It was January 5, 1912 when the first professional hockey game was played in Vancouver at the Denman Arena1. The impressive venue (one of the world’s largest) was built in 1911 thanks to the hard work (and family lumber money) of brothers Frank and Lester Patrick. Source: The Story of the Vancouver Millionaires. Photographer: Unknown. [...]

On New Year’s Eve Vancouver lost Milton Wong, a wonderful business man, Order of Canada recipient, SFU Chancellor, and philanthropist. “Milt was a very generous and wonderful guy,” said longtime friend Michael Clague, who recalled the time in 2003 when, as director of the Carnegie Centre in the Downtown Eastside, he asked his university buddy [...]

Thanks to Bob from Vancouver is Awesome, I discovered a new blog to add to my link list. It’s Changing Vancouver and it features “then and now” images of our city. As Bob kindly noted in his post, I’ve had my own Vancouver History: Then and Now series, I’ve helped the North Vancouver Museum promote [...]

The Vancouver Polar Bear Swim returns to English Bay for the 92nd year thanks to Mr. Peter Pantages. It was in 1920 that Pantages created the club and the brisk ocean dip has been a New Year’s tradition ever since. Peter’s family still carries on the tradition of the Polar Bear Swim Club today. December [...]

Browsing through the Vancouver Archives this morning I searched for photographed under the category “celebrations”. It was in that pile of digital photographs that I found a photos of Sister Frances of Strathcona receiving a “Good Citizenship Medal” from the City of Vancouver. 1929 – Archives item# CVA 99-1874. Photographer: Stuart Thomson Sister Frances Redmond [...]

The City of Vancouver’s boundaries as we know them (Burrard Inlet, Boundary Road, the Fraser River, and Pacific Spirit Park) were not always part of Vancouver. Throughout its 125-year history, Vancouver has expanded and amalgamated several times. When it was incorporated on April 6, 1886, it was made up of what we would now call [...]

It was on this day, December 12, 1883, that the first local phone call was made — it was between Port Moody and New Westminster [source]. In honor of this, my theme for today’s archive photo collection is telephones with images from the Vancouver Archives and the old BC Telephone company. 1895 – Operators and [...]

You may have strolled by his statue in Stanley Park or taken part in the track and field meet named after him. If you have lived in Vancouver for any number of years you are probably familiar with the the name Harry Jerome. Photo credit: Clayton Perry Photoworks on Flickr. Submitted to the Miss604 Flickr [...]