Ever since "Whip-It" brought derby to people who otherwise would've had no reason to know about it,…read morethe sport has been tearing up tracks all over North America. With leagues popping up all across Canada, in small towns and big cities alike, it's getting easy to see great derby anywhere. If you live in Vancouver, then you're lucky enough to have your very own league to cheer for. The Terminal City Roller Girls have been around for just over 5 years, expanding and growing at an incredible rate. Just this year they added a fourth house team and secured multiple dates at the PNE Forum, a slight step-up from Minoru Arena in Richmond and Kerrisdale Arena in, where else, Kerrisdale. With a DIY, yet professional feel, this non-profit player run organization manages to bring a broad spectrum of fans to their bouts. A mixture of tongue-in-cheek sass and incredible athleticism, the Terminal City Roller Girls have something for everyone to cheer for. The Bad Reputations - Sporting Teal and lightning bolts like it's going out of style, these Joan Jett inspired rockers are the defending champs, three years in a row! This season, everyone is talking about who's taking down the trophy. If the Bad Reps have anything to say about it, that conversation will end real quick. The Faster Pussy Cats - If you like your victims scratched to death, cult classic films from the 70's and sequined purple hot pants, then the FPC are your team. Just remember, whether in the stands or the beer garden, FPC fans cheer from the Litter Box. Public Frenemy - The newest addition to the TCRG roster, Public Frenemy is coming straight ouf of Compto...er...Vancouver. With orange, green and attitude, this hip-hop inspired crew comprised of rookies and select veterans will have you twisting your head to keep up with their speedy jammers. Riot Girls - Camo? Tanks? That shoot? Smoke? Trash can lids and baseball bats? I think the description should be fairly self-evident. The Riot Girls are not a team to be messed with. Fresh off a rebuilding year, the Riot Girls are going to be an exciting team to watch this season. And as if THAT weren't enough, the TCRG also has their travel team, the All-Stars.

My first bout was the free exhibition they did at Robson Square at the end of last summer and I was…read morehooked! But since the season was over I couldn't get my fix... until now. Last night's season opener at the Kerrisdale Arena with the Faster Pussycats v Atomic City (from Tri-Cities, WA) and the Bad Reputations v Riot Girls was the most exciting sporting event I've ever been to. The Bad Rep/Riot Girl grudge match was a rematch of the past two championship bouts and the crowd was electric. Derby is back with this real (not staged), competitive, action packed, player owned and operated league!

My YMCA is the Robert Lee YMCA downtown, so perhaps I'm a bit spoiled--the Robert Lee YMCA, which…read morewas renovated in 2010, is gorgeous -- spacious, lots of light, and nice decor. However, the Langara YMCA is just gross. A couple of months ago, I tried out the Langara YMCA, and the atmosphere was just ugh--dark and ugly, like that of a run down community center. To get to the change room, you must go down a long, narrow hallway with grey walls. The lockers are old and battered, and not very practical. The Robert Lee YMCA has lockers of various shapes and sizes--full sized lockers, half lockers, wider lockers--to accommodate your belongings (large or multiple bags, just a jacket, etc), but the Langara YMCA only has full height, very narrow lockers, making it difficult to squeeze all your stuff in, and wasting space since the number of lockers is limited to wall space, of which there is not much. (I have no idea what people do during busy periods--there just weren't a lot of lockers, and unlike the Robert Lee YMCA, there weren't extra lockers outside of the change room.) The benches in the change room were impractical too--very narrow so it was not comfortable to sit on or place anything on them, and they were placed too close to the lockers, making it a tight squeeze to get your items out of your lockers, while leaving a lot of wasted space in the change room. There only appeared to be one main exercise floor, where all the machines were, making it feel very crowded. (The Robert Lee YMCA has one main exercise floor, split into two areas, as well as another small area on another level with more machines, so that it doesn't feel too crowded.) And the room was dark and ugh. I really didn't like the place, and it's unlikely that I'll ever go back. It really doesn't compare to the Robert Lee YMCA. [Yelp collections: Fitness]

I have been a member here for a few years now but I am cancelling my membership because it's…read moregetting so bad. It's very run down, very dirty, and very crowded from 5pm until closing when people finish work. It would be ok if people attending were respectful of others workouts but they hog the machines/ work out space, they drop weights on the floor and leave them rolling around, they don't clean up after themselves or wipe down the machines. It's ver frustrating to work out there. The staff is not attentive and lets things get dirty, it seems they are mostly there to hang out with their friends. The locker rooms used to be well maintained by 2 ladies but since changing cleaning companies it's always messy and there are always dirty paper towels in the lockers. In the ladies locker rooms people are very loud and have no concept of personal space.... including when they are not clothed which can be very uncomfortable. You will also find people using the blow dryers to dry things other than the hair on their heads... Every year my membership cost increases by $1.00. I am now paying $56.00. It's getting to be too much to pay for feeling frustrated and pretty grossed out. I will be joining another gym ASAP.

