My Vancouver Icons series focuses on places and landmarks around Vancouver that we see every day, perhaps even take for granted, without always knowing the deeper history that is involved. In some cases, there is not much greater history (sometimes a steamclock is just a steamclock from the 1970’s) but for others, they are a glimpse into Vancouver’s past or a way that it began to grow its future.
The Hotel Vancouver located on West Georgia street between Burrard and Hornby is almost identical to other Canadian Pacific Railway hotels that were constructed across the country. The urban hotels, such as Toronto’s Royal York, Calgary’s Palliser and the Hotel Vancouver, with nearby train stations or ports served businesspeople and elite rail travelers. Rural hotels, like the Banff Springs, served as exclusive and scenic getaway destinations. The Chateau Frontenac and Empress in Victoria are two of the oldest in the collection, which was purchased by Fairmont Hotels – along with a handful of similar hotels from Canadian National – in 2001.
1890s – First Hotel Vancouver. Archives Item# Hot N53.
1905: Georgia and Granville. First Hotel Vancouver. Archives# AM54-S4-1—: S-3-1.
The building we know today is the third Hotel Vancouver. The first was located at Georgia and Granville and opened in May of 1888, according to Chuck Davis of The History of Metropolitan Vancouver. Construction began on a replacement, the second Hotel Vancouver, in early 1913 and it would open in 1916.
1917 – Robson at Howe. Second Hotel Vancouver.
Archives Item# CVA 677-969. Photographer: Frank Gowen.
1923 – Georgia at Howe. Second Hotel Vancouver. Archives Item# CVA 677-951.
The second Hotel Vancouver would serve Vancouver, on Georgia and Howe (where the TD Tower is today), until 1939 when its predecessor was opened. On May 24th, 1939 the second Hotel Vancouver closed while the third was opened. A quote from architectural historian Harold Kalman on The History of Metropolitan Vancouver: “Delayed by the Depression, it was rushed to completion in 1939 for the Royal Visit of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth. The rival CPR co-operatively closed its own, earlier, Hotel Vancouver (two blocks east), lent the name, and entered into a joint management contract.
1931 – Third Hotel Vancouver. Photographer: Stuart Thomson.
Archives Item# CVA 99-3696, CVA 99-3686, CVA 99-3689.
Aside from hosting royalty and dignitaries from around the globe, the Hotel Vancouver (as we know it today) was also the home of CBC Vancouver until the 1970’s, and the place where Dal Richards, the King of Swing, got his start in the Panorama Roof Ballroom.
1966 – Hotel Vancouver. Archives Item# CVA 780-4.
While the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver isn’t the tallest or oldest building in the city, it’s still the grand centrepiece of the Vancouver skyline.
BC Youth Week 2011 is coming up May 1st through May 7th as our province joins an international movement to promote and involve youth participation in sporting events, music, art, movie nights, community projects, and even random acts of kindness.
The rain soaks lush green lawns and carries cherry blossom petals downstream as we await those glorious days of sunshine that are to come. Welcome to spring in Vancouver.
Local photographer Henry Low, who has been sending quite a few videos my way lately, just dropped his latest production in my inbox and it’s too good not to share.
You can view more videos of Vancouver that I have featured including spectacular time-lapses by searching my video category or browsing Henry Low’s YouTube channel.
Lip dubs and flash mobs are all the rage these days, taking hours to organize and choreograph often hundreds of participants for that shot at internet stardom (while having a ton of fun in the process).
Lip dubs are described as “a type of video that combines lip synching and audio dubbing to make a music video. It is made by filming individuals or a group of people lip synching while listening to a song or any recorded audio then dubbing over it in post editing with the original audio of the song.”
The fist lip dub that I watched was one this office put together in 2007:
It took a few years to catch on but some local schools have now been getting in on the action. First there was UVIC in October of 2010, UBC Vancouver in April 2011 (nearing 1 million views on YouTube), as well as UBC Okanagan this month.
If you love lip dubs then check out LipDubHub.com for the cream of the crop and check the accounts of those who posted originals as “making of” lip dub videos are also popping up. Know of any more Vancouver or BC-based lip dubs? Drop a note in the comments and I’ll add the link to this post.
Nestled on the logger sports grounds in Squamish, with the Stawamus Chief in view behind the main stage, Live at Squamish is once again shaping up to be the event of the summer this August 21st and 22nd. Acts are being revealed the the coming weeks such as Stars who now join Weezer, Metric, Major Lazer, Girl Talk, Bend Sinister, The Zolas and more.
Early Bird tickets are still on sale until May 15th but they’re going fast (camping is already sold out). Early Bird Weekend passes are $119 and Early Bird Day passes are going for $79 (plus service charges). Kids under 12 are still free when accompanied by an adult. Be sure to get your tickets before they sell out, I have a feeling that these will be hot items come summer. Squamish, music, laying on the grass, beer garden, local and world-class talent… need I say more?
As a media partner of this year’s Live at Squamish music festival I have the opportunity to give away two pairs of weekend passes right now, before the Early Bird deadline is up. Here’s how you can enter to win:
Leave a comment on this post listing one of this year’s confirmed artists (1 entry)
Post the following on Twitter (1 entry)
RT to enter to win weekend passes to @LiveatSquamish with @Weezer @Metric & more from @Miss604 http://bit.ly/feIMvY #LAS2011
I will draw two winners at random from all entries next Friday, April 29, 2011 at 12:00pm.
Update The winners are Natalie Burgwin (comment entry) and jeff (@zenspiration Twitter entry) – congratulations!
