Contest entrants say it’s no contest: Our fair city is the place to be

For Valentine’s Day The Columbian launched a love letter to Vancouver on our Facebook page and asked readers to tell us why they love “The Couv.” We received more than 90 submissions — a testament to the love many feel for this community.

It was hard to choose from so many strong entries, but one heartfelt and creative response rose to the top.

Congratulations to Barbara Gordon, our winner, who will receive a $50 gift certificate to Beaches Restaurant in Vancouver. Here you’ll find her entry, along with the runners-up. To see the full list of submissions, visit The Columbian’s Facebook page, www.facebook.com/thecolumbian, under the “Love the Couv” link. Thanks to all who participated for making this love letter — and this city — a success.

The winner

Barbara Gordon

T: Trees, as in our beautiful evergreens and an Old Apple one.

H: Home. My home has been here my entire life.

E: Easy Living. I love the laid-back attitude here.

C: Close to everything a person could need or want. Mountains, beaches, rivers, valleys, cities.

O: Openness of not only the area, but the community.

U: Unique places to visit from Fort Vancouver, Officers Row to new and exciting places downtown.

V: Voices. People in our community are voicing their desire for recognition as a place to be and they are being heard!

Runners up

Daniel Jeremiah

I love you Vancouver (not B.C.) Washington (not D.C.) for your inner beauty as well as your exterior beauty, and that you care enough about yourself to work hard at looking good. I love you for your thoughtful consideration to offer all the practical convenience and intellectual stimulation of a larger city but without the hustle/bustle difficulty of getting around. I love you for the aura you emanate throughout all who inhabit you giving you a friendly and caring character making all feel welcome and thankful to come back after being away. I love you for the way you give to those who live within you making them, and me, feel loved in return.

Lynda Ashford England

I moved to Vancouver in 1970 and then returned again after a tour in the military with my black husband and two biracial children and felt instantly welcome and embraced by the community. My kids were the first black kids in their school and never once were made to feel different. My husband, who came from the deep south, was totally accepted in the community and part of everything from local Little League to the cake walk at Truman Elementary. I can’t imagine a better place to raise a family, black or white.

Marcia McReynolds

When I moved here almost 20 years ago, marketing companies pigeon-holed Vancouver as a “pickup truck and gun rack” kind of place, earning the moniker of “Vantucky.” As an artist, there were times I wanted to move over to Portland because the arts, and the accompanying open minds of the artists, seemed to be sorely lacking here. Now, because of some of the resources invested by the city in the downtown area, and the attractiveness of low rents and taxes for young struggling Portland artists, and patrons of the arts, Vancouver is experiencing a renaissance in the arts. Young people are staying here instead of leaving, turning Vancouver USA into The Couv. When a place gets an endearing nickname, it means it feels like home. The Couv is my home now, my community, my canvas and stage for expression.

Katja Popp-Delavar

I love Vancouver because it feels like home. I have lived in many different countries and cities. I am almost 40 and I have to say that the sense of solace this city gives me is priceless.

Vancouver has everything from beauty to practicality. It has everything from elaborate parks to simple art walks. It has everything from shopping malls all the way to ethnic shops and restaurants. It is diverse in every way. I love how Christian and home school friendly it is. I enjoy the smiles everywhere I go. People are not rushed like in New York, and they are not sedate like in Hawaii. It is a very nice balance that suits my personality.

In conclusion, Vancouver “completes me.”

John Craig

What I love about the Couv, is The Clumb. As a local newspaper, The Clumb does for me what The Org will never do. The Clumb keeps me informed about local political shenanigans and scandals. The Clumb shines a deserving spotlight on the Couv’s youth in sports, academics, and community service. The Clumb homes in on neighborhood association activities and the great work they do for the people of the Couv. The Clumb never fails to deliver on news, sports, politics, business, life, advertisements, and entertainment. And I love my carrier, who always gets my Clumb on the front porch. I love the Clumb. I love the Couv. It’s a hot, hip, forward thinking, romantic community. Go Couv!

Susan Allen Schnitzer

I love Vancouver because it feels like a small town in the sense that wherever I go I run into people I know and want to catch up with. Whether it be at the grocery or coffee shop, that community feeling is there.