This place is charging fees for teams that don't show up for games when our Provincial Health…read moreOfficer has announced what basically amounts to a total lockdown (avoid contact with people not in your household). $200 fine and suspension from the league until you pay the fine. I'm not going to cover the other downsides of Urban Rec since those are covered in other reviews, but fining people for obeying directions from Bonnie Henry at what is, to date, the local peak of the pandemic is beyond the pale. Even if these folks ran things well, this would be enough for me to never want to deal with them again, and as you can see from the other reviews, they're not really all that great when there's no pandemic.

For their soccer league we were not give balls to play with it!! We had to bring our own balls…read morewhich were kicked into the Construction Zone beside the field during game time. We ended up loosing a few balls in the season and did not receive them back from Urban rec. There is a 200$ fine for teams with less players (If players are Sick/Injured). Players get flagged if the fine is not paid. Meaning they cant sign up a team for future leagues if the 200$ fine is not paid. A bit too much, for a league that is self officiated and do not provide balls!! Its a money making racket. Our team is looking at other leagues options henceforth. Urban rec. should lighten up and realize ppl join their league to just have some fun. Loose the 200$ fines, flagging players so they cant join future leagues, provide balls etc. Let team just take a loss if they dont have enough players game day. Its not like we do it on purpose to be fined. Its a recreational league! There was no mention as to what the 200$ is going to.

Good activity for family/friends. You have 10 minutes to touch lights that represent different…read morepoints. Very tiring! Wouldnt recommend if you have knee problems, since its very active! Involves lots of crawling & climbing. They even have a wall you can run like in American Ninja Warrior activity. Very fun!

I AM THE FIRST YELP REVIEWER for Ninja Tag!…read more Wow, I am impressed no one on YELP has reviewed this entertainment venue. I hope my lengthy review will entice you to try at least one and to let you friends and family members know. Of course, any events like these, please take safety precautions. From the outside, does not clearly say NINJA TAG, it says TAG, but the door says the entrance on the other side that says to use the new entrance around the West side of the building. When you enter you would be greeted by the front desk to fill out a paper waiver. Normally it would be a digital waiver on the screen, but the program isn't working at the time I went. One game is $10.00 and you have 10 minutes to complete the recorded game stats. But you can stay longer to just practice after your scheduled time. I stayed like 2 hours there and continuously played the different stations. They require you to purchase the non-slip socks that you wear when playing. It is an additional $3.00. And unfortunately you cannot wear your own non-slip socks from other events, it has to be the ones they provide. Plus they also get you to purchase a wristband which is another few dollars. Overall it was around $18.00 for this activity. The wristband can be reused, but I forgot to ask if you could reuse the same Ninja Tag socks. They have bins off to the side of the counter to store you clothes and shoes. For safety and security reasons, you can store your valuables like phone/keys/wallets behind their customer service desk. After playing for 2 hours, I found the stations fun and some challenging. Everything inside is very well lit with red and it feels like you are in a dangerous warzone of entertainment. The most fun station would have to be the very first station because you get to run up a sliding hill and the goal is to TAG with you wrist the colors. There are 5 levels of different colors and if I recall correctly, I was able to get to the 3rd color BLUE. Please make sure after you have tagged the color to go down the hill like a slide on your back and arms in the air or close to your chest. Avoid the elbows and knees touching the slippery floor, you can skin your human skin. I did this slide multiple times and skinned my right knee. It feels like a bruise but after a few days, my knee aches to walk. I have been applying Polysporin a medical cream every day to speed heal the skin. It seems to be working, but still very painful.

The staff are quite rude, would not refund me for a program, when I became sick the day it started…read more Instead they kept my money and filled the spot with another person, so making double the money on that program. What happened to customer service? You won't find it here.

