Retro Coast

1913 Hotel Regent first Brochure

2012-02-22T14:00:00.000-08:00

http://www.flickr.com/photos/westcoasthistory/6775268624/in/contacts/

BC Electric Service Digest - June/July 1961

2012-01-12T16:36:00.000-08:00

Imagine BC Hydro today giving out dating tips for teens and offering classes for "homemakers".
Note: depictions of Reddy Kilowatt.

BC-centric placemat map

2011-11-22T10:39:00.000-08:00

(click on map to view large)

Opportunity Vancouver: Expo 86

2011-07-12T15:10:00.000-07:00

Not sure if Opportunity Vancouver can be referred to as a junk store treasure, but the 238 page glossy magazine, released in conjunction with the opening of Expo 86, does offer some glimpses into the city a quarter century ago.
Most of the glimpses come in the form of advertisements-- fully two-thirds of the magazine's pages are just that. But even amongst those, there is some comic relief to be found.

Much attention is paid to the usual 80s selling points of the city-- SkyTrain, BC Place, Canada Place. Then, inexplicably betwixt them all, is a two page photo spread entitled "Climbing the Black Tusk". It all gives the impression that this was very much a rushed publication without any editorial direction (or perhaps content) but one that is quite clearly unadulterated Vancouver boosterism!

Cover stars are Prince Charles and Di, Premier Bill Bennett, Mayor Harcourt, PM Mulroney, Patrick Reid, Claude Richmond and, of course, Jim Pattison.

The ketchup bottle invasion of Vancouver, 1986. They have tried to erase all records of this from the history books.

Two photos and about 50 words of text comprised the "Black Tusk" feature..

Woodward's Oakridge ad. The department store chain went through an unsuccessful re-branding and died about six years later.

"Future SkyTrain extensions".

BC Tel ad featuring a portable office in the alpine. I think those are The Lions visible rear left.

The new, state of the art Alex Fraser Bridge.

An interesting vantage point of the Carnegie.

Exploring Richmond (1979)

2011-02-04T20:21:00.000-08:00

Published in 1979, "Exploring Richmond", is very much your typical feel-good picture book, common of the 1970s and 80s. These are now found everywhere at local second hand stores.

Part travelogue, part homage and all gloss, these books often and unintentionally provide obsolete glimpses of places that have changed dramatically over the decades.

The book was written by Balynn Richards, author of several similar books including Victoria Calling and Vancouver Calling, both published earlier in the 1970s.
The apparent result of "five years of study", the photo heavy book's publication coincided with Richmond's centennial.

Most striking to the contemporary reader would be the complete absence of references to the Chinese-Canadian community which has come, in many ways, to define modern Richmond.
In fact, not one word is mentioned of that community though Japanese-Canadians, and their long association with Steveston, are afforded a page of text.

Equally interesting is the bucolic manner in which the city is depicted. Rural scenes and flocks of birds mingle with fishing boats and the "beautiful lake development" of Minoru Park.

Just how differently would Richmond be documented today in a book like this?

A glimpse at early 1980s transit...

2011-01-16T18:19:00.000-08:00

...through an Annual Report, of all things. But this is not just any annual report, it's the Metro Transit Operating Company's Annual Report of 1982-83. This publication somehow found its way to my grandmother's bookshelf some years ago and then, eventually, into my local memorabilia drawer.

Just what is Metro Transit? Well, this website explains the various incarnations of transit operators in Vancouver, so I'll leave the historical detail to your perusal. Basically, it was an operating authority for transit service in Greater Vancouver and Victoria.

It all sounds very dry until you see the cover!

and then flip it open--

The photos provide glimpses of an old bus stop sign being made and a "class for trolley coach mechanics"

These were the first days of the new Flyer E901 trolleys on Vancouver streets, and the report is replete with mention of them. A few years ago, the last of these trolleys was retired. In 1983 however, many of the original Brill trolleys remained in service after 30 years, as well as the short-lived Flyer E-800 series.

But not all of the fascination lies in the photos. The report mentions 36 assault-related incidents on transit in Victoria that year, and while not mentioning the number in Vancouver, boasts about the success of the "Combat Vandalism" program and how only 776 seats were slashed in 1982 and half the number of windows smashed, as compared to the previous year.

Oh, and for the record, there appears to have a surplus of $3.3 million on the fiscal year.

Chuck Davis (1935-2010)

2010-11-21T17:27:00.000-08:00

I was saddened to hear about the passing of Vancouver historian Chuck Davis last week.
Mr. Davis had perhaps more published material on Vancouver history, than anybody else in history.
From his stories of local broadcasting to the Greater Vancouver Book to the elegant Vancouver: Then and Now edition of 2001, Chuck's research and words are familiar to anyone who has looked into Vancouver's past.

