From the story of a boy peeing in public at a Richmond shopping centre to a Middle Eastern royal buying the top three floors of the Fairmont Pacific Rim Hotel for $55-million to news of a hiker stabbed on a popular Grouse Mountain trail, 2013 was full of bizarre and crazy stories.
Here is a compilation of what we thought were the top stories covered on Vancity Buzz.
1. Boy peeing in public at Richmond Centre
A photo submitted to us of a toddler urinating into a waste bin, with the assistance of an adult, while in public at Richmond Centre caused quite a stir and a great debate on social media over whether this should be socially acceptable behaviour.
Image: @brandonbeavis
2. Komagata Maru monument urinated on
A photograph of a man urinating on the recently installed Komagata Maru at Harbour Green Park in Coal Harbour quickly circulated Facebook. The Vancouver Park Board confirmed the occurrence of the incident which required its crews to clean the monument. The man responsible is still unknown.
Image: Submitted
3. 6 French castles for the price of a Vancouver tear down
It’s no secret that Vancouver has some of the most expensive real estate prices in the world, but who would have thought that you could purchase nine historic French château mansions for the price of one Point Grey tear down?
Image: ©Le Nail Real Estate
4. $55 million condo in Vancouver: the largest real estate transaction in Canadian history
Even in pricey Vancouver, the thought of paying $55 million for three penthouse floors seems otherworldly. That is exactly what one Middle Eastern royal did when he purchased the top three floors at the residences of the Fairmont Pacific Rim Hotel.
Image: Realtor Malcom Hasman
5. SFU campus is crumbling, fix required as high as $700-million
Mould infestations, cracking foundations, exposed rebar, leaky roofs and pipes and even crumbling staircases. It’s not an ideal learning and working environment, but with no relief in sight this will be the reality that 34,000 students and staff will have to face for the foreseeable future at Simon Fraser University’s Burnaby Mountain campus.
Some buildings have already been condemned. The cost for repairs is estimated to be as high as $700-million.
Image: SFU Graduate Student Society
6. Man destroys six police cars and causes flood at Burnaby Hospital ER
There is no question this was a busy morning for Burnaby first responders. The male suspect, who is known by police to have mental issues, used a stolen Jeep and freight truck to hit six police vehicles at Burnaby’s Lougheed Mall.
As if that wasn’t enough, following arrest he was brought to Burnaby Hospital ER where he ripped out a sprinkler from the ceiling, causing a flood in the emergency room. It caused the closure of the ER and the relocation of patients.
Image: Marc Nolet via Twitter
7. Hiker stabbed on Grouse Mountain trail
As if these trails aren’t enough of a challenge, a 53-year old hiker near the Grouse Grind was stabbed by a teenage male going down the mountain. The hiker struggled down the mountain before being assisted by other hikers who called 9-1-1. The hiker suffered non-life threatening injuries and the suspect is still at large.
Image: Alan King
8. Main Street poodle
What does this 7-foot tall, $100,000 poodle symbolize? It was funded by taxpayer dollars and is located near the intersection of Main Street and 17th Avenue.
Image: Our City Our Art
9. Hidden camera found in washroom of Two Chefs and a Table in downtown
Early this year, news broke out of USB-sized hidden camera inside the washroom of Two Chefs and a Table in downtown Vancouver. The restaurant is now closed and the co-owner responsible Allan Bosomworth has since been arrested.
Image: Kiro TV
10. Car crashes into Fat Burger on Denman, hits four police officers
Four police officers were eating at Denman Street’s Fat Burger restaurant when a BMW came crashing in. The officers of the Vancouver Police Department attained serious but non-life threatening injuries.
Image: @Meerakati
11. Man climbs atop EAST VAN cross sign to light flare
One morning, a man was seen climbing atop the giant EAST VAN cross sign at the intersection of Great Northern Way and Clark Drive. Upon reaching the top of the 60 foot tall sign, he lit a flare.
Image: Clyde Harrelson
12. Public masturbation on the rise
Vancouver Police reported a rise in public masturbation incidents during the fall…
Image: Z.H. Chen / Shutterstock
13. Badminton brawl at Richmond Oval
So much for sportsmanlike conduct. Two former badminton doubles partners from Thailand broke out into a brawl during the Canada Open, held at the Richmond Oval.
Image: Canada Open