Dad Has All The Fun

Dad has all the fun!

The good old days when playing outside was the norm. This picture is a good example of  life in Vancouver  in the1960s. My Dad is having a lot of fun, maybe too much fun testing the go-cart while the Speed kids and friends chase after him. When I showed this picture to my Dad, he recalled that the go-cart didn't have breaks so fortunately for him the hill wasn't too steep as you will see in the next picture. Notice no helmets! This picture was taken in front of our old house on Fleming Street between East 37th and East 39th avenue. I remember riding a bike for the first time on this same sidewalk. I pedaled a few revolutions before steering into some bushes just down the sidewalk to the left.

Northbound view of Fleming Street

Victory Square - Through the years!

Victory Square looking south 1920s

This photo of the Cenotaph in Victory Square is from my Grandmother's album. I'm not sure of the exact date but most likely it was taken in the period from the late 1920s to the early 1930s. The view is from the northwest corner of West Hastings and Cambie Street in front of the Dominion Building. On the south side of Victory Square the Central School is visible at the top of the hill. The Cenotaph was officially unveiled in 1924 by Mayor William Reid Owen and was built in honour of the Vancouver soldiers who died in France during the First World War. Judging from this picture, the benches around the Cenotaph looked like a popular location to read the newspaper or to just relax. Unfortunately over time, Victory Square became a very common area for drugs and alcohol.

Victory Square looking south 2014

A view of Victory Square and the Cenotaph from the northwest corner of West Hastings and Cambie Street in front of the Dominion Building in January 2014. Many of the buildings around Victory Square haven't changed since the 1930s with the exception of the General School which was demolished and replaced by the Vancouver Community College. What did change was the gradual shift in importance of this area. The Victory Square area of Vancouver used to be the financial and legal centre of Vancouver but that changed after the move of the Court House to West Georgia Street. Over the years this area became a little more run down and forgotten except every year on November 11th.

Burrard Street Through The Years

Burrard Street - North Bound view 1970

My father took this impressive picture of Burrard Street north bound at Nelson Street. What really stands out to me is the total dominance of The Hotel Vancouver in this picture. It looks so close to Nelson Street. Near the top of the hotel you can see the "Hotel Vancouver" sign that spans the width of the hotel. I totally forgot about this sign until I zoomed in on the picture. The Hotel Vancouver is certainly one of Vancouver's most famous landmarks. Sadly though over time it's not as visible in the sky line as it was in 1970. I remember in the movie "Russian Roulette", filmed in and around Vancouver in 1975, there is a scene where a man falls to his death from the roof of the hotel with a huge crowd of onlookers below waiting for the arrival of the Russian Premier. George Segal starred in this political thriller as a corporal with the RCMP.

Just south of the hotel is the old central branch of the Vancouver Public Library. On the right side of the picture at the corner of  Burrard and Nelson is the BC Hydro Building. It is now an apartment building. The first few notes of "O Canada" used to blast out from horns on top of the building every weekday at noon but since it was converted into an apartment building the horns were moved to Canada Place. Other buildings visible in this picture include the YMCA on the left hand side. 

Burrard Street - North Bound View 2014

A lot has changed in 44 years since the previous picture was taken. The Hotel Vancouver is barely visible. In fact you have to look very closely to even see it. It went from a dominant building to almost invisible. The old central branch of the Vancouver Public Library is long gone having been replaced by a new building which includes CTV and Victoria Secrets.  The cars are certainly totally different. There definitely weren't bike lanes 44 years ago.

Pedal Car School - Second Beach Stanley Park 1971

In 1971, I took part in an event that I still think fondly about today. Every time I pass by Second Beach I remember when I took part in the pedal car school at Second Beach. It was so much fun. Boys and girls from all over the city took part. It was so much fun driving the pedal car on an actual street course with traffic signs and lights. The objective of the competition was to pedal around the street course following the laws of the road. Gradually drivers were eliminated when they made mistakes. I came in second place but I'm sure I ran a stop sign and used incorrect arm signals! This street course is no longer there but has been replaced by a  basketball court. In the home movie you can see the old wading pool beside the pedal car street course. The pool was filled in years ago.

Doing the Circuit!

Obeying the laws of the road!

This newspaper article from the Vancouver Sun (Saturday June 7, 1952) explains in detail all about the  purpose of the pedal car circuit.

The following article is from the "News and Courier" of South Carolina in October 3, 1966. Who would have thought that the Second Beach pedal cars would have made it into a newspaper article in South Carolina!

Howzat!!! Cricket at Brockton Point

Brockton Point and cricket go hand and hand. When driving around Stanley Park it's enjoyable to stop and watch some cricket. You don't have to be a cricket aficianado to appreciate this unique game. Brockton Point is probably one of the most spectacular locations in the world to play and watch cricket. Cricket has been played at Brockton Point for decades. Although there are no grandstands, there are always spectators sitting on the grass or the benches watching. The background view of the harbour and mountains is absolutely stunning. I always thought that Vancouver should host a cricket test series at Brockton Point between top cricketing nations like India and Pakistan or England and broadcast it live to the cricketing world. The publicity for Vancouver would be amazing.

Cricket at Brockton  Point in 1971

A cricket game with totem poles and the harbour in the background.

Cricket at Brockton  Point in 2008

A view of a cricket game with a cruise ship in the background.

Cricket at Brockton  Point in 2013

Lumberman's Arch Pool - Stanley Park

The summer of 2013 looks to be one of the best ever. It's a great summer to cool off in one of Vancouver's outdoor swimming pools. Driving by some of these pools brings back lots of memories of cooling off in Maple Grove pool or Second Beach pool when I was a kid. Recently I drove around Stanley Park and thought how different Lumberman's Arch is now compared to when there was a swimming pool there instead of a water park. As a kid I never liked swimming in Lumberman's Arch pool because it was too cold. I don't really remember ever actually swimming in the pool. I remember standing in the pool up to my ankles shivering. 

Lumberman's Arch Pool 1971

This is picture of Lumberman's Arch Pool in 1971. In the distance the CPR ferry is heading to port. The CPR ferry terminal was located where the new Trade and Convention Centre is now. The CPR ferry went from downtown Vancouver to Nanaimo. I went on the CPR ferry a few times and really enjoyed it because the ferry went right under the Lions Gate Bridge. This picture is part of my father's slide collection.

Lumberman's Arch Water Park 2013

This picture is a view of Lumberman's Arch Water Park in 2013. A big change in the atmosphere since the pool was converted to a water park.

Golden Jubilee Celebration Souvenir Stamp Collection

Vancouver's Golden Jubilee - 1936 

To continue with Vancouver's Golden Jubilee, the following is a collection of Golden Jubilee stamps from my Grandmother's photo album. The first three pages are actual scans from her album. The remaining images are the individual stamps which made up the series. The stamps included paintings and black and white photographs. The stamps of painted images are really interesting because they represent a unique style not seen today. The stamps include many famous landmarks in and around Vancouver which are still well known today.