A few years ago, Chuck came across a blog I used to write known as 'Vantopia'. It was basically a summary of past news events from one of the Vancouver daily newspapers.
With his trademark friendliness, he immediately suggested we meet up for coffee and compare notes. It was great to meet him under the sails of Canada Place, and trade little stories and ponder what made us so interested in the history of the city.

What we had in common was a desire to dig up interesting tidbits and those forgotten little stories from the past. Not only so that these would be remembered, but so they could also provide a frame of reference for why the city is the way it is and how it has developed as a city.
I would bump into him periodically at the downtown library as well, a place where he was well-known and loved by staff.

Sometimes a place changes so quickly, that even five or ten years can seem like an eternity. The people, places and stories which seemed so vital at one time are often buried under a contemporary behemoth. Chuck recognized the value in maintaining the story of places for future generations to enjoy and for that we owe him a debt of gratitude. Thank you, Chuck.

From the kitchen

2010-10-20T00:49:00.000-07:00

Here are a few items that have survived 48+ years in the family's kitchen cupboards.

I would have liked to include a BC Lions glass featuring quarterback Joe Kapp from the 1960s, but unfortunately a certain kid broke that in the sink about 15 years ago.

My Great-Grandmother, who lived in Vancouver's West End, was in possession of the following piece and handed it down to my grandparents in the late 1940s. Since then it has been primarily used as a receptacle of knick knacks and paperclips.

My family lived a stone's throw from Empire Stadium in the 1950s and they acquired this still seldom-used glass commemorating the British Empire and Commonwealth Games.

And finally, the much-maligned monorail in Seattle made its debut at the World's Fair in 1962, along with the Space Needle. This tall glass was smuggled north of the border by my grandparents.

Vancouver - 1957 Tourist and Shopping Guide

2010-10-05T03:02:00.000-07:00

The late 1950s were an interesting time in Vancouver. A post war boom meant that the city was in a rapid state of change. The most striking evidence of this was visible in the city's skyline. The West End densified upwards as apartments began to replace the large houses and often mansions constructed in the Victorian and Edwardian era. By the late 1960s, you'd hardly recognize the place from a photo.
The commercial core also began to see taller office buildings, notably the BC Electric Building (now "Electra" at Burrard and Nelson Streets). Yet mills and resource industry were still evident downtown-- along False Creek.
This tourist guide provides a fun glimpse of how the city was trying to market itself at the time. Many of the advertisements found within would soon be considered obsolete-- particularly the ones for the private ferry services.

Is that Queen Elizabeth Park on the cover? Possibly an earlier version of here? If so it has certainly captured a scene which is unavailable today. If anyone has clarification on where this is, I'd appreciate it.

Woodwards had three Lower Mainland locations at the time of printing and had not yet opened stores at either Oakridge Mall nor Guildford in Surrey, which wouldn't be built for another nine years.
A personal aside-- my Uncle drove for Advance Cabs until its demise in the mid 1990s.

The BC Electric Building featured prominently in the guide.
The line "When you've explored the city for a few days, you'll probably know more about the latest developments than most of the residents" rings true to this day. In fact, it has likely been that way since the city's founding!

BC Ferries was still a few years away (after CP ceased to be "fast frequent and dependable"). Local ferry services were handled by Black Ball Line-- which still operates the Victoria-Port Angeles, WA run-- and Canadian Pacific. CP offered downtown-downtown service as the BC Ferries terminals we have at Tsawwassen and Swartz Bay were not even conjured up at this time.

"...and its stores full of bizarre and exotic oriental wares..."

No Skyride to the top of Grouse Mountain yet, that was a decade away still. Everyone caught the chairlift up.

The White Lunch was a locally popular restaurant chain. These sorts of cafeterias were the closest thing to fast food at the time.

British Columbia Geography Manual - 1954

2010-09-23T23:03:00.000-07:00

Fifty-six years ago, young students in British Columbia classrooms were being taught from this text. At the time of publication, the First Nations of Canada were six years away from being given a vote in federal elections and it had been a scant six years since Won Alexander Cumyow cast his famous ballot.

It would be interesting to compare this with the current curriculum. It bears very little resemblance to any text I recall from the 1980s and early 90s. This particular volume devotes a mere three paragraphs to "our native peoples", and it does not take long to realize just what a shallow and cursory writeup it is.

The text focuses on the resources of the province-- featuring numerous maps representing forest, agricultural and mineral interests. Note the population of Abbotsford and the list of potential hydro sources. Most of the large hydroelectric dams in the province had not yet been built.
The following are some of the highlights--

Historical "pasteup" on East Hastings

2010-09-03T19:38:00.000-07:00

This historical pasteup was spotted on a paper box on East Hastings near Renfrew.
It caught my eye because my first ever job was for BC Collateral for a few years in the mid 1990s. Interesting job, that.

Anyway it seems that the owners, during the time leading up to Japanese-Canadian internment, were employing quite the advertising strategy.

