Air France Concorde Comes to YVR - April 21, 1990

On April 21, 1990, Air France's F-BTSD Concorde visited Vancouver. There were a lot of spectators at the east end of the runway in what is now Air Port Park. Back then, it was common to drive on the grass and park to watch the planes take off and land. On that day, there must have been at least 50 cars parked waiting for the Concorde to arrive. It was a huge moment for plane spotters to see this iconic plane land at YVR!

Air France F-BTSD Concorde approaches YVR - April 21, 1990

 

Air France F-BTSD Concorde Takes off from YVR - April 1990

 

Snow at Queen Elizabeth Park Through the Years

There's one thing Vancouver is blessed with and that is beautiful parks. Stanley Park is Vancouver's most famous park and is rated as one of the best urban parks in the world. Queen Elizabeth Park is certainly another Vancouver landmark, spectacular in it's own way. Vancouver celebrated the 75th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth Park in 2015. It's located between Cambie and Ontario Street and 29th and 37th Ave. It sits in the centre of the city which gives great views of the city and beyond. It was created out of an old rock quarry which gives it a uniqueness not seen in other parks in Vancouver. It's a great place to go year round but on a winter's day with fresh snow, this is the place to go and play in the snow. With the big hills, it's one of the best tobogganing spots around. I remember on a few occasions when Midlothian Ave was actually closed to allow sledders to slide down from the duck pond right into Hillcrest Park.What a ride that was!!

The Large Quarry Garden - January 2017 

 

Looking towards the Large Quarry Garden - January 2017

Looking towards the Large Quarry Garden - January 2005

Looking under the bridge towards the large Quarry Garden 
January 2005

Japanese Stone Lantern - January 2017

Japanese Stone Lantern - January 2005

A view of Downtown Vancouver and the North Shore Mountains
January 2017

A View of Downtown Vancouver and the North Shore Mountains
January 2017

A view of downtown Vancouver and the North Shore Mountains
January 2017

A view of downtown Vancouver and the North Shore Mountains
January 2005

"The Lions" peaking out of the clouds
January 2005

A view of downtown Vancouver and the North Shore Mountains
January 2005

A view of the Bloedel Conservatory - January 2005

A view of the Bloedel Conservatory - January 2017

Henry Moore's "Knife Edge sculpture - January 2005

Henry Moore's "Knife Edge - Two Piece" sculpture is very impressive. I've been going to QE Park for years and have always appreciated this sculpture. In fact I remember as a kid playing on this sculpture numerous times. It wasn't until I took a friend, a well known mask carver, to QE Park in the late 1990s that I learned how famous this sculpture actually was. When my friend first saw the sculpture, he couldn't believe that Henry Moore's sculpture was actually here. He's the first person I ever knew who actually knew a lot about this sculpture and Henry Moore.

Henry Moore's "Knife Edge sculpture - January 2017

Home Movie of Queen Elizabeth Park during winter of 1970

Snowy Road at Queen Elizabeth Park - January 2017

Lots of snow - 1980

Tobogganing at Queen Elizabeth Park 2005 on the Disk Course

Tobogganing at Queen Elizabeth Park 2005 on the Disk Course

Queen Elizabeth Pitch and Putt on a sunny snow day - 1970

Flying over Vancouver in 1987

I recently found pictures my father took on a business trip to Victoria on Helijet back in 1987. It certainly looked like a beautiful and exciting day. When you look at the pictures you can't help but notice how much Vancouver has changed in the last 30 years.The Harbour, the skyline and YVR Airport have all been transformed dramatically as the following pictures will show.

Helijet Landing at Heliport in Vancouver Harbour

A view of Canada Place built for Expo 86

A view of the pilot and co-pilot

A beautiful view of Canada Place

A view of Downtown Vancouver

Lost Lagoon - Stanley Park

Brockton Point - Stanley Park

Stanley Park and the West End of Vancouver

Downtown Vancouver looking small

A View of Vancouver from the West Side east

West Side - Looking Down on Lord Byng Secondary School

YVR Airport

YVR Airport Terminal

YVR Aiport Runway

Pelé and the Cosmos come to Vancouver June 30, 1977

In a time when soccer coverage is saturated on television and the Internet, where you can watch games from all over the world, in the 1970s to see some of the best players in the world on television let alone live was a very rare opportunity in Vancouver. The old North American Soccer League (NASL) offered such an opportunity to see the likes of Pele, Johan Cruyff, George Best and Franz Beckenbauer and many more play. Such players may have been over their prime but they did show some of their amazing skill. Considering some of the playing surfaces they had to play on you had to give them respect as many players of today's era would never consider playing on astro-turf.

Vancouver Whitecaps defeat the New York Cosmos 5-3
June 30, 1977 at Empire Stadium

In 1977, the Vancouver Whitecaps played their fourth season in the old NASL. They had a decent season with 14 wins and 10 losses but unfortunately lost to the Seattle Sounders in the first round of the playoffs. The most famous team in the league was the New York Cosmos. They were a glamorous team with such world class players as  Pelé, Giorgio Chinaglia and Franz Beckenbauer. In the history of the league they won 5 Soccer Bowls. Games between the Caps and the Cosmos were always entertaining and often played with an edge. The only year the Caps won the Soccer Bowl was in 1979 and they had to beat the Cosmos in a two game semi-final to make it to the finals. It was in the game in Vancouver that ABC Sports Commentator Jim Mckay referred to Vancouver as "the village of Vancouver".

On Thursday June 30, the Whitecaps defeated the Cosmos 5-3 before 30,277 fans at Empire Stadium. It was an electric atmosphere. I was very fortunate to go to this game and to have the opportunity to see Pelé play was special.

Whitecaps vs Cosmos Match Summary
St. Petersburg Independent Newspaper

Whitecaps Match Summary

White Lunch Restaurant Annual Picnic at Peace Arch Park- June 21, 1953

The White Lunch Cafeterias were popular in Vancouver up to the 1970s.  My Grandfather was a Manager of the White Lunch on Hastings Street near the Army and Navy store. He retired in 1970. In his time working on Hastings Street he really saw how the neighbourhood dramatically changed especially in the late 1960s. The picture below is from the White Lunch Annual Picnic at Peace Arch Park in June 21, 1953. This picture shows the formality of the day. Look at how many men are wearing suits and ties and women wearing dresses. I can't imagine a picnic today where people are dressed in such a formal way. There was no one in this picture wearing shorts, t-shirt and flip flops as you would see at a company picnic in this era. Peace Arch Park hasn't changed that much over the years. If you look closely at the photo you will see some children doing funny faces.

White Lunch Annual Picnic at Peace Arch Park - June 21, 1953

Fog in Stanley Park

With a mini-heat wave hitting Vancouver this weekend, maybe this would be the perfect time to cool down and look at cool winter days. Vancouver may not be as famous as San Francisco or London when it comes to fog, but there are a few months of the year where fog adds a dramatic touch to the city.

Fog Engulfing the Lions Gate Bridge - January 1994

Fog Engulfing the Lions Gate Bridge - January 1994

Lions Gate Shrouded in Fog - January 2015

Fog Blanketing the Lions Gate Bridge - January 2016

Fog over the west end of Vancouver - January 2016 

 

Fog in Coal Harbour - January 1994

Fog over the west end of Vancouver - January 2016

 

Fog over the west end of Vancouver - January 2016