically mild | | | | just all seasons |
| temperatures and mock fretting over tulips trying to | | | | - leave a brush and ice scraper in your car |
| bloom in January. | | | | - a shovel is handy |
| This year, not so much. Snow storms, heavy rains | | | | - make sure there's at least a half a tank of gas in |
| and high winds have caused flooding, power outages | | | | your car |
| and knocked down stands of trees. The weather at | | | | - wear suitable clothing, hat, gloves and lip balm |
| times has even forced the closure of Stanley Park | | | | - include more time to get where you're going |
| the city's number one tourist attraction and caused | | | | - make back up plans of things to do |
| the roof on the air-pressure filled fabric roof of B.C. | | | | Snow or no, Vancouver is a beautiful city and rated |
| Place Stadium to tear. All the snow has been good | | | | as one of the best places to live in the world. |