Each week at Global BC, we highlight our stories to bring a bright spot to your Friday and into the weekend.
Here are the five stories we wanted to share:
Nanaimo, B.C., unveils new city drain covers featuring art honouring Snuneymuxw Nation
The City of Nanaimo has unveiled new utility covers honouring Snuneymuxw that will be rolled out throughout the city over the next decade.
The covers, which will be used for storm, sanitary and water utility access points, feature designs by Ay Lelum — the Good House of Design, with artwork by Joel Good.
“From an Ancestral lens, art holds important knowledge and reminds us of our connection and responsibilities to the natural world,” Snuneymuxw First Nation Chief Michael Wyse said in a statement.
Beloved B.C. teacher’s birthday surprise goes viral on TikTok
A B.C. teacher received some love from his students for his birthday recently and the moment has gone viral on TikTok.
Joshua Filiatrault, called Mr. Fili by his students, teaches physical education and English at Johnston Heights Secondary School in Surrey, B.C.
What started as an alarming sight –two students pretending to be fighting each other — quickly shifted into a birthday surprise for Filiatrault as he was showered with confetti and the seniors serenaded him with “Happy Birthday”.
Prince Harry and Meghan in Vancouver for third day of Invictus Games training camp
Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, are in Vancouver Friday to meet with Invictus Games athletes at a local curling rink, one year ahead of the competition.
The pair spent the past two days at an Invictus Games training camp in Whistler, where Harry, who founded the Games for wounded, injured and sick service personnel and veterans, about a decade ago, tried out sit-skiing and skeleton sledding alongside competitors.
Rasmus Penno is an Invictus Games athlete and a bilateral leg amputee from Estonia who previously competed at the 2018 Games in Australia in rowing.
He says taking part in the Games has been “awesome” and allowed him to connect with other military service personnel who have had similar life experiences.
New film ‘a love letter’ to historic heart of Vancouver’s Black community
A Vancouver filmmaker is featuring Hogan’s Alley and the city’s historic Black Strathcona neighbourhood.
Her film is called Union Street, and looks at the lifestyle of the community and the struggles it has faced.
The film might have just been released, but it’s been years in the making, filmmaker Jamila Pomeroy told Global’s This is BC.
Vancouver actor gets ‘Swagger’ on with UBC men’s basketball team
There was a little bit of star power sprinkled on the regular drills at the UBC Thunderbirds men’s basketball team practice Tuesday.
The playoff-bound squad was joined on the court by an up-and-coming local actor, who has netted himself a major role on Swagger, the AppleTV+ show inspired by the life of Phoenix Suns star forward Kevin Durant.
“The atmosphere just today, you could tell there was a different feel out there,” Thunderbirds captain Brian Wallack told Global News.
“Guys were a lot more energized, a lot more high fives going on.”