We’ve got some big news to share! We’re hosting a train tour to Seattle and Portland and we want you to join us!
Clear your calendars and pull our your favourite west coast plaid, because from Friday June 19 through Sunday June 21, you’ll be on a private train car* with the RADIUS Fellows and team touring the best of Cascadian social innovation and entrepreneurship. We’ll be hosted for a night in Seattle and a night in Portland, with tours during the day and local food and drink in the evening.
We anticipate spots on this tour will go quickly. Be sure to reserve your space. Pre-Registration with a non-refundable $100 deposit is required to secure your spot. Deadline to pre-register is April 14th, 2015 at 4pm. Full payment will be due by June 1st, 2015.
Tickets (includes: round trip train (YVR>SEA>PDX>YVR), local transit, and accommodation in both cities):
$375 (student/emerging young leader)
$450 (senior leaders and professionals)
Departure (from Pacific Central Station): 6am Friday June 19
Return (to Pacific Central Station): 11pm Sunday June 21
Registration: Reserve your ticket here!
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Please note that all participants are responsible for their own health insurance and any required visas or other documentation they require to travel to the USA.
*Seriously, Amtrak is hitching up extra cars just for us. You won’t want to miss this.
This trip is made possible by RECODE, SFU Sustainability Office, and the BC Ministry of Social Development and Social Innovation.
What is the Cascadia Social Innovation Tour?
The Cascadia Social Innovation Tour is a journey through the Cascadia region to connect, learn, and shift our thinking towards new approaches within the social innovation sphere. We’re packing up our excitement and enthusiasm to build some cross-border connections!
This tour is being hosted by the RADIUS Fellows, a group of 20 high potential emerging changemakers living and working in greater Vancouver. It is open to the entire social innovation community in Vancouver. If you’d like to know more about our fellows, you can check them out here.
We hope that upon our return we continue to rethink our own approaches and continue to foster and strengthen the connections that have been formed.
Our goals for this tour are threefold:
- To connect young social entrepreneurs from Vancouver to other like minded individuals and communities in Seattle and Portland.
- To discover similarities and differences between and within the changemaking communities in Vancouver, Seattle, and Portland.
- To host a meaningful experience, that is both fun and memorable, and deepens connections between the Fellows and within Vancouver’s social innovation community.
FAQ’s
Why do you need my passport number in the registration form?
Amtrak regulations and American border crossing requirements stipulate that we must pre-submit traveller’s information for all international train travel. You can read more about Amtrak’s policy here. This is the only reason we are collecting this information.
Why do you need me to register by April 14 if the trip isn’t until June 19?
Because we are renting entire train cars exclusively for our use, Amtrak requires confirmation of attendees in advance of travel. If we do not sell out the cars, they require us to cancel the reservation and we lose the right to ‘exclusive occupancy’. They have provided the final deadline to confirm how many seats we need.
Can my deposit be refunded if I pay it but can no longer come on the trip?
No, deposits are non-refundable.
Am I required to go on the tours you are arranging for us?
No. Once we are in Seattle and Portland, you are welcome to choose your own adventure. We will be working with local hosts to coordinate a number of different tour options, but if there is something else you would like to see or do, that is entirely up to you.
Am I required to stay in the accommodations you arrange?
No, you are not required to stay with us, but the ticket price does include accommodations. We will not refund you if you choose to stay elsewhere.
Am I required to take the return train trip back to Vancouver with you, or can I make my own way home at a later date/time?
Absolutely! Stay and enjoy Portland or carry on elsewhere. However, like accommodation, the costs are fixed for a return trip and we will not be providing refunds should you choose a different way home.
Who else is coming on the trip?
This trip is open to the general public, and we are specifically inviting the broader social innovation community in Vancouver. The RADIUS fellows and the core RADIUS team will be on the trip and we invite any of you who are interested to join us!