When the architects of the Middle Ages were asked to design Europes finest cathedrals, they knew theyd never live long enough to see them built.
When a group of Vancouver residents made a bid to host the Olympics in 1960, they laid the foundation for the bid that was finally successful four decades later.
They were all cathedral thinkers, says Rick Antonson, the CEO and President of Tourism Vancouver. Its about doing something today thats intrinsically good but which you may not be a part of completing.
Who, he asks, are the cathedral thinkers of today whose dreams of Vancouvers future will be realized when Canada celebrates its 200th birthday in 2067?
Not to put too fine a point on it, he told the 500 people at Sam Sullivans Public Salon at Vancouver Playhouse last Thursday, but in 2067 most of you will be dead. But what if we built a cathedral and called it Vancouver?
The world needs great gathering places and Vancouver can be one of them. When our country turns 200, it deserves a Vancouver by design, not by chance.
Last week was a busy one for Antonson, one of those veritable Renaissance men whos also in the midst of promoting his new book Route 66 Still Kicks. He also spoke about cathedral thinkers at last Wednesdays launch of BC Culture Days (Sept. 28 to 30) at The Cultch.
Culture in Vancouver is so important to how we define ourselves, he said. He noted that in Vancouver, where 41 different languages may be spoken at one school, embracing other countrys cultures is part of that definition.
The written word also helps give us a sense of who we are as a city. On the same weekend as BC Culture Days, Antonson will be part of Word on the Street, a celebration of authors and writers. Writing is a solitary pursuit and the festival gives writers and readers a chance to meet each other and talk about shared passions.
Which brings us back to his passion for the future. If we do it right, Antonson says, we could be looking at 2020 or 2050 or, if were bold enough, we could begin to have cathedral thinking about where this country will be when it celebrates its bicentennial.
