A few years ago I began a “Before and After” series where I would compare photos from the Vancouver Archives with Google Map locations today. It featured old buildings that were still standing, stores that used to be hotels in Vancouver’s formative years, and glass towers in the place of old theatres. Vancouver is a [...]

On this day in 1959, Queen Elizabeth herself presided over the grand opening ceremony for the Deas Island Tunnel, known today as the George Massey Tunnel. (Left) 1957 – Banner for the tunnel construction. VPL Accession Number: 41357.(Right) 1957 – Aerial view of construction. VPL Accession Number: 41355 The premier [W.A.C. Bennett] handed the Queen [...]

It’s not everyday that an apartment building in Vancouver celebrates 100 years of life so the Mount Pleasant Business Improvement Association is making sure to mark the occasion of the Lee Building’s Centennial. On Sunday, July 15th, 2012 they’ll host an event at Heritage Hall on Main where past residents, merchants, and anyone who’s passed [...]

Driving East along Highway 1 through Surrey you may have spotted what used to be a tree, now covered in ivy, a Canadian flag, and sometimes a sign or two. Ever since I was little, and we would drive out to my grandmother’s house in Langley, we would pass this tree and I wondered — [...]

Weather in Vancouver is always a hot topic, even when it’s dreary and soggy. By now, I’m certain everyone in and around the city has seen the forecast for the next week or so, featuring bright and smiling yellow sunshine icons. The only umbrellas we’ll see around here will be at the beach so to [...]

Heritage Vancouver has recently released their list of summer walking tours with an impressive roster of guides to help you discover more about our city. 1959 – Granville Street. Archives item# CVA 672-1. BC Jennings Photographer. Date: Saturday, July 21, 2012 from 11:00am to 1:00pm Tour: Vancouver’s Granville Street: 1885-2012 Guide: Michael Gordon Where to [...]

The Vancouver Heritage Foundation just launched a photo contest where you can submit your pictures of heritage buildings around the city for your chance to win a grand prize staycation at a bed & breakfast. Peppered throughout the city, between glass towers modern storefronts, you’ll find structures that have stood the test of time in [...]

Richmond’s Sea Island is home to more than our award-winning airport, it also has a lone residential area. The quaint community of Burkeville that hugs Russ Baker Way and was established in 1943 as a part of the Dominion Government’s Wartime Housing Plan. The federal government established the neighborhood and built 328 cottages for employees [...]