It was January 5, 1912 when the first professional hockey game was played in Vancouver at the Denman Arena1. The impressive venue (one of the world’s largest) was built in 1911 thanks to the hard work (and family lumber money) of brothers Frank and Lester Patrick. Source: The Story of the Vancouver Millionaires. Photographer: Unknown. […]

On New Year’s Eve Vancouver lost Milton Wong, a wonderful business man, Order of Canada recipient, SFU Chancellor, and philanthropist. “Milt was a very generous and wonderful guy,” said longtime friend Michael Clague, who recalled the time in 2003 when, as director of the Carnegie Centre in the Downtown Eastside, he asked his university buddy […]

Thanks to Bob from Vancouver is Awesome, I discovered a new blog to add to my link list. It’s Changing Vancouver and it features “then and now” images of our city. As Bob kindly noted in his post, I’ve had my own Vancouver History: Then and Now series, I’ve helped the North Vancouver Museum promote […]

Browsing through the Vancouver Archives this morning I searched for photographed under the category “celebrations”. It was in that pile of digital photographs that I found a photos of Sister Frances of Strathcona receiving a “Good Citizenship Medal” from the City of Vancouver. 1929 – Archives item# CVA 99-1874. Photographer: Stuart Thomson Sister Frances Redmond […]

The City of Vancouver’s boundaries as we know them (Burrard Inlet, Boundary Road, the Fraser River, and Pacific Spirit Park) were not always part of Vancouver. Throughout its 125-year history, Vancouver has expanded and amalgamated several times. When it was incorporated on April 6, 1886, it was made up of what we would now call […]

Vancouver History Telephones – Photos from the Archives

You may have strolled by his statue in Stanley Park or taken part in the track and field meet named after him. If you have lived in Vancouver for any number of years you are probably familiar with the the name Harry Jerome. Photo credit: Clayton Perry Photoworks on Flickr. Submitted to the Miss604 Flickr […]

I scanned through the Vancouver Public Library’s archives to come up with a merry collection of images from Christmas in Vancouver over the last century in this week’s series. 1900’s – Santa giving gifts. VPL Accession Number: 18052. Photographer: Stuart Thomson. 1918 – Butcher shop at 2513 Main St. VPL Accession Number: 20633. Photographer: Dominion […]

They 99th Grey Cup Championship is coming to Vancouver at the end of this week with a parade, festival, and final game in which our BC Lions are participating. The Lions had a bumpy start to their season at Empire Field but moved into their renovated home at BC Place and stormed up the ranks […]

This week’s theme is a not-so-subtle reminder that there is a civic election happening this Saturday, November 19, 2011. The City of Vancouver has had 39 individual mayors in its 125 years, here are just a few of them in action over the last century. 1886 – VPL Accession Number: 508. The first council meeting […]