Adventurous Soul

Uli and I both moved to Vancouver in 1992. I met her at the A&B Sound training. She had just been hired to work as a graphic designer at their HQ and I was working at the downtown retail location. I remember going to many concerts with Uli (free tickets from the record labels). During these performances, she liked to move around the night club watching and listening to the bands from different view points.

The picture with the yellow blind was her the first appartment she rented in Mount Pleasant after living in the West End. It was was up the hill from 4th Avenue. That night we went to a Fetish party at a night club. Her in black heels and a playful attire. Ulrike knew how to create an adventure out of every outing she made whether it was in her own city or half way around the world.

Uli love doing road trips. We did many together. Several camping adventures included setting up a tent at the edge of a farmer field one night. We also camped up around Boston Bar at a free camp site. (I can't find all the pictures from these adventures sadly:( It was a camp site that had more black bears than campers. One afternoon we were taking a hike on a trail near the site and encountered a black bear less than 3 meters away. Uli was very calm, made noise by clapping while I was freaking out inside.

We traveled to Vancouver Island, (see pics) and hopped on walk on passenger ferry that stopped at many places. I think it was near Ucluelet, BC. Uli would have remembered exactly where it was. She had a great memory for details. 

She was very excited when she purchased her condo in Mount Pleasant. When she was travelling, she would rent it out. For a number of years she rented it out while living a huge shared house, which is where she met PH, the love of her life. I hope they their souls have reconnected.

Uli give me many thoughtful gifts over the years. I remember telling her that when I was a teenager that I watched the Brady Bunch. I remember telling her that one afternoon that I was watching the very first episode, when I was called up to help my Mom make dinner. I told Uli about my teen angst and disappointment. Some where she found the first three eposides of the Brady Bunch on VHS, where Mike and Carol has just met and got married. She wrapped it up and give it to me as a gift. Uli paid attention to the little details. I suppose that's make made her a great writer, story telling and explorer.

Our lives weaved in and out since PH death. When my partner and I moved to Mount Pleasant in 2014, I was just around the corner from Uli apartment. This is when we reconnected more regularly until I moved to Montreal in 2017.

At this time, in 2014, was on the stata counsel and was in starting to deal with the Air BNB issues in her building. She was dogged about changing the city bylaws and bold in her approach to address the real estate agent who owned many suites in her building and was renting them out through Air BNB. Her passion for affordable housing was relentless. This is when she was exploring what her legacy of giving would be.

I was saddened, shocked and heartbroken when saw the Facebook post about Ulike's death. It is clear from all the stories, posts and photos in Memory of Ulrike. She is loved and will be remembered by so many of us.