Most parks in Vancouver are named after former Parks Board members or royalty – but not Emery Barnes Park in Yaletown. The grass, stone walkways, water features and new playground on Davie is named after a man born in New Orleans in 1929 who made his way to Canada, into BC Provincial Legislature and is […]

For over 80 years the Orpheum theatre on Granville Street has been far more than an iconic neon sign. Hosting concerts, comedy showcases, the VSO, and even my high school commencement ceremony, this gorgeous venue is an magnificent slice of Vancouver history. The Orpheum 1929 – VPL Accession Number: 11035. Photographer: Leonard Frank. “All around […]

A few months ago I put the call out on Twitter to see what people have been curious to know about Vancouver’s past. There were some great suggestions about Joe Fortes and the Great Fire along with several more tidbits that would be interesting to research. A few people asked about the Burrard Bridge and […]

The Ceperley Meadow at Second Beach in Stanley Park is home to festivals, bike rides, power walks, and outdoor movie nights. It’s also where you can find the site of Vancouver’s first children’s playground after Grace Ceperley (who loved children) willed an endowment for that purpose in the late 1920s. Photo credit: steveleenow on Flickr […]

Browsing the Vancouver Archives digital collection I once again selected a single keyword and searched the image results. Today’s compilation features “picnics” as a tribute to the remarkably warm late September weather we’re experiencing. Year: 1890s In this photo: Strawberry picnic in Stanley Park Vancouver Archives Item #: SGN 965 Year: 1900s In this photo: […]

Chuck Davis, local historian and founder of VancouverHistory.ca has been working on a book for several years that will be called, The History of Metropolitan Vancouver. The website alone is an invaluable resource with over a century’s worth of historic moments, oddities, newspaper clippings and articles about our region. I heard this morning that due […]

Browsing the Vancouver Archives digital collection I sometimes sort my search by category or keyword. The following is a compilation of old-timey images from our city’s past, all having to do with “competitions”. Year: 1918 In this photo: Military Sports, sack fight on beam Photographer: Stuart Thomson Vancouver Archives Item #: CVA 99-638 Year: 1928 […]

Some of my favourite old photos of Vancouver are aerials, taken from planes that have soared above the city for decades. It’s hard to match up the old photos with new ones either that I take myself or that I find on Flickr so the following compilation is simply archived imagery. As I spent my […]

The Britannia Mine Museum is re-launching next weekend after a name change (from the BC Mining Museum), refreshed logo, and updated visitor experience on the grounds of the old Britannia Mine, about 10km south of Squamish. John and I were invited up for the day to check out the grounds, the new buildings, and go […]

One of downtown’s hidden gems is the Bill Reid Gallery of Northwest Coast Art, just off Georgia, on Hornby Street. Here you’ll find a breathtaking collection of Reid’s art that varies from wire sculptures and a diamond necklace, to tribute carvings and statues. I was fortunate enough to be given a private tour from Bill’s […]