On May 28, 1989, we blew up the Georgia Medical-Dental Centre, a building on West Georgia designed by McCarter & Nairne, the same architects behind the Marine and the Devonshire Apartments.* What were we thinking? The Devonshire was first, designed as an apartment building in 1924. Next came the 15-storey art deco medical building. The… Continue reading The Georgia Medical-Dental Building

It’s hard to fathom how anyone could think that a belly flop competition was a good idea, but Tom Butler did back in the ‘70s, and as it happens, it was. From Vancouver Exposed: Searching for the City’s Hidden History   Stunts: Former Sun reporter, turned PR guy, Butler was the master of the photo… Continue reading Tom Butler, The Coach House Inn, and the Belly Flop that Soared

When Tom Butler talked the prime minister’s wife, Margaret Trudeau, into turning up at the opening night of the Daddy Long Legs Disco at the International Plaza Hotel in North Vancouver on July 31, 1979, her appearance scored national attention for the nightclub. From Vancouver Exposed: Searching for the City’s Hidden History North Vancouver Disco:… Continue reading Margaret Trudeau and the Daddy Long Legs Disco

From Vancouver Exposed: Searching for the City’s Hidden History My friend Angus McIntyre was a Vancouver bus driver for 40 years and often took photos of heritage buildings, neon signs, street lamps and everyday life on his various routes. His photos are always so vivid and interesting and when he sends me one, I stop… Continue reading They Paved Paradise and put up a Parking Lot: Larwill Park

Streetcars operated in Vancouver from 1891 to 1955 This story is from Vancouver Exposed: Searching for the City’s Hidden History Brakes fail: On September 3, 1906 the first North Vancouver streetcar began its journey at the ferry dock, travelled up Lonsdale and stopped at 12th Street. Jack Kelly was the conductor aboard that inaugural run.… Continue reading Bring Back the Streetcar!

From Vancouver Exposed: Searching for the City’s Hidden History Last week I wrote about the oldest house in Vancouver—well at least that’s what they called it when it burned to the ground in 1946. It was built in 1875, and until 1915, its address was Seaton Street. Unlike most of Vancouver’s streets that are named… Continue reading The Life and Death of Seaton Street

It’s hard to imagine today, but when the Marine Building opened in 1930 it was the tallest building in Vancouver and stayed that way for more than a decade. If you look at the photo (below), you can see that when architects McCarter and Nairne, designed it, four of the 22 floors were built into… Continue reading The Marine Building and the Little House Next Door

Do you remember the little house on Richards Street between Nelson and Helmcken in Yaletown? It was one of the last ones standing and for years had quite the garden and lots of funky birdhouses and wheelbarrows.

This is an occasional series that asks people who love history and heritage to tell us their favourite existing building and the one that never should have been torn down. Patrick Dunae: Patrick A. Dunae is a Victoria-born historian. A past member of the City of Victoria Heritage Advisory Panel, he is currently president of the Friends… Continue reading Heritage Streeters from Victoria (with Patrick Dunae, Tom Hawthorn and Eve Lazarus)

If you’re on social media you are likely already familiar with Canadian Colour, beautiful, eye-popping historical photographs of Vancouver’s people, buildings and events. The guy behind these colourized photos is Mark Truelove, a Brit who moved to B.C. 16 years ago, and now lives in Hope. Mark’s day job is web designer/developer, but increasingly he’s… Continue reading Colouring History

Muriel “Capi” Wylie Blanchet of Vancouver Island died in 1961 without ever knowing what an incredible success her book would become. Capi’s story is part of the “Legendary Women” chapter in Sensational Victoria. Capi Blanchet was found dead in 1961, slumped over her typewriter while writing a sequel to The Curve of Time. For a writer,… Continue reading Muriel “Capi” Wylie Blanchet (1891-1961)

The Switzer house of West Vancouver was designed one Sunday, painted pink, and received attention from all over the world. 840 Mathers: In 1960, the Taylor Way interchange on the Upper Levels Highway looked radically different than it does today. That year, local builder Henry Switzer placed his shocking pink house at 840 Mathers Avenue… Continue reading Switzer House (1960-1971)

Fred Herzog, Foncie, Selwyn Pullan, Michael de Courcy, Bruce Stewart and Angus McIntyre were just a few who took up a camera in the Vancouver of the ‘70s, and were documenting images of everything from buildings to the changing skyline, and from neighborhoods to neon. They also put a spotlight on people—the famous, the quirky,… Continue reading Vancouver in the Seventies

  Do you remember the Seven Seas Restaurant? It was moored at the foot of Lonsdale from 1959 to 2002. The restaurant had a crazy 48-foot neon sign easily visible from East Vancouver, and it was the place where locals had their first drink, got engaged, and ate at the city’s biggest seafood buffet. From… Continue reading The Seven Seas Restaurant

Joe Fortes arrived in Vancouver in 1885 and quickly became one of the city’s most loved citizens. As our first official lifeguard and Beach Avenue resident, he saved dozens of lives. This story is excerpted from: Vancouver Exposed: Searching for the City’s Hidden History. Joe Fortes: In 1904 Joe Fortes was living in a sweet… Continue reading Remembering Joe Fortes

It was common in the 1970s to get in an elevator with an operator at buildings such as Woodwards and the Bay. Where did they go? By Angus McIntyre: “Going up, she said,” is the opening line in the 1970’s pop song Heaven on the 7th Floor about a tryst between a female elevator operator… Continue reading The Missing Elevator Operators of Vancouver

Gordon Price called it “the most important thing that never happened” to Vancouver, and certainly if Project 200 and the rest of the freeway plans had gone ahead, Vancouver would be virtually unrecognizable today. This story is from Vancouver Exposed: Searching for the City’s Hidden History The plan was to construct a $340 million freeway… Continue reading Project 200 and the Waterfront Freeway

It’s the first week of January, 2017 and if you own a house you’ve received your BC Assessment notice. If you’re like us you’re not popping open the champagne quite yet because your house has smashed through the ceiling of the home owner grant and you’re on the hook for a lot more taxes, all… Continue reading The House that Chip Built

I finally got to motor up Indian Arm and see the Wigwam Inn–well from the outside. You can’t get inside unless you’re a member of the Royal Vancouver Yacht Club. From Vancouver Exposed: Searching for the City’s Hidden History It seems crazy to me that it’s still fairly inaccessible (unless you own a boat), yet… Continue reading The Wigwam Inn at Indian Arm

I was so sad to hear of Jim Munro’s death last Monday. Jim was a huge promoter and lover of books, heritage buildings, art and authors, including of course, his first wife the Nobel prize winner Alice Munro. He was also a lovely man. I had the pleasure of meeting Jim a few years back… Continue reading Jim Munro (1929-2016)