Vancouver Rollerblading

Baby Boomers: Changing The Face Of Retirement

“Old age” was never in the vocabulary of the boomer retirees. They live under a creed of despising the aging process throughout their history. Born as activists questioning everything, they combat inevitable aging and dispose antiquated retirement concepts embraced by their parents. Instead, boomers give more attention on how they are going to lace up rollerblades, download in their iPod’s, or skate into sophisticated, hip energetic adult communities. They called this as lifestyle communities created all over the country to cater to their whim.

The previous architecture director of Del Webb Corporation, Bill Parks foresees that the approaching great numbers of boomers retirees would delight and bewilder many developers. For a less period of time, adult communities will be springing up meeting the needs of active adults.

There are over 1,200 adult communities all over the country and some are on the stages of planning. The underlying purpose of building such communities remains constant. To give a place for empty nesters to rationalize after their kids leave them. The location, ambiance, size, and amenities are great, too far from what had already existed.

Home builders consider this as a very big trend. The senior housing councils for the National Association of Home Builders, Jeff Jenkins, announced that after the first set of age-qualified boomers availed more than 55 communities, it staggered the impacts since 2001. Boomers aged 55 years old and above accounted for about 1/5 (207,000) of the 1.1 million purchases of new homes in 2003. The adult active market accounted for approximately 51 billion dollars of sales in new homes. This is the main reason why adult communities are springing up in all places.

The generation of World War II in fact invented the retirement standard of living in various ways. They outlived their work and accumulated significant wealth to enjoy their golden years. Their prospective places are Florida, California and Arizona due to its sunny weather with a handy golf course and pool and a country club or community center where they could establish their new social functions.

However, the boomers have a different viewpoint according to the CEO and founder of ICAA (International Council on Active Aging) Colin Milner. ICAA is an adult active advocacy organization in British Columbia, particularly Vancouver.  

Baby boomers have acquired so many life experiences that will soon be reflected in their adult communities. The only difference is that they have adopted what they have learned. Take for example fitness issues. Boomers parents didn’t incorporate fitness in their lifestyle considering it as a boring routine. So, the entire exercise trend was started by the baby boomers. It is not a turnoff for them because they have accessed it throughout their lives. Therefore, adopting it in their adult communities as a part of their lifestyle is not a big deal. Developers are creating adult communities reflecting their rich baby boomers history.

The major difference between the retirement villages of the first generation and adult active communities is location. Numerous surveys reveal surprising results. 2 out of 3 boomers wanted to live 100 miles away from where they lived and worked. The reason that motivated boomers to moving further does not mainly lie on the type of weather. But they chase their friends and family who have transferred in that location.

The phenomenon called as stay-at-home caught some developers off guard. They never realized that one day the resort-style adult communities near main urban centers will become lesser in demand. The Midwest and Northwest location was once the best seller. During the mid-90s one half of such communities are situated in Sunbelt. Washington D.C is not a very popular retirement location however there are dozens of adult active communities available wherein some people never believe it is possible. Today, three fourths of these communities are not within Sunbelt anymore. The price ranges 150,000 dollars and above for a town home having two bedrooms and two baths.

The boomers generation has been separated from its Me Generation. For ill or good, the history’s largest generation changes the faces of everything on the path they once lived. They exchange health care from entertainment, investing from childbirth, and education from fitness. It will hold no surprise that boomer retirees will reinvent the entire retirement village.  Boomers regardless of their age still continue to make changes.

Things To Do In Vancouver B.C. Canada: Stanley Park

In 1886, Vancouvers first City council made a momentous decision by petitioning the federal Government of Canada to lease 1,000 acres of a largely logged peninsula for park and recreation purposes. Following the establishment of the fledgling citys first official greenspace, Council then decided to set up an autonomous and separately elected committee to govern all park and recreation developments. And so the Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation was born, one of the only elected bodies of its kind in Canada. The system now includes over 200 parks but its heart remains in the cool, lush, evergreen oasis of Stanley Park named for Lord Stanley, Governor General of Canada in 1888 when the park was officially opened.

Yearly visits to this, North Americas third largest urban park, are estimated at 8 million people. Originally home to Musqueam and Squamish First Nations people. Stanley Park as you see it today was not one designers grand scheme but more an evolution of a pioneer citys hopes and dreams: a place for its citizens to recreate themselves through active sport or passive repose.

Stanley Park is home to a variety of ecosystems, from the shoreline surrounding the park to the West Coast rainforest that dominates it and the freshwater environments dotted throughout. Douglas Fir, Western Hemlock, and Western Red Cedar are the pillars of the first with a myriad of native plants growing in the understory. This urban park abounds with wildlife such as raccoons, squirrels, and coyotes and it is located on the Pacific Flyway where it gives shelter for over 200 species if migrating and resident waterfowl, seabirds and songbirds.

There is plenty to see and do in the park. You can easily spend the whole day here with no trouble at all. During the summer there is a free shuttle bus that takes you throughout the park. It is a mini tour of the park with the driver giving you some background on the different areas.

You can bike, walk, drive, rollerblade, and travel throughout the park any other way you want. The fact that the park is minutes away from downtown makes it a convenient trip from anywhere in Vancouver.

The park was one of the nicest places we visited in Vancouver. Close to the park there is also a new shopping and residential district. It makes a beautiful place to take a walk and enjoy the shoreline. There is also a small marina there where you can rent a boat or go on a cruise. The views are great and it would be a wonderful place to live.

We plan to settle in Vancouver after a few years and buy one of those condos with a view of the ocean, Vancouver and Stanley Park. You cannot beat the weather there in the summer and the beauty is something you have to see for yourself.

If you are in Vancouver take a trip to Stanley Park. It is a great place to spend a couple hours or a couple days. There are plenty of things to do. It is a great place for a picnic or game of soccer.

Rollerblading in Stanley Park

Rollerblading in Stanley Park, my favourite hill

Is it too late to start speed skating?

After watching the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics (which I loved) I started to have a strong interest with Speed Skating especially watching my idol Kalyna Roberge compete. I am sixteen years old but I am pretty good at rollerblading and I am an athlete. I play hockey, basketball and track and field. I want to try it out, but I am very determined to do it and I am ready to put alot of effort to become a good skater. However, would it be too late to start now? Would it be harder to start at this age compared to starting at a younger age, especially with the speed and the basics?

Someone? Please help? I need your opinions…

Thank You

What part of Vancouver should I move to?

I’m moving to Vancouver this summer from Alberta. I want to start a photography/graphic design business, and I love the arts. I want to go to art galleries, independant clothing stores, cute cafes and take my dog rollerblading. I’d like to live in a busy, vibrant community with lots of stuff to do. Money isn’t really an issue, but I’m not into high-end shopping or pretentious people. So which neighbourhood or community should I move to?
Vancouver, BC

Hugo renard_j’ai envie d’une pomme.

Filmé avec un trépied à Vancouver le jeudi 17 septembre 2009 avec ma nouvelle HERO Camera. Une petite session en partant de chez moi pour me rendre aux marchés de Granville Island pour aller manger une pomme. Première essai de cette minuscule camera fisheye gopro Wide Hero, c’est vraiment plaisant de skater avec ça et pas cher… Le montage est très simple, presque inexistant mais cela m’importe peu tant que je m’amuse sur mes rollers ! Hugo

TASKIN AROUND

JIMMY KEY STYLES