************ PLEASE READ LOGGING REQUIREMENTS CAREFULLY **********
Upon arriving at GZ you will find the monument/art piece that this geocache revolves around, as well as a breathtaking view of Vancouver framed by the mountains.
I moved to East Vancouver in 2007 to go to school. One of the spots that I passed every day on the bus was an empty monument podium not far from GZ. I found this area incredibly intriguing and I spent hours day-dreaming about it. (see the link to geocache "Forgotten Gem of East Van" below for further information on this abandoned monument podium) A few years later this massive monument/art piece arose on the other side of the bridge and my intrigue became a sense of belonging within this diverse city and unique location.
This virtual cache lies within the Kensiginton-Cedar cottage community in the East Side of Vancouver. Several other communities also fall within East Van, including Grandview-Woodland, Hastings-Sunrise, Killarney, Renfrew-Collingwood, Strathcona and Victoria-Fraserview.
Though its origins are unknown, its said that this underground icon has had sightings as early as the 1940's. But by the 1960s, the symbol had been appropriated by rebellious youths and “greasers” from the wrong side of the tracks - think of the classic novel, "The Outsiders". They would draw the East Van cross on denim jackets and scrawl it onto walls and sidewalks as a form of graffiti, along with writing the word 'Rules" below or beside the cross. 'Rules' meant 'You enter the territory of East Vancouver, and you play by our rules.'
Almost 40 years later, Ken Lum resurrected this symbol and the East Van cross is now seen as a symbol of defiance and hope, and of the renewed spirit of East Vancouver. For those of us who live here, East Vancouver is more than just a district. We love everything about our home, from the diverse and vibrant communities to those one-of-a-kind independent stores and the colourful public (wall) art that captures the underground culture of East Van so well.
Lum's work can also be found on top of the Vancouver Art Gallery called, Four Boats Stranded: Red and Yellow, Black and White, which refer to the various waves of immigrants to Vancouver from the four directions of the compass. Check out Geocache: BlueSky - Downtown Runaround to spot them.
To Log this Virtual Cache, you must complete a couple of requirements.
1. Take a photo clearly showing a sign with your Geocaching username within the photo and the East Van sign and post it with your log online. A selfie is also encouraged but your geocaching name still needs to be in the photo. Your face is not required to be shown within the Photo for logging purposes. Bonus Points for a unique photo. If you are unsure of where to get a good photo of the sign, reference waypoints are below to help you out.
2. Please also send me an Message in the Geocaching Messaging system (Email is ok as well, but Message preferred) with the answers to the following questions:
a.) What is the approximate height of the monument?
b.) What does the 3rd and 6th line on the Plaque at the base of the monument say
NOTE: A response from me is not required to log this find, but failure to send the answers to the questions within a reasonable amount of time (3 days) will result in the deletion of your log.
Be sure to check out some of the surrounding caches to get different views and perspectives of the sign and the East Van neighborhood as well as Downtown Vancouver! Suggested Caches:
Forgotten Gem of East Van
Neon Vancouver - East Side Pride.
Lookout East Van
Virtual Reward - 2017/2018
This Virtual Cache is part of a limited release of Virtuals created between August 24, 2017 and August 24, 2018. Only 4,000 cache owners were given the opportunity to hide a Virtual Cache. Learn more about Virtual Rewards on the Geocaching Blog.