Comments on: Italian Days 1977: a photo essay by Bruce Stewart

By: Janet Ross

Janet Ross — Sun, 25 Aug 2024 15:47:24 +0000

Thank you so much Eve for this story as well as your other Vancouver history articles. I have long been an admirer of Fred Herzog’s work, but somehow had been completely unaware of Bruce Stewart.. Although I did not move to Vancouver until 1975 (And then it was just “to visit“ – But of course, how could I leave?) I lived in North Van, and was well aware of the reputation of the mud flats, by way of my disapproving parents-in-law (“ Those damn hippies”). Stewart’s photos are fantastic, evocative, and beautiful! I do hope that there is some way to save and archive all that he has done for photographic history in this part of the world. Thank you again for spotlighting.

By: rhonda spence

rhonda spence — Wed, 03 Jul 2024 00:04:58 +0000

In reply to Eve Lazarus. I do have one on the wall of my home office…i would have to go digging for the original

By: Rhonda Spence

Rhonda Spence — Tue, 02 Jul 2024 14:56:38 +0000

Thanks so much for this – My Father Bob Spence was the manager of the Woothworth store from the late 50’s until his retirement in the early 80’s.

By: Linda

Linda — Mon, 01 Jul 2024 01:14:59 +0000

Everything in the 70s was fabulous and Italian Days was right up there. I lived in Burnaby but spent a lot of time in East Vancouver as I worked year-round for the PNE. We always went to Italian and Greek days. Parades, picnics, families and good food everywhere. Everyone walked everywhere long after dark. So glad we got to experience those times.
Eve, I enjoy all your articles!

By: Dale Odberg

Dale Odberg — Sun, 30 Jun 2024 15:43:39 +0000

Beautiful, thank you very much Eve and Bruce. When I lived near the drive I bought great shoes at Kalena’s, I checked and it still there. And the coffee at Joe’s definitely wakes me up.

By: Claire Heffernan

Claire Heffernan — Sun, 30 Jun 2024 03:07:13 +0000

Those were the days when people actually lived in the city: they worked in their neighbourhoods, they shopped at local stores for everything, they went to local theatres and bars, they had vegetable gardens in their front yards, school and church were blocks away, they visited their relatives and neighbours, on hot summer evenings they had picnics in local parks and sat on their porches to enjoy the cool breeze, car ownership was rare, everyone walked everywhere … in every city … as I am from Ottawa. I watched these neighbourhoods get destroyed by greed and stupidity.

By: Angus McIntyre

Angus McIntyre — Sun, 30 Jun 2024 01:34:15 +0000

Bruce’s photos really captured two 1970s fashion moments: flared slacks and platform shoes. Immediately to the right of the photo of Gransasso Billiards is the first letter for the Woolworth’s store next door. The Manitoba Hardware neon sign really illuminated the street at night, right across from the Star Weekly neon sign. I love the juxtaposition of the full clotheslines and the Speed Queen washing machine advertisement.

By: Gord McCaw

Gord McCaw — Sat, 29 Jun 2024 22:13:11 +0000

Bruce is a gifted photographer and this is a wonderful document of the time, thanks for introducing me to his work…

By: Jasmin Sczesny

Jasmin Sczesny — Sat, 29 Jun 2024 17:38:16 +0000

Thank you for this! It brought back so many memories. Born and raised in the area and lived upstairs in the tall building behind the Spartano sign in the 80’s – 90’s. The building was owned by Dr. A.K.B. Khoo, who ran his medical practice downstairs. Italian Day was simply the best.

By: Bill Engleson

Bill Engleson — Sat, 29 Jun 2024 16:07:55 +0000

A fun retrospective…

By: Fred Somers

Fred Somers — Sat, 29 Jun 2024 15:53:09 +0000

Excellent – love it

By: Carolyn

Carolyn — Sat, 29 Jun 2024 15:30:06 +0000

I would have been over at Greek Days, as my grandmother lived at 8th and Bayswater. But wow, these are fantastic photographs! I’d love to see more.