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1. In April, @vancouriernews temporarily ceased production after 112 years as one of Canada’s oldest community newspapers due to COVID-19. A few weeks ago, that closure was made permanent, as well as the layoffs of all but one of its editorial staff.
2. Rather than lament the imperiled state of newspapers (I’ll do that with my colleagues at our weekly online happy hour), I’d like to acknowledge what @vancouriernews meant to me and hopefully its readers.
3. When I started in 2002, I was panicked with how to dress “business casual.” My first day, I wore terrible baggy chinos only to discover publisher Peter Ballard and editor Mick Maloney wearing Hawaiian shirts and flipflops. I knew then @vancouriernews was no ordinary newspaper.
4. Back then, we published three issues a week, each containing a 2,000 to 4,000-word feature story. We employed a cartoonist, a photographer, several political columnists and a stable of talented beat reporters and freelancers.
5. We covering everything from cops and city hall to school and park boards, development, music and movies. We wrote about high school and university sports, restaurant and theatre reviews. We even had a gardening columnist.
6. We covered the leaky condo crisis when other papers wouldn’t out of fear they’d lose lucrative ads from developers. We detailed the struggles, and hopes, of the Downtown Eastside, with empathy and curiosity.
7. We avoided rewriting press releases in favour of picking up the phone and talking to actual humans. Rather than cheerleading and promotion, we opted for thoughtful analysis and engaging commentary. We had fun.
8. We explored the city from the ground – its neighbourhoods, quirky citizens, forgotten histories, contentious issues, hidden gems – to not only inform readers but have them feel they learned something new about this big, messy city. In other words, foster a sense of community.
9. It’s been a privilege and honour working at @vancouriernews for nearly two decades, first as a columnist and arts reporter, then as its arts & entertainment editor, and for the past five years as its editor and videographer.
10. But I will miss working alongside my funny, smart and talented colleagues the most: @sthomas10, @Naoibh, @JessicaEKerr, @JohnKurucz, Dan Toulgoet, and @Howellings who remains and keeps fighting the good fight.
11. There are far too many people for me to thank in this space, from former editors and publishers, to dozens of former Courier co-workers, freelancers, interns and, of course, readers. All of whom made me a better writer, editor and person.
12. But I would be remiss not to give a shout out to my earliest mentors and champions: Peter Ballard, Mick Maloney, Pat Coppard, @HughesFiona and @blinkwriter.
13. It has been a slice, Vancouver. And as my mom still tells me on a regular basis: take care of each other. #savelocalnews
