As Vancouverites awake after a night of confetti-filled celebration, 2011 is perhaps welcomed with a dip in English Bay, a pound of the snooze button, or that first venti-sized coffer of the year. Although most are looking ahead, I decided to look back and see how our city rang in the New Year throughout the […]

The Vancouver Polar Bear Swim in English Bay is a tradition that is 91 years strong. It all began with 10 swimmers in 1920 thanks to the leadership of Peter Pantages and it grew to welcome over 2,000 participants in recent years. Peter Pantages & Miss E Robinson in English Bay Dec 1927 – Archives […]

Santa rolled into Vancouver last week and he’s no stranger to our town. While looking up a keyword for today’s Archives Photos I decided to keep it simple and see how Santa has spent his time in our town over the years. Year: 1939 In this photo: The Case triplets visit Santa Vancouver Archives Item#: […]

When looking for a theme for this week’s collection of Archives Photos, the keyword “Barbershops” caught my eye on the search page. With a wrap on this year’s Movember many grizzly-faced men have been shaving up a storm either at home or with the help of a grooming professional, so the theme seems rather fitting. […]

At last night’s Vancouver Blogger Meetup I was on a panel with Robert Ballantyne who is a resident of Bowen Island. Just 20 minutes away by ferry, this Island community has been a recreation destination for decades making it a perfect feature for this week’s ‘Archives Photo‘ collection. Year: 1917 In this photo: The S.S. […]

The North Shore mountains hide, shrouded in a grey cloud of flurries as I look out over an un-touched blanket of snow covering the West End. This morning’s snow in Metro Vancouver is still cascading from the skies as many have taken to staying indoors and bundling up. Growing up in Surrey we used to […]

The Ross Bay Cemetery is frequently mentioned on tours around Victoria as big buses and double-deckers cruise past the historic resting place that sits beside the ocean. It wasn’t until this past weekend that I had the chance to get out of my vehicle and take a frosty walk around to pay my respects to […]

If you have ever wanted to know about the history of your home and the people who occupied it before you, James Johnstone is who you want to track down. Over the years he has researched background information for over 800 houses in Vancouver and 300 of those in East Vancouver alone. 1891 – Mount […]

I have profiled the Hycroft mansion before but have not had the chance to visit until this week. I was invited by the University Women’s Club who has occupied the luxurious and majestic heritage home since the early 1960s. 1927 – Vancouver Archives Item #Bu P688 Photographer Leonard Frank Found just off Granville & 16th […]

It was announced yesterday that the Pacific Central train station on Main Street will receive $5 million in federal funding for a ‘facelift’. Photo credit: DutchAstrid on Flickr Opening in 1919, it was the western terminus for the Canadian Northern Railway (now the terminus for VIA Rail) and was one of the first major structures […]