As someone who grew up on the North Shore (attended Cleveland Elementary and Handsworth Secondary,)…read moreWilliam Griffin was always a staple in my life. I'm SO thrilled with the latest evolution of my childhood rec center of choice. When I was a kid, we'd go swimming, swinging on the rope and diving from the high dive. When I hit my teens, we'd play soccer on the field outside, hit the gym and attend "social gatherings" at WG. As an adult, I was using practically all the facilities William Griffin had to offer, from hot tubs to punching bags. When I heard they were going to be shutting down for renovations, I was naturally excited about the premise of something "new." When I found out the magnitude of said renovations, I became VERY excited. When I saw some videos about the progress of the NEW Delbrook Rec center online, and as I would drive by it regularly, I became eager and actually kind of impatient to see this masterpiece with my own eyes. (WHEN WILL IT BE READY FOR ME TO USE!?!?) This morning at 8:00 am, I went for a swim for the first time at the Delbrook Rec Center in North Vancouver. It was simply the most beautiful rec center pool I have ever seen, and I don't just mean on the North Shore. Obviously everything is pristine, brand new... the sauna still has that "New Wood Smell". But it's more than that. The one-touch on/off showers, the "Universal" change room, the super high ceilings and the from inside to out, and outside in... the feeling of connectivity and continuity from sauna to swim lanes, aesthetically, it's all just aces... Actually the feeling of connectivity exists not JUST in the pool, but throughout the building. Every room is somehow connected to the next in a way. Maybe it's all the windows that allow transparency from the pool to the lobby to the exterior to the fitness center, etc. etc. So much has been done with such a relatively humbly-sized space. The high ceilings throughout this rec center are really inspiring. And all the little details inside and outside, like the frog riding a bike (which recycles rain-water I think) and the blown glass art in the lobby keep you engaged. Even the walk up the path from the parking lot to the entrance is refreshing, thanks to the smell of blooming lavender! The new Delbrook Rec center has not disappointed me once since opening... and nor does it intend to... I don't think the novelty of this brilliant new community hub is going to wear off any time soon. It's gorgeous, the people who work there are so happy to be there, the people who visit are equally (if not more) happy... the whole vibe is very positive, uplifting, inspiring and just plain exciting. I am actually going to the gym there after work today for the second time since 8 am lol. I feel like a kid again! Thank you to the architects and workers who created this space, thank you to the North Shore Recreation Commission who envisioned something better for the community, and thanks to the community for accepting the new Delbrook Rec Center with open arms. I'll see you all there regularly!

I'm not the world's biggest baseball fan, but in my opinion nothing says Bellingham like a night at…read moreJoe Martin Field to root for our hometown Bells. I was there recently for a rained out game vs. the epically-named Walla Walla Sweets, and even though the game never even got started we still had a great time! I've also attended many fun (and sunny) games in the past, usually on $2 Tuesday when you can buy a second ticket for just (you guessed it) two smackeroos. One of the least mentioned things about attending a Bells game is that they seriously have the most impressive tap list I've ever seen at a sporting event. Yeah, there's a guy selling the cheap stuff too - but just past him you'll find taps (and cans) of many classic local and regional brews. When's the last time you saw Iron Horse Brewery's Irish Death on tap at T-Mobile Park in Seattle? I'm just sayin'. By the way, even though our game against the very entertaining Sweets was rained out I'll still go again - because I can use my "rained out" ticket stub at a future game to get in free. How cool is that? Go Bells!

I love the Bells just as much as I did during my first review. Cheap and family friendly…read moreentertainment located just off of Exit 253. General admission does include grassy area and bleacher seating along the first and third bases. VIP seating includes waiter service. Seating areas can be reserved for private groups and will be marked appropriately. If you plan on attending $2 Tuesday, consider coming a little early. Tickets do occasionally sell out. Be considerate of neighbors when parking. Nobody likes to come home and be unable to park. Also, mind parking laws. Parking on crosswalks, in front of mailboxes, and very close to STOP signs really isn't a good idea. If you buy the wrong size apparel from the team store, they will allow you to exchange sizes. No returns. Prices are a little high; items are good quality. Some of the concession stand food is lacking. Don't waste money on the veggie burger. For $7, burger only, it actually really is quite pitiful. $2 Tuesday concession items for $2 include a hotdog, nachos, large fountain pop, and select beer.

Curling. It's harder than it looks!…read more Don't be fooled by the pros on TV making this sport look so easy. It's quite difficult to balance and not easy to judge how far the curling rock will slide. Plus it is super cold! Even with all these factors, everyone had such a good time. We rented 1 sheet of ice for a friendly birthday tournament and ended up having the whole place to ourselves. The brightly lit curling rink also provided some photo ops and the pictures turned out beautifully. Perhaps, we should make curling a yearly tradition...

My first time curling... and here's my checklist:…read more Good friends? YES Doughnuts? YES Coffee? NO (but only because it was too hard to transport to the club) Stretchy Pants? YES Warm clothes? NO (but you can't feel the cold when you're numb) Muscles? YES (but that stone is HEAVY) Camera? YES (to catch everyone falling on their bums!) We had a 15 minute quick curling 101 session with an expert at the club - and then we were off! After more than a few falls, we were practically on our way to being experts! Oh curling, how I underestimated you. I used to call you a sport for sissies, but now I feel the pain - oh the lunges!

Best park! Food is AWESOME! Burgers are to fall over for!…read more Try one of the wraps.. Pure beef weiners.. everything is fresh... if you think concession- it is not same old concession food here. Love it!

Woohoo is right!!! Best burgers I have had!!! Super park... Even for you non baseball fans... Grab…read morelunch, dinner watch a game... Save room for one of their homemade ice cream sandwiches... The wraps are kick butt!!! Concession 5 star ! Bravo.