July 5th, 1959 was the opening day of the Queen Elizabeth Theatre in downtown Vancouver and a few weeks later Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II personally gave it her name. The venue accommodates 2,781 patrons and over the years it has hosted some of the world’s greatest plays, musicals, operas, ballets and concerts. 1957, excavation […]

This summer I have partnered with the Vancouver Canadians and the BC Sports Hall of Fame for a couple of exciting opportunities. We’re highlighting Hall of Fame inductees and offering up the chance for a reader (and nine friends) to attend a Canadians game. On top of that, the winner of my contest gets to […]

Yesterday was the first day of summer and the season hit Vancouver with a wallop of sunshine. To celebrate the parting of the clouds and the freeing of toes from closed shoes, I searched the Vancouver Archives for some simmering summer shots from days gone by. 1895 – Vancouver Cycling Club at Prospect Point. Vancouver […]

This morning the Vancouver Park Board said on Twitter that June 15th (the date of the Canucks game 7 match-up with the Boston Bruins) is also the 170th 103rd birthday anniversary of the death of Lord Stanley1. While we know Stanley for the park that was named in his honor, and his coveted cup, I […]

It’s no secret that hockey fever is alive and well in Vancouver… and it’s June. While it’s an unfamiliar feeling, it’s something this city’s been waiting for since Cyclone Taylor won the cup at the Denman Arena back in 1915. While browsing the Vancouver Archives’ blog, Authenticity, I noticed their latest post features hockey history […]

I read an old headline last week that on May 27th 1902, Vancouver’s baseball team defeated the University of California on the Powell Street Grounds (now, Oppenheimer Park). Seeing this tidbit on the Vancouver History website made me realize that I have never actually talked about Vancouver’s Japantown before and the significance of the Powell […]

This morning I had the opportunity to chat with Jon Mikl Thor, a hockey historian and archivist who sold the rights to the Vancouver Millionaires to the Vancouver Canucks back in October. Aside from knowing all there is to know about hockey history on the West Coast (and owning the Millionaires brand since 1977), Jon […]

Vancouver Heritage Foundation’s Heritage House Tour is a one-day self-guided tour historic homes in Strathcona, Grandview Woodland, and Shaughnessy. Heritage House Tour 2010. Vancouver Heritage Foundation. The tour book (which also serves as your ticket) features a map and photos of nine participating heritage houses around Vancouver that will open their doors for the day […]

While on a photowalk through Stanley Park recently I grabbed a few shots of the site of the Cathedral trees. New evergreens reaching up to the sky from their oversized stumps just off the Cathedral trail, I realized that I haven’t yet shared the tale of the Seven Sisters. The group of majestic trees was […]

For the Vancouver Icons series I have been profiling buildings, statues, and landmarks that we see every day in Vancouver but are perhaps unaware of their history. The posts are photo-heavy, peppered with tidbits of information about the selected icon. When looking for ideas for this week’s subject I put the call out on Twitter […]