Echoes of Movement

Mural of crows painted on the side of a building shows two crows

A soundscape inspired by the comings and goings of people, creatures, and things over time.

From the historic train-stopping Militant Mothers of Raymur, to crow migrations, over the ghosts of streetcar lines, to slick moves in a grassroots skatepark, Echoes of Movement turns location recordings into music.

Want to visit the site using your mobile device and GPS? Go directly to Sonic Maps and download the Echoes of Movement files while you have WiFi. On site, open in your browser for an interactive experience. 

Echoes of Movement locations

Coming or Going – Raymur Pedestrian Overpass 
The pedestrian bridge at Raymur Avenue was built in 1971, thanks to the perseverance of the Militant Mothers of Raymur, who blocked trains and protested so that their children could cross the tracks and safely get to school.

Crows Over Cobbles – Francis Street
Every day at dawn and dusk, thousands of crows migrate between Vancouver and their massive roost in Still Creek, Burnaby.  Perhaps today they are flying over Francis Street, where granite cobbles can still be seen, a remnant of the Georgia East streetcar line of the early 1900’s.

Feels Like Freedom – The Courts
Starting in 2016, neighbourhood skaters gradually built a DIY skatepark in Britannia’s disused tennis courts.  With ramps, curbs, and sometimes funky music, The Courts is a community that welcomes everyone.

Map showing three stops on Echoes of Movement audio tour
Three East Vancouver stops

Credits

Echoes of Movement Concept
Zencentric (Claire Roberts and John Burton) 

Field Recording, Editing, Mixing
Gecko Temple (John Burton)

Vocals and Photography
Claire Roberts

Producer and Sonic Maps Editor 
Lorna Boschman

StoryCloud Concept
Lorna Boschman and Claire Roberts

With many thanks to The Militant Mothers of Raymur, the artists who painted the mural on Frances Street, and Macej at The Courts.

We gratefully acknowledge that we live and work on the unceded, traditional territories of the Coast Salish peoples sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), sel̓íl̓witulh (Tsleil-Waututh), and xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) nations.

We acknowledge the support of the Canada Council for the Arts.

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