Renfrew-Collingwood Community News

News stories from the Renfrew-Collingwood community in East Vancouver


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February 2020 issue of RCC News is here

Cover of RCC News February 2020

Happy Lunar New Year! This issue of the RCC News full of the many wonderful people, events and programs happening in our neighbourhood.

Get your latest issue of the RCC News at your local coffee shop, grocery store, library and community centre.

Or click on the cover image to view the new issue.

In this issue:

  • New health centre coming to Renfrew-Collingwood
  • Neighbourhood Small Grants open February 11
  • Holiday cheer at the Kingsway Continental
  • From refugee to generous restaurant owner
  • Monolid make-up for East Asians
  • Still Creek Streamkeepers Public Talk February 24: Green Infrastructure with Kacia Tolsma

Do you have a local story to tell or an event to share? We’d love to hear about it! Email rccnews-editorial@cnh.bc.ca.

The deadline for the March 2020 issue is February 10.

We welcome story submissions from 300 to 400 words long. Accompanying photos must be high resolution in a jpg file at least 1 MB large and include a photo caption and the name of the photographer.


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Eating Out in RC: Bernie’s Bureks and Restaurant

BY PAUL REID

5737 Battison Street (at Tyne and Kingsway)
Vancouver, BC

604-526-6580

Make sure you’re hungry when ordering
Bernie’s hamburger. It’s huge!

Greetings food fans! So where are we here. February. Ah, an even better month now with this Family Day. And our community is much better off now with the addition of Bernie’s Bureks and Restaurant. If you haven’t done so yet, I highly recommend that you attend Bernie’s.

Bernie’s has been open just over a month now. Perhaps you’ve noticed the Bernie’s sign at the corner of Tyne and Kingsway, ground floor of the Kingsway Continental (former Jaguar’s restaurant).

Our man, Bernie, is actually a woman, aka Erika Marinovic. She is bringing to our community’s culinary tableau all the best from the Balkan region of southeastern Europe that includes your former Yugoslavia, from where Erika hails. Here, in the Balkan region, according to Wikipedia, we find our Albanians, Bulgarians, Bosniaks, Croats, Gorani, Greeks, Macedonians, Montenegrins, Serbs, Slovenes, Romanians, Armenians and Turks.

Have you ever had a burek? Bernie’s bureks are homemade filo pastry pies made entirely from scratch, including the filo pastry. The fresh filo pasty is what really separates Bernie’s bureks from others. Currently available in cheese, beef, potato, spinach, beef, potato, sour cherry and apple, they are sold by the slice or by the pie.

You can have them on location in restaurant or take them with you fresh or frozen. People will buy several pies to cook at home as they want them.

Bernie’s bureks are becoming famous across the country, something Erika attributes largely to the European truck drivers, who load up on bureks for the road, spreading the word about Bernie’s across Canada and down through the United States.

Today, my friends, I want to inform you about another of Bernie’s specialties, their humbly named hamburger with mayo, pepper spread, onions, lettuce and tomatoes ($9.75). There is apparently a half pound of beef that goes into this burger, so much that it requires a specially made bun (which was nicely toasted and delicious, by the way). Served with a delicious coleslaw, the burger was huge and delicious. On my patented Gourmet/Gourmand Scale of Goodness (taste x size divided by price), we derive a very high number indeed. I urge one and all to flock to Bernie’s to taste for yourself.

My accomplice enjoyed a slice of burek and soup of the day ($8.95). The burek of course, with the homemade crust, was the likely the best in Canada, and the homemade soup is the real rib-sticking deal for which Bernie’s is renowned.

So go to Bernie’s my friends. It’s a nice place. You can see them making the handmade filo; you can meet the lovely Erika, and have yourself a delicious, affordable and filling meal.

Copyright (c) 2015 Renfrew-Collingwood Community News


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Sign up to sustain Collingwood Legion Branch #48

BY PAUL REID

Members from Collingwood Neighbourhood House, RC INTERactive, Renfrew Collingwood Multicultural Artists Network, Still Moon Arts Society and, of course, the Renfrew-Collingwood Community News met with members of Collingwood Legion Branch #48 to tour the former Jaguar’s Pub location at Kingsway and Tyne. Following the tour, those present brainstormed on ways that this location might be used by Branch #48 in conjunction with these community groups.

We toured the former pub location and learned that mold issues will have the City of Vancouver needing to tear the place apart. Therefore, it will not be ready for about another year. The good news is that this renovation could be customized to fit the needs of Branch #48 and other local organizations. For instance, the rather large main room might be sectioned off or turned into more of a flex space. As you can see from the pictures, the place is currently quite a mess but does contain the basics of what Branch #48 is looking for.

While the location undergoes its renovations, the Branch needs to get their act together by the end of December – so that they are not dissolved. To aid in this, the Branch is seeking more people to come forward to become Legion members. Increasing the Branch’s membership would help their move to this location more feasible.

And this is where you come in, my friends.

We need to help the Branch this year especially by signing up as many new members as it is going to take. Membership is currently $40/year. I’m in. Who is with me? In fact, I am going to go in for two memberships, and I want to see who will match me.

To start, fill in your name and say “Please add me to the Legion #48 Community Supporters List” in the comment box below.

This is the blank slate that local MP Don Davies was talking about. The Legion needs to really rethink what its plans are, not just with our Branch #48, but with branches right across the country. Here is a great chance to set a new precedent where the Legion works hand in hand with other community organizations to move forward. We all want it here in RC = the organizations have spoken loud and clear. They want to help Branch #48 so that Branch #48 can continue to be a force in this community as they have been since before 1926, the year they became part of the Legion.

Do you have stories of being part of Branch #48 or how they’ve helped the community? Let us know. Email rccnews-editorial@cnh.bc.ca.

To help, please add your name to a Community Supporters List for Collingwood Legion Branch #48. Just fill out the contact form below and we will add you to the list. Thank you for supporting Collingwood Legion Branch #48!

Please add in the comment box: Yes, add me to the Legion #48 Community Supporters List.

Copyright (c) 2014 Renfrew-Collingwood Community News