Historic Vancouver Photos

[zahav]

It really must have been something for Skyscraper enthusiasts in the 60s/70s to have seen the things go up. They really must have felt lots of pride seeing these early highrises go up and give the City a bigger feel

[s211]

I miss the early 70s. There, I said it out loud.

[EastVanMark]

Originally Posted by zahav

It really must have been something for Skyscraper enthusiasts in the 60s/70s to have seen the things go up. They really must have felt lots of pride seeing these early highrises go up and give the City a bigger feel

Could you imagine what that would have meant for some living and running the city now?
Their heads would have exploded. "Too much too soon, too tall, too imposing,doesnt fit into the neighbourhood" etc etc.

Ya back then we let crazy things like the market dictate our downtown skyline instead of socially engineered artificial constraints. Wacky times indeed

[jollyburger]

Originally Posted by EastVanMark

Could you imagine what that would have meant for some living and running the city now?
Their heads would have exploded. "Too much too soon, too tall, too imposing,doesnt fit into the neighbourhood" etc etc.

Ya back then we let crazy things like the market dictate our downtown skyline instead of socially engineered artificial constraints. Wacky times indeed

Sure they got some towers built but I think that everyone in the city was rabidly in favour of development might not be an accurate depection of the era. No doubt the developers had a strong hold on the council but then how can you see the sudden reversal (sure some of it was economic) but a lot of it was "too much, too soon"

[Zepfancouver]

Posted on Reddit by u/Daveonreddit
TBT: Sunset Beach and West End, c.1955–1957
This picture for me cries out a no hustle and bustle lets go and launch the boat on a workday time in Vancouver.

[officedweller]

That's a bit crazy.
There's no one on that side of the water nowadays that would have space for a boat trailer!

[whatnext]

Originally Posted by officedweller

That's a bit crazy.
There's no one on that side of the water nowadays that would have space for a boat trailer!

Even then it was likely boaters from the West or East Side rather than the West End (most of those houses were rooming houses/apts). The boat ramp at Vanier Park is pretty busy now, though I doubt many of the users are from Kits.

[jollyburger]

I like the pier:



https://searcharchives.vancouver.ca/...ver-b-c-canada

[s211]

Originally Posted by jollyburger

I like the pier:



https://searcharchives.vancouver.ca/...ver-b-c-canada

I like the needle-and-trash-free green space.

[MIPS]

East False Creek, 1988


Science World

Of note:
-The ampitheater has not been demolished yet.
-You can see the McBarge and the Roundhouse.
-Science World is still being remodelled.
-You can make out the footpaths where the former East entrance was.
-Still gas stations at both corners of Main and Terminal.

[Changing City]

Originally Posted by MIPS

East False Creek, 1988

Of note:
-The ampitheater has not been demolished yet.
-You can see the McBarge and the Roundhouse.
-Science World is still being remodelled.
-You can make out the footpaths where the former East entrance was.
-Still gas stations at both corners of Main and Terminal.

Great shot. It's not in the Archives, it was posted on Twitter by Science World last year. They say it was taken on September 7 1988.

[jollyburger]

Looks like an old pedstrian overpass of the bridge directly into BC Place

[officedweller]

I think that pedestrian bridge was there until site preparation for The Parq.

That's a great shot.
The Expo Theatre was an awesome concert venue. It only held a few thousand people, I think.

You can also see the original loop at the north end of Cambie Bridge (alligned with Beatty St.)
which was changed to a pedestrian mews when Waterworks was built.

[Nites]

When did they build the docks?

[officedweller]

Which docks?
Marinaside marina was built when the adjacent Concord buildings were built - maybe mid-late 1990s?
Not sure when the Creekside ones were built (lower left corner) - maybe around 2000 for the dragon boat festival.

[jollyburger]

Still pretty barren in 1994:



https://wiki.ubc.ca/File:Southeast_F...hoto_1994.jpeg

Logs in the 1970s:



https://searcharchives.vancouver.ca/nst-5537

Trains in Yaletown:



https://searcharchives.vancouver.ca/nst-5519

Downtown where it was easy to count the towers. The North Shore still looks like it was recently clear cut.



https://searcharchives.vancouver.ca/nst-5532

[logan5]

Originally Posted by MIPS

East False Creek, 1988


Science World

Of note:
-The ampitheater has not been demolished yet.
-You can see the McBarge and the Roundhouse.
-Science World is still being remodelled.
-You can make out the footpaths where the former East entrance was.
-Still gas stations at both corners of Main and Terminal.

Back when Vancouver had a soul. At least that's what the older generation will say.

[Changing City]

1987 and 2018



[source: Changing Vancouver]

[logan5]

It might be hard to fathom, but I think we will see just as much of a transformational change in the next 30 years, as we saw in the last 30 years.

I can see the Broadway Corridor becoming just as prominent as the downtown peninsula, at least doubling in population in that timeframe.

[officedweller]

A 'before' shot with Expo 86 in place would have been a bit nicer.

Originally Posted by jollyburger

Downtown where it was easy to count the towers. The North Shore still looks like it was recently clear cut.

... and the West End looked dense...