Vancouver used to have a huge number of downtown parking lots. This photo is from 1960:
The high res is worth a look:
http://searcharchives.vancouver.ca/u...be7-A23492.jpg
There are other pictures that highlight the abundance of Vancouver's parking lots but this is all I could find while doing a quick search.
Many of the empty lots have been filled in but there are still a few stragglers.
This lot is perhaps the biggest lot left downtown. It used to be the site of a bus depot and has sat empty for many decades. There is talk the new art gallery could be built on this site:
Future Art Gallery Site? by
entheos_fog, on Flickr
And some historic comparisons of parking lots being built out:
Law Courts Site - 1971/2012 by
entheos_fog, on Flickr
NW Corner of Davie & Howe - 1981/2012 by
entheos_fog, on Flickr
1000 Block of Homer - 1981/2011 by
entheos_fog, on Flickr
1000 Block of Alberni Street - 1974/2010 by
entheos_fog, on Flickr
Threaded Mode