April Smith | AHA Media

AHA MEDIA eats at Kentizen Fusion Lounge at International Village (Tinseltown Mall) in Vancouver

March 19, 2011 ahamedia Leave a comment

AHA MEDIA recently enjoyed a delicious lunch buffet at Kentizen

Kentizen Fusion Lounge

88 W Pender Street, #2029
Vancouver, BC V6B6N9

Tel: (604) 771-0301
Fax: (604) 682-5676

Neighbourhood: China Town Vancouver, Gastown

Japanese fusion restaurant and lounge located inside International Village (Tinseltown) on the second floor beside the food court. Spacious, floor to ceiling windows, beautiful decor and huge bar. Occasional live entertainment. A la carte and buffet menus available.

Below are photos of Barb Goosehead on her first visit to Kentizen!

Categories: AHA Media, April Smith, Barb Goosehead, Community Engagement, Dining out, Tinseltown Mall, Vancouver

AHA MEDIA sees new sign at 58 West Hastings in Vancouver Downtown Eastside (DTES) – 100 percent social housing!

March 19, 2011 ahamedia Leave a comment

From http://www.100percentsocialhousing.com/

We’ve been struggling to secure land in the DTES for low-income housing. To keep a fair balance, we need more development of 100% Social Housing.

Years ago we persuaded a private developer to secure some land that could eventually be used for housing. The city will end up with possession of the land, but we fear city staff may encourage this to be a “mixed” development (condos). We’re trying to work to make sure this site remains 100% Social Housing.

This site would include 166 units of Low-Income Housing, 30 Low-Income Single Family units and 40 Rent-To-Own units, as well as an expanded Potluck Cafe, a medical and dental clinic to serve the community, and community group offices. The Rent-To-Own units would cost $375-$475 per month, and would provide a percentage ownership of their unit.

Please join the thousands who have already shown their support for this project. This is one piece of the puzzle to ending homelessness and improving conditions in the low-income community of the DTES. Thank you!

Below are photos of empty lot at 58 West Hastings

Architectural Renderings

58 West Hastings – Ground Floor Level

Ground floor level view of proposed social housing development at 58 Hastings St.
58 West Hastings – Typical Floorplan (levels 2-5)

View of typical floorplan for levels two through five.
58 West Hastings – Typical Floorplan (levels 6-7)

View of typical floorplan for levels six and seven.
58 West Hastings – Cross Section

Street view of building showing long and cross sections.

Categories: AHA Media, April Smith, Downtown Eastside, DTES, PHS, PHS Community Services Society, Portland Hotel Society, Social Housing, Vancouver, Vancouver Downtown Eastside, Vancouver DTES

Street Soccer Canada team from Vancouver Downtown Eastside present video of Homeless World Cup 2010 at First United Church

March 17, 2011 ahamedia 2 comments

Our local Street Soccer Canada team from Vancouver Downtown Eastside recently presented a video of their memories of their time at Homeless World Cup 2010 in Rio de Janeiro , Brazil to members of First United Church

Categories: AHA Media, April Smith, Community Engagement, Downtown Eastside, DTES, First United Church, Harm Reduction, Homeless World Cup 2010, Homelessness, Richard Czaban, Rob Milton, Street Soccer Canada, Street Soccer Vancouver, Team Canada for Street Soccer, Vancouver, Vancouver Downtown Eastside, Vancouver DTES

AHA MEDIA films at the launch of TELUS customers the first to stay connected from the living room with Facebook on Optik TV

March 14, 2011 ahamedia Leave a comment

Today, TELUS introduced a new Facebook application on its Optik TV platform. The first of its kind in Canada, the app is designed to provide customers with access to Facebook features and content without missing a second of their favourite TV shows.

The Facebook app wraps part of the perimeter of the television screen, allowing users to enjoy their favourite Facebook features while simultaneously continuing to watch TV programming. Offered as part of the Optik TV subscription, the Facebook application on Optik TV uses the standard remote control to allow customers to view status updates, activities and Wall posts, find a friend, and write messages on friends’ Walls. The application also offers the ability to view photo albums in slideshow mode to create a high-impact full screen presentation view of photos right on the TV.

TELUS customers first to stay connected from the living room with Facebook on Optik TV

Vancouver, B.C. — TELUS is giving Western Canadians something new to “Like” about Optik TV. TELUS today introduced a new Facebook application on its Optik TV platform designed to provide customers convenient access to Facebook features and content without missing a second of their favorite TV shows. This innovative application is a Canadian first, and brings a whole new dimension to both TV watching and social media. Through “Share my View”, users are able to post what they’re watching on their Wall, creating a social TV viewing experience that brings their whole friends list into the picture.

“IPTV is the future of television, and with Optik TV the future is here at TELUS. We are committed to enabling a truly connected home, offering new ways for our Optik TV customers to stay connected and multitask while enjoying television, and to that end we plan to launch a number of applications this year,” said David Fuller, Chief Marketing Officer, TELUS. “TV applications are a great example of the power of Internet-enabled TV. This Facebook app brings social networking to the living room – it’s all about making TV viewing a social activity again, in an exciting new way.”

To promote the launch of this bold new TV app, TELUS has teamed up with Leonard Nimoy in an innovative marketing campaign that announces Facebook on Optik TV as “The Next Frontier of Social Networking.”

The application wraps part of the perimeter of the television screen, allowing users to enjoy their favorite Facebook features while simultaneously continuing to watch TV programming. Included in the Optik TV subscription, the Facebook application on Optik TV uses the standard remote control to allow customers to view status updates, activities and Wall posts, find a friend, and write messages on friends’ Walls. The application also offers the ability to view Facebook photo albums in slideshow mode to create a high-impact full screen presentation view of photos right on the TV.

TELUS Optik TV customers need only their current Facebook account and subscription to Optik Internet to take advantage of the Facebook application for TV.

The Facebook application was developed in partnership between TELUS and ES3, the premier developer of iTV (interactive television) applications for the award-winning Microsoft Mediaroom platform upon which Optik TV is based. “Applications for IPTV, such as the Facebook app, are key drivers in the evolution of TV and how consumers interact with the largest screen in the home,” said Doug Edwards, CEO, ES3. “I truly believe the Facebook application for Optik TV presents a clear view to the horizon of purely integrated social activities that can be tied with our TV viewing experiences.”

TELUS offers Optik TV in British Columbia and Alberta communities. TELUS is investing $1.3 billion in network infrastructure in B.C. and Alberta this year alone to increase Internet speeds, introduce Optik TV to more communities, and expand its wireless network.