We live just 13 kilometers from Simon Fraser University. I used to call it the 'Ivory Tower' when teaching my BCIT classes. I said this not so much for it having privileged seclusion from facts and practicalities, but more so because of its commanding view of the Lower Mainland from its perch atop Burnaby Mountain. The area is certainly becoming less isolated due to the tremendous growth and development of the surrounding communities.
We drove up North Road today and stopped at a newly-advertised discount, liquidator chain called Big Box Outlet Store. Today's store was in a small plaza right next to the new Burquitlam SkyTrain Station. From the looks, the building may have been an old, local Safeway as I noted the large, trademark, wooden roof-support beams. The store seems to carry a variety of interesting products and although we didn't buy anything, they will likely see a return visit from us.
More interestingly, we discovered one corner of the huge number of trails that crisscross the Burnaby Mountain urban wilderness. We've lived here for close to a quarter of a century but had never walked any of them. Sometimes it's pretty easy to ignore things right under one's nose.