100 Years Ago Today in Grandview, #26

. Building Brisk in Grandview "Real estate men report that houses for rent are extremely scarce, if not non-existent, and there is a steady demand for houses to buy ... Several new residences are being constructed at Napier and Lakewood Drive. Some of these new houses will be occupied by their builders and others will … Continue reading 100 Years Ago Today in Grandview, #26 →

100 Years Ago Today in Grandview, #25

. Car Explodes! At about 1am on July 9th, 1924, John A, MacMillan pulled his car up to the gas pumps at Commercial and Seventh Avenue. It was dark, of course, and MacMillan could not see how much gas he'd put into the tank. So, he lit a match and took a look. The car … Continue reading 100 Years Ago Today in Grandview, #25 →

100 Years Ago Today in Grandview, #24

. On 26th June 1924, Angus Fraser was issued a building permit for a $2,500 "residence". However, in 1926/27, Fraser's company Crystal Dairy built a dairy on the site. Founded in 1922, Crystal Dairy was the largest independent dairy in Vancouver by 1936. Most of the building was essentially a milk delivery depot and stables, but … Continue reading 100 Years Ago Today in Grandview, #24 →

When the King & Queen of England Came To Grandview

In the late spring of 1939, as the political situation in Europe darkened and war with Germany became inevitable, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth toured Canada by train to meet their subjects and bolster the bonds of Empire From small-town whistle stops on the Prairies to bustling cities coast to coast, eager crowds cheered, … Continue reading When the King & Queen of England Came To Grandview →

100 Years Ago Today in Grandview, #23

. The Royal Bank Building On 30th April 1924, a $5,000 contract was granted to F.T. Sherbourne to build a branch of the Royal Bank at 1575 Commercial Drive. (Sun, p.3). It was expanded in 1946 and rebuilt in 1949. It operated as a bank until 1972 when the building was repurposed for retail.

Commercial Drive’s Own Piano Man

In May 1924, John Thomas Guy, a 40-year old Englishman, arrived in Vancouver seeking a site for his dream of building a piano making factory. After a brief exploration, he met with the Board of Trade and announced himself impressed with the possibilities, and noting that most of the materials he would need were available … Continue reading Commercial Drive’s Own Piano Man →

100 Years Ago Today in Grandview #22

A joint meeting of the Grandview Rate-Payers Association and the Parent-Teacher Association held at the Grandview Dancing Academy was told by the principal, H.B. Fitch, that attendance at Grandview School had jumped from 330 to 650 pupils. The school was seriously overcrowded. The principal urged everyone to get behind a new School Board By-law that … Continue reading 100 Years Ago Today in Grandview #22 →

Commercial Drive Buildings

. Access to the newly-enhanced illustrated Inventory of every building that has existed on Commercial Drive since the beginning can be found at: https://jaksview3.ca/historical-inventory-of-buildings-on-commercial-drive

100 Years Ago Today in Grandview, #21

. In September 1911, the BC Electric Company purchased most of the block at McLean and E. 2nd Avenue, and over the next few years built a full-scale gas works on the block. By 2nd February 1924, the Grandview gasworks had become a fully integrated part of Vancouver' power supply, and the company proudly advertised it … Continue reading 100 Years Ago Today in Grandview, #21 →

100 Years Ago Today in Grandview, #19

The Belmont Building at 1433-37 Commercial is architecturally unique on the Drive, with the open archway between the two bays. The lot was owned by Mrs Gamble and she paid $265 to Wylie & Ross to have a small shack-like store erected here from 1904. In 1912, major Grandview developer James Guinet purchased the property … Continue reading 100 Years Ago Today in Grandview, #19 →

100 Years Ago Today in Grandview, # 18

. Labour Strife In the late fall of 1923, the Vancouver waterfront was the scene of labour strife that occasionally turned violent. During the weekend of November 24-25, some of that violence spilled over into Grandview. Several strikers were alleged to have attacked several men, and they were also responsible for breaking a window in … Continue reading 100 Years Ago Today in Grandview, # 18 →

100 Years Ago Today in Grandview, #17

. William T. Oates ran the Grandview Stationery store at 1150 Commercial Drive from 1921-1924. He and his wife, Elizabeth, lived with their son Cresswell in three rooms above paying $50 a month. Not only was he a stationer but he also ran a kennel for cocker spaniels. On this day in 1923, he ran … Continue reading 100 Years Ago Today in Grandview, #17 →

100 Years Ago Today in Grandview #16

. Armed Robbery of a Boy Jack Sherlock was a delivery boy for White's Grocery at 2657 Commercial Drive. He received a telephone order to deliver groceries to a house in the 1300 block of E. 8th Avenue. He was specifically requested to make sure he had change with him. He was unable to find … Continue reading 100 Years Ago Today in Grandview #16 →

100 Years Ago Today in Grandview, #15

. At a meeting on Friday 28th September 1923, the members and supporters of the Little Theatre approved "with much enthusiasm" the purchase of the Palace Theatre, 637 Commercial Drive. Built in 1913 as the Alcazar, it is now the York Theatre. For the previous two years, the Little Theatre -- described as "a true … Continue reading 100 Years Ago Today in Grandview, #15 →

100 Years Ago Today In Grandview, #14

. On August 4th, 1923, J.B. Elliogolt was granted Building Permit A-6234 to erect "new stores" valued at $6,000 on the corner of Commercial and Grant. He delivered a fine building which, after a major renovation in 1975, continues to grace the street one hundred years later. Image: GoogleStreetMaps, June 2022.

Historical Survey of Food on the Drive

. I have today uploaded a large PDF file entitled Historical Survey of Food on Commercial Drive which, to the best of my belief, lists every restaurant and food supplier (grocer, baker, butcher, etc) that has operated on Commercial Drive between Venables and 7th Avenue since about 1905. Some listings are simply a name and … Continue reading Historical Survey of Food on the Drive →

Inventory of Commercial Drive Buildings

. I have today uploaded a document called Inventory of Commercial Drive Buildings. It is, so far as I can make it, an accurate listing of every building that has ever been on Commercial Drive between Venables Street and 7th Avenue. Entries in boldface are buildings that exist today; those in plain type are no … Continue reading Inventory of Commercial Drive Buildings →

100 Years Ago Today in Grandview, #13

Vigilante Mothers Get Their Man Throughout the early part of June 1923, police received reports of a man acting inappropriately toward young girls in Grandview's parks. Unfortunately, detectives were unable to catch him and "the situation became so bad that mothers said they were afraid to let their children out of their sight." However, on … Continue reading 100 Years Ago Today in Grandview, #13 →

100 Years Ago Today in Grandview, #12

The Great Storm of '23 On Tuesday 5th June 1923, Vancouver was enjoying a heat wave, with noontime temperatures close to 80 across the city. Suddenly, from out of nowhere, a storm erupted east of the city, moving rapidly west, moving first over Grandview and then much of downtown. "Great crashing in the heavens and … Continue reading 100 Years Ago Today in Grandview, #12 →

100 Years Ago Today in Grandview, #11

. The Pool Parlour On Tuesday 29th May 1923, G.J. Westwood received a building permit for a $3,000 one-storey building at 1816-1818 Commercial Drive. He hired William Francis Jones to design it, and R.E. James to build it, and by the following spring, Grandview Recreations was open for business at 1816 under the management of … Continue reading 100 Years Ago Today in Grandview, #11 →