The PNE - 1981 program (and a few photos from this year's fair)

2010-09-02T14:18:00.000-07:00

I managed to get to the PNE this year for the first time in about five years. The day was capped by a dancing, fireballed retrospective of some of the exhibitions finest moments over its first 100 years. Managed to snap a few photos of the presentation-- and they are at the bottom of this post.

But in keeping with the retro theme, here are some photos from 1981's PNE program. Yeah, 1981 is pretty retro.

Note the architect behind the 1981 Prize Home was the late Ron Thom not Arthur Ericksen as I first suspected upon looking at the design (not that my eye is terribly discerning in such things).

Note also the general location of the home is given as a subdivision in Coquitlam. It would be interesting to track down some of these homes to see how their condition has held up over the decades and indeed if they're still in their original location.

The exhibition map has changed little from 1964 (pictured in a previous post) to 1981. And it would stay this way until the 1990s. Empire Stadium was still the largest sports facility in Vancouver although its replacement by BC Place was imminent by this time.

The above is definitely not something you would find in today's programs.

And below are a few mediocre photos of this years dancing salute to exhibitions past. It was an enjoyable little performance.
In the approx. 20 minute show, particular attention was paid to the presence of Elvis and The Beatles to the fairs of 1957 and 1964, respectively. Even though at the time, they may not have garnered much positive attention by fair organizers.

The PNE -- 1964 program ("The Beatles Show")

2010-08-28T17:40:00.000-07:00

Ten years later, the "British Invasion" has reached the West Coast. The ubiquitous (and ageless?) Red Robinson presented The Beatles to hordes of shrieking girls on August 22, 1964.

The Beatles only visit to Vancouver didn't garner much attention in the PNE program. Their show lasted about 27 minutes. This interesting webpage about the old Empire Stadium, sheds more light.

Interesting to see the difference between the above fairground map and the one from 1954 (next post below). "Playland" is now evident in its usual spot-- probably since the roller coaster installation in 1958.

The area around what is now the Pacific Coliseum is all a parking lot.

This was the PNE layout I remember as a child.

It was used until the mid 1990s, when the BC Building was removed for parkland.

The Pacific National Exhibition - 1954 programme

2010-08-21T20:32:00.000-07:00

I'm certain anyone visiting this page would know it's the P.N.E.'s 100th anniversary this year. During this year's exhibition, the site will be posting some mementos of exhibition's past.
Here are some digital images of the programme from 1954.

Particularly interesting on the map is the lack of a separate "Playland" (however, in the site currently occupied by the Pacific Coliseum, there is an area marked "Gayway" with a sketch of an amusement park). Also note the "Armed Forces" exhibit and a larger agricultural component.
Empire Stadium is referred to simply as "stadium", and would have been a brand new, state of the art facility, having just opened a month or two earlier for the British Empire and Commonwealth Games.

Forsts Department Store 2550 E. Hastings was located at the site of what is now "L'Atelier" lofts-- one of the first major residential gentrification projects along East Hastings Street, completed in the mid 1990s.

Prior to the lofts, the site housed a Fields and Fedco department store for some years.
I wonder if the Forst name is in any way related to former CKNW radio morning host "Frosty" Forst?

A sample of the PNE events calendar from 1954. Knitting Bee!

BC Place badges

2010-08-09T13:38:00.000-07:00

A look back at some of the 'boosterism' surrounding the original construction of BC Place Stadium in the early 1980s.

Somewhere, I have an old Beautiful BC article by Gordon Price, further espousing the qualities of this 60,000 seat stadium. Will post when found.

Welcome to Retro Coast

2010-08-08T23:57:00.000-07:00

With more murmur than fanfare, Retro Coast has been launched.

What you'll see here in coming weeks and months will be a collection of Vancouver and West Coast Canadiana, most of which will be 20+ years old. It will run the gamut from books to magazines to brochures to spoons to matchboxes. But rather than an attempt to market these items as merchandise (although if things get desperate that won't be ruled out), the focus will be on their social and cultural context.

The occasional essay or larger retrospective may find a home here but the posts, for the most part, will be short and to the point.

Expect, at minimum, weekly updates-- preferably with relevant, somewhat interesting content.

Geographically, the domain of this blog encompasses what is considered the West Coast of British Columbia-- with an emphasis on the population centre, Greater Vancouver.
That being said, do expect periodic drift into neighbouring American states and the interior of this province.

So sit back, relax and enjoy a glimpse into the not so distant past. What has changed here? What hasn't? What can be learned?
Be sure to share and discuss anything that provokes such an instinct.

To open, here is a slideshow-- through flickr-- of photos of Woodward's related items. Woodward's was a large Vancouver department store which operated from 1892 until 1993. At its peak, there were 28 Woodward's "family shopping centres" in Western Canada providing everything from bread to toys to auto service.

Enter slideshow