The Drive 1890s: False Start

. In 1890, the boostering land owners of Vancouver and New Westminster -- backed by their respective mayors and financial elites -- decided it had become necessary to link the two cities by means of an electric interurban railroad. One contemporary observer later confided that "there was a strong suspicion in many minds" that an … Continue reading The Drive 1890s: False Start

Notes From The March Meeting

We had another interesting meeting last Thursday. Thanks to our logistics wizard Eric and others we weren't thrown too much by a last minute change of venue. Donato gave an illustrated report on the refurbishment of a heritage fireplace in the oldest house in Grandview; Eric presented some fascinating material on the use of bricks … Continue reading Notes From The March Meeting

The Wonderbucks Building

In the most recent Changes On The Drive, I reported that the building at 1301 Commercial, which most of us these days know as the Wonderbucks Building, is now for sale after lying empty for more than a year. The building has a fascinating history which I thought I might relate here. The Fraser family … Continue reading The Wonderbucks Building

Building The Legion Hall

Tomorrow is Remembrance Day when we celebrate our veterans. It seems an apt time therefore to look at how our newly-painted Legion Hall at 6th & Commercial came to be. The story is told through the pages of our local newspaper, "The Highland Echo". ***** Branch 179 of the Royal Canadian Legion was founded in … Continue reading Building The Legion Hall

Meeting Notes: January 2017

We had another great turnout for our first meeting of the year last night, and we managed to cover a great deal of ground. Eric began with his regular What's Happening in the Neighbourhood review The Cultch's Green House on Venables appears to be occupied now after an excellent program of renovation and restoration; The … Continue reading Meeting Notes: January 2017

Meeting Notes: November

Another good gathering last Thursday, and more fascinating discussions. We looked at various property assemblies being created in the south end of the neighbourhood; we also noted the falling state of the RE market; and then we were still surprised to find 1976 still priced at less than $1 million; There was a fine discussion … Continue reading Meeting Notes: November

What Might Have Been

Anyone who knows Commercial Drive knows Joe's Cafe on the corner of William Street. It is an unprepossessing single-storey flat-roofed structure, not unlike many other similar buildings along the Drive.  This one has been that way since Harry Evans had it built in 1910: Building Permit issued 9th November 1910 Owner: Harry Evans Architect: Townshend … Continue reading What Might Have Been

Meeting Notes: October

We had another fine gathering this evening. There was a short agenda but we managed to fill the time with interesting discussions. Eric presented his latest Neighbouthood Update. Land assembly is going on around Broadway and Garden in preparation for the changes allowed under the new Community Plan Work is continuing on the Green House … Continue reading Meeting Notes: October

Notes From The March Meeting

Another full house attendance last night -- the Boardroom was bursting -- including several new attendees, with a lively level of conversations and questions.  As usual, we covered a lot of ground: We began with a presentation by Tania Willard about a piece of public art she is organizing.  The art work will be two … Continue reading Notes From The March Meeting

Jack Burch at Age 92 Recalls Grandview’s 1920, 30s, 40s…

  Jack Burch worked at Grandview's local newspaper, the Highland Echo, from 1949 until he retired in 1994 as the owner and publisher. This video interview starts with Jack's experiences in Grandview in the 1920s and 1930s, and covers his experiences overseas in World War II. After the War, Jack describes his work at the … Continue reading Jack Burch at Age 92 Recalls Grandview’s 1920, 30s, 40s…

York Theatre Anniversary

Seventy-five years ago today, the then-newly renovated theatre in the 600-block of Commercial Drive was opened and re-named as the York Theatre. The theatre, previously called the Palace, had been operated by the Vancouver Little Theatre Society since the 1920s. During the late 1930s, the group had fundraised enough money for a complete refurbishment of … Continue reading York Theatre Anniversary

Notes To January Meeting

We had another full house for our monthly meeting on Thursday, and it was an interesting one. Eric Phillips continued his marvelous Mechanicals and Materials series, this time with a lively discussion of what and how to keep records of your house. Using his own home as an example, he talked about property records, such … Continue reading Notes To January Meeting