We have arranged for a guest speaker to address us on the topic of Tax Advice for Guides. As our guest speaker has another engagement, they will speak to us promptly at 7 PM.

We will also hold a "Spring Fling" or brochure, book and video exchange. Recycle, Reuse, and Reduce...that is the global message!! As you know our Association has grown over the last few years and many members are now moving on from meet and greets to local and long distance guiding...so if you have any old guiding material that you no longer use, but you think that someone else might, please bring it to this meeting.

Brochures...Vancouver, Victoria, Rockies, etc.
Books...Canada, Alaska, USA, Rockies, etc.
Videos, Commentary, Travelogue, Maps, News Clippings, Tapes, CD’s, etc. Before the meeting, please try to sort your items into the above categories, into those destination areas...and we will set up a table for each locale.

It is assumed all is donated by you and is free for the taking. What is left over will be taken to a recycling bin. However: One table will be set up for items that you would prefer to sell. Items should have your name and a price tag on them. Please bring any of the above items before the meeting begins...say at 6:30 or 6:45 PM.

The association has quite a few left over brochures from our meeting at the Westin Bayshore including their booklet, the new BC Rail Whistler Northwind luxury rail journey catalog, and the 2001 Rocky Mountaineer folders.

We also have a friend. His name is John Prawdzik. John has been giving the CTGA free video tapes for years. Remember? He once gave the entire membership a complimentary video on Vancouver. Well, John now works for MediaMind Productions and has provided us with a stack of video tapes entitled "The Rockies to Victoria." These ones are in English, but they also have them in German, Japanese and Spanish. We will pass them on via our 50/50 draw (we even have a few of the Vancouver video’s left over as well).

To cap the evening off, CTGA member Peter Loppe has just completed a trip to Cuba during which time he took some slide photos. He has offered to show us a few of these in order to give us a look at that seldom seen corner of the world.

We have heard from our friends at the Capilano Suspension Bridge about the next Tourist Guide Appreciation Daywhich will be held on Wednesday April 18th from 8 till 10 AM. More information will follow soon. They have a fantastic web site located at www.capbridge.com. The next time you are at the bridge you will notice that they have completely redecked the structure. If you step onto the bridge you should also note that it is now deeper. The main support cables have not been replaced or moved, however the smaller cables than come down from the main cables to hold the boards have been lengthened.

Also: Take a peek at the Lookout at Harbour Centre’s web site at www.vancouverlookout.com, and be sure to click onto the history button.

We have been invited to The Gastown Business Improvement Society’s 115th Birthday party for the City of Vancouver on Friday April 6th, 2001. The event will be held on the roof of the Water Street Parkade from 11:30 AM to 1:30 PM complete with Dal Richards and his band, dancing, singing, cake, refreshments and vintage cars, etc. For more information please call Leanore Sali at 683-5650. No need to rsvp.

We expect that this will be the last newsletter before the summer season begins…except for those of you who are on the CTGA E-group service, we shall be out of touch with some of you until the fall. Our e-group service should actually be called "Guide Lines EXTRA" as it contains a variety of additional information which is passed on to the membership in an instant. Of our 109 members, 75 have told us that they have an e-mail address...55 of those are a part of our CTGA e-group service. If you have an e-mail address and would like to give "Guide Lines Extra," or rather our e-group a whirl please contact Jeff at jeffv@ctgaofbc.com or by telephone. Try it for a couple of weeks and if your not happy, or your going away and won’t have time to read any e-mails, you can ask for it to be suspended until your return, or you can cancel it. One more advantage during the summer will be the "late breaking" tid-bits of news that will be so easy to pass onto everybody from Vancouver, the Rockies and other points (also any last minute restaurant or tourism invites that we might get, etc).

On another topic, our new web site, at www.ctgaofbc.com, has been extremely well received with now well over 500 "hits." People from all over the world are reading it.

Work has now begun on replacing the Stanley Park Drive Overpass. It is being cut in half, length wise...this means that the other half can be kept open to let traffic pass over it while the other side is rebuilt. Once the new side is finished, they will open it and close the other, etc.

The new washrooms at the Totem Poles should be open by late May or early June. A new entrance and exit and other changes to the parking area will also be coming soon. You will notice several new mounds of grass at this location as well. Two of these mounds have gravel paths which people are supposed to stay on, especially if the grass is wet, as they walk up to the top for a better picture of the poles.

THE SANDBAR RESTAURANT on Granville Island graciously hosted an evening reception for our members on Wednesday, March 14th. It was a wonderful opportunity not only to sample the exceptional seafood and oysters (the Sandbar’s specialty) but also to see Vancouver’s only Waterside Rooftop Patio...even the floor is heated to ward off any chill!!! Many thanks to Brent Davies, principal of Sequoia Restaurants, as well as to Susann Lauzon, Concierge Liaison for Sequoia, who thoughtfully guided us individually through the dining areas. Our gratitude goes to our member Selina Eschinbach for arranging this exceptional visit and social occasion. Sequoia, a dynamic restaurant company, also operates The Teahouse at Ferguson Point, Cardero’s in Coal Harbour, and Seasons Restaurant in Queen Elizabeth Park. Susann is happy to provide brochures and maps which you may wish to pass on to visitors. Please advise your passengers that a complimentary shuttle service is available between any of these fine dining rooms and major downtown hotels: after reserving the tables, request your call to be transferred or phone 818-VIEW (8439) to make arrangements. (P.S. Good music and dancing here after 9:30 pm every night.) [Submitted by Sue Arnott - Thanks so much Sue...editor]

We are sorry for the delay in getting out this newsletter and for the missing articles on our past meetings and report on the three day trip to Merritt and Kelowna. Those stories will be sent out if and when time permits over the next few weeks.

Is it time, or almost time, for you to renew your CTGA membership? Not sure? Give us a call or send us an e-mail.

Our 24 hour CTGA of BC information and message phone line now has a slight change to it: Dial (604) 251-1500...pause...then after the prompt dial the area code, 604, then 876-2576. Remember: Ten digit dialing starts in the Vancouver area in May and the new area code, for all new phones, will be 778. More info? Watch your phone bill or call your Telus rep.

Till next time...Think Sunshine...Keep Smiling and Happy Trails! ! !