Historic Vancouver Photos

[zivan56]

Sweet thanks, interesting to see the locations now after so many years...here is what I found:


Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YcbDhWT5orE
Time: 3 : 56
Link: http://maps.google.ca/?ie=UTF8&hq=&h...,62.37,,1,-2.8

Time: 4 : 03
Link: http://maps.google.ca/?ie=UTF8&hq=&h...20.98,,1,-6.46

Time:5 : 11
Link: http://maps.google.ca/?ie=UTF8&hq=&h...59.991744&z=18

[delboy]

Originally Posted by entheosfog

Came across this interesting yet disturbing documentary video on how Vancouver was going to deal with 'urban blight' back in the 1960s, mostly inthe Strathcona neighbourhood. Didn't know if this should have gone in the video thread but I thought these could fit nicely in this thread, too:

• Video Link

• Video Link

Funny how the new building are now the 'blight' infact there is street gang named after one of the developments: Skeena Terrace Boys.

[touraccuracy]

so stereotypical of the early 60s... glad that plan was never fully realized.

[whatnext]

Originally Posted by entheosfog

Came across this interesting yet disturbing documentary video on how Vancouver was going to deal with 'urban blight' back in the 1960s, mostly inthe Strathcona neighbourhood. Didn't know if this should have gone in the video thread but I thought these could fit nicely in this thread, too:..

Interesting. But why call it disturbing? Essentially that's what happened to the West End, but led by private enterprise. Perhaps the mistake lies in the gov't providing social housing, rather than then private sector. Anyone who remembers what some of the areas mentioned were like (eg. Fairview Slopes) can recall that they were rundown dumps.

Urban planning goes through fads and cycles. The crew cut keeners in the video have their counterpart in the "war on the car" crowd currently being churned out by universities.

[SpongeG]

wow

[entheosfog]

Originally Posted by whatnext

Interesting. But why call it disturbing? Essentially that's what happened to the West End, but led by private enterprise. Perhaps the mistake lies in the gov't providing social housing, rather than then private sector. Anyone who remembers what some of the areas mentioned were like (eg. Fairview Slopes) can recall that they were rundown dumps.

Urban planning goes through fads and cycles. The crew cut keeners in the video have their counterpart in the "war on the car" crowd currently being churned out by universities.

It was mostly in response to the clear cutting block by block of Strathcona. The West End was redeveloped in piecemeal with bits and pieces retained. The little graphic they showed as each entire block was yoinked out was a little unsettling, a least to me.

[entheosfog]

Originally Posted by zivan56

Sweet thanks, interesting to see the locations now after so many years...here is what I found:


Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YcbDhWT5orE
Time: 3 : 56
Link: http://maps.google.ca/?ie=UTF8&hq=&h...,62.37,,1,-2.8

Time: 4 : 03
Link: http://maps.google.ca/?ie=UTF8&hq=&h...20.98,,1,-6.46

Time:5 : 11
Link: http://maps.google.ca/?ie=UTF8&hq=&h...59.991744&z=18

Here's a then and now comparison I did a while back of one of those very shots:



Also, check out the 3-story building, third from the left. This is what it looked like then:


Same building now, or at least in 2007 when I took this:


Google Streetview, more recently:


At least the building on the left and the house next door have been restored but when buildings end up like that, no wonder so many people would rather they just be torn down.

[Stingray2004]

Remember though, that was a different era with a different mindset. The "future" back then was espoused by influences such as the TV 'Jetsons' and the futuristic 1964 - 1965 World's Fair in New York among many others.

During that era, much of the West End of Vancouver still looked like this in 1957:



Source: Fred Herzog Photo - www.guestlife.com

And much of of "inner" east-end Vancouver was considered run-down with abandoned and derelict cars and buildings ready to be "re-paved" for the 'future':



Source: Fred Herzog Photo - www.lacritique.org



Source: Fred Herzog Photo - www.unitewithart.com

[SpongeG]

funny that they cleared "blight" has become the blight of today and those houses they demolished people would pay a million for today and fix it up

[entheosfog]

Originally Posted by Stingray2004

Remember though, that was a different era with a different mindset. The "future" back then was espoused by influences such as the TV 'Jetsons' and the futuristic 1964 - 1965 World's Fair in New York among many others.

Some pretty sweet old photos there!
I know what you mean, mindsets were different than they are now. Out with the old! was the order of the day. Which is also why so many old buildings are stucco covered to look like buildings that were new from that time. It still disturbs me to think that Strathcona, one of my favourite neighbourhoods in the city, could have become a giant MacLean Park housing complex. But hindsight is 20/20!

[Prometheus]

An excellent video on the early history and development of South Granville (including interesting information about the original Vancouver street car line), hosted by Vancouver historian John Atkin:

http://www.youtube.com/user/SouthGra.../6/tKHVHG2VhZc

[Prometheus]

Gastown in 1977: http://www.flickr.com/photos/canadag...7612737540476/

[Prometheus]

Groovy times at Lumberman's Arch, Stanley Park, 1973: http://www.flickr.com/photos/pagewor...7618026523257/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/pagewor...7618026523257/

[Prometheus]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/squeaky...81597/sizes/l/

[Dylan Leblanc]

The MacLean park towers look a bit different in real life than how they are shown in the video.

Here they are today - http://www.bing.com/maps/?v=2&cp=s6c...couver%2C%20BC

And from the video -

[SpongeG]

cool video about woodwards

• Video Link

[SpongeG]

• Video Link

[whatnext]

And its been downhill ever since. Would that Tom Campbell had five more years.

Khatsalano Beach?! Shoddy reporting.

[SpongeG]

its seattle TV its the american pronounciation - lol

its not news its a magazine show showcasing the pacific nw - just nice for them to include Bc

[twoNeurons]

Actually, i believe that "Khatsalano" is one of the correct pronunciations... in fact, if I'm not mistaken, that's what the area used to be called before it was anglicized.