Sarah Brady

We moved here a little over a year ago and feel that we really have found “home.” I love that when strangers talk to you here, they are not just being superficial in conversation, they really are being friendly. I love that I live in one of many neighborhoods where it is so common for children to play outside; the majority of the members of the neighborhood (even people with no small children) are out there joining in on the fun. I love that when I have had enough of civilization, I can walk to one of the countless parks where you can immerse yourself in nature. I love the progressive attitudes, in a more suburban setting. I love that I can drive for a few minutes and end up near a farm that is selling homemade jams or organic eggs. Vancouver is a terrific place to live, even if just for the fact that we feel such a connection to this area that we have given it the endearing nickname “The Couv.”

Kayleen Pieper

The Couv will always be home, even though college and marriage have taken me other places. There’s something so comforting and familiar about the town, and no other city will ever take its place. It’s impossible for me to drive around without having a story about every place I see. First dates at the Regal Cinemas 10 theater, countless nights spent at the Shari’s in the Heights after band rehearsals and football games, and my first job at Spanky’s consignment in downtown Vancouver. Maybe one day it will be home again. :)

Avis Horjus

Oh The Places You’ll Go! ( In Vancouver)

Why do I love Vancouver? Oh where do I start?

There’re so many things that are dear to my heart.

We’re a city that isn’t too big or too small

But once you look round you see we’ve got it all.

So let’s take a tour and then you will know

Why I love the Couv. Oh the places we’ll go!

Now call all your friends and gather your brood

It’s time to get going, let’s start with the food!

At Vancouver Pizza they serve a great pie

La Botega’s gnocchi can just make me cry

Rumaki at Charlie’s, wine from Gouger’s

Burritos from Muchas and breakfast at Gray’s

Then try that lamb of Jerusalem Café’s.

Next stop is Mint Tea where we’ll munch baklava

And pick up some incense, smells great! Ooh, la la

Mon Ami and Je T’aime, oh the crepes oh the bread

The coffee the pastries! What more need be said?

Get a Tip Top martini or Salmon Creek Brew

Catch a Reuben at Brick House, they’ll make one for you

Then at Pop Culture there’re sodas galore

You can try one you’ve not heard of before.

There are two tasty tigers that in the ’Couv caper

A Thai in a Garden and one they call Paper

In ice cream Vancouver has the Renaissance

We call ICR and it’s par excellence.

Now that we’ve eaten let’s go outdoors

Out where there aren’t any windows or floors

We have gardens and parks here in Urban Abundance

A bounty of beauty that’s pleasant redundance.

In Esther Short Park salmon leaps up a tower

While down below there’s a fountain that showers

The farmers are selling their veggies and fruit

We’ll browse through the crafts and we’ll find something cute.

And then if you want to stroll down to the river

The garlicky muscles at Joe’s make me quiver

On the terrace at Beaches we’ll lounge in the breeze

And gaze at the sailboats, with drinks if we please.

Then we’ll cross the land bridge and visit the fort

There’s a great deal of history here to report

If it’s July there may be an encampment

Our history buffs here just love re-enactment.

Then over to Pearson Airfield and Museum

They’ve got some old airplanes and we can go see ’em

Across the parade ground to Officers Row

Is one more place that it’s pleasant to go.

Vancouver has so much to love and to do

I know that you’re tired but we’re just not through

Vancouver’s creative! Our art scene abounds

With poetry, theater, puppets and sounds.

Marionettes play for free in The Space

Why folks here perform just all over the place.

There’s even a school devoted to arts

And our town supports it in all of its parts.

There’re so many swell galleries here in the Couv

That sometimes I feel like I live in the Louvre

Just wander uptown and go on a pub crawl

The joints have all got local art on the wall.

You want natural beauty? We’ve got that in spades

From mountains to beaches and lush old growth glades.

In any direction you head out of town

Outdoor adventure is easily found.

If you like cycle just go to Bad Monkey

The bike and skate shop that’s friendly and funky

Or Vancouver Cyclery if you can race

They’ve got a team that can sure keep the pace.

And I love Fit Sisters where cool girls work out

And Columbia Dance, let’s give them a shout

And Broadway Station where I get my mail

Lauri who runs it is such a nice gal.

And if you want to grow up to be smart

Our fairest city’s a great place to start

If you got what it takes and you want to succeed

Here in Vancouver we’ve got all you need.

We’ve got Clark College and WSUV

So you can go there to earn a degree

When you’ve been educated I’m sure that you’ll see

Here in Vancouver’s the best place to be.

Those are a few reasons that I love the Couv

You can say what you want just don’t ask me to move!