Today in Local History – February

Above: Nine O’Clock Gun in Stanley Park which was “kidnapped” in 1969 [Image: Wikipedia]

On February 1, 1969 the Nine O’Clock Gun in Stanley Park was “kidnapped” by UBC Engineering students, who returned the 1,500-pound cannon for a “ransom” which was given to the Children’s Hospital.

Vancouver population today, February 1, 2008: (est.) 602,791
Metropolitan Vancouver population: 2,207,651 (est.)

On February 2, 1952 Louis Armstrong and his All-Stars appeared in the auditorium of Kitsilano High School.

Vancouver population today, February 2, 2008: (est.) 602,804
Metropolitan Vancouver population: 2,207,723 (est.)

On February 3, 1983 the first Earl’s Restaurant opened in Vancouver. It was named for Leroy Earl Fuller, who in 1954 opened his first restaurant to feed local farmers of Sunburst, Montana.

Vancouver population today, February 3, 2008: (est.) 602,817
Metropolitan Vancouver population: 2,207,794 (est.)

On February 4, 1954 the present Granville Street Bridge opened. A million cars would cross over the bridge in the first month.

Vancouver population today, February 4, 2008: (est.) 602,830
Metropolitan Vancouver population: 2,207,865 (est.)

On February 5, 1928 a young fellow named Arthur Delamont formed a band made up of high school students, rehearsing at General Gordon School. The Kitsilano Boys Band would become famous.

Vancouver population today, February 5, 2008: (est.) 602,843
Metropolitan Vancouver population: 2,207,936 (est.)

On February 6, 1952 King George VI died and his daughter Elizabeth succeeded him. She was in Africa on holiday with her husband, Prince Philip, at the time.

Vancouver population today, February 6, 2008: (est.) 602,856
Metropolitan Vancouver population: 2,208,007 (est.)

On February 7, 1929 colored motion pictures (without artificial tinting) were shown for the first time in Vancouver at Kodak’s store on Granville Street.

Vancouver population today, February 7, 2008: (est.) 602,869
Metropolitan Vancouver population: 2,208,078 (est.)

On February 8, 1973 Eatons Department Store opened a lavish new location at Pacific Centre. Today, Eatons gone, it’s a Sears.

Vancouver population today, February 8, 2008: (est.) 602,882
Metropolitan Vancouver population: 2,208,149 (est.)

On February 9, 1891 the Vancouver Opera House, built for $100,000 by the Canadian Pacific Railway, opened on Granville Street with 2,000 seats. The city’s population was 13,000! It was an astonishingly grand edifice for such a tiny town, but an indication of the CPR’s optimistic view of the little city’s future.

Vancouver population today, February 9, 2008: (est.) 602,895
Metropolitan Vancouver population: 2,208,220 (est.)

On February 10, 1940 The Vancouver Sun reported that “The Vancouver Board of Trade will take an active part in the fight against adverse propaganda in the United States designed to discourage Americans from visiting Canada during wartime. The council of the board has decided to communicate with chambers of commerce in all cities of the Pacific Coast states, also with the local offices of international organizations such as Rotary, Kiwanis, Gyro, Lions and others and ask their co-operation in making the facts known. It will be pointed out that conditions in Canada are no different than they were in peace time.”

Vancouver population today, February 10, 2008: (est.) 602,908
Metropolitan Vancouver population: 2,208,291 (est.)

On February 11, 1966 the Right Reverend James Francis Carney became the first Vancouver-born Catholic to be named a bishop.

Vancouver population today, February 11, 2008: (est.) 602,921
Metropolitan Vancouver population: 2,208,362 (est.)

On February 12, 1912 a new newspaper appeared in Vancouver. Here comes the Sun!

Vancouver population today, February 12, 2008: (est.) 602,934
Metropolitan Vancouver population: 2,208,433 (est.)

On February 13, 1891 William Lamont Tait arrived in Vancouver. Thanks to his success in business—starting in 1902 he ran Rat Portage Lumber, a shingle and sawmill on False Creek—Tait was able in 1910 to build one of Shaughnessy’s most imposing mansions, the 18-room Glen Brae, on Matthews Avenue. Since November 1995 the big house has been Canuck Place, a hospice for children. Tait also built the Manhattan Apartments, there to this day on Thurlow at Robson.

Vancouver population today, February 13, 2008: (est.) 602,947
Metropolitan Vancouver population: 2,208,504 (est.)

On February 14, 1915 the first trans-Canada telephone call, between Vancouver and Montreal, was placed. The circuit ran 6,763 kilometres through Buffalo, Chicago, Omaha, Salt Lake City and Portland, Oregon. Not until 1932 was a telephone line for an all-Canada connection completed.

Vancouver population today, February 14, 2008: (est.) 602,960
Metropolitan Vancouver population: 2,208,575 (est.)

On February 15, 1968 BC skier Nancy Greene won Olympic gold. Says one sports web site: “Despite an ankle injury just a month before the 1968 Olympics, Nancy Greene took home gold and silver medals in the giant slalom and slalom respectively. Her victory in the giant slalom by a margin of 2.68 seconds is still considered one of the most decisive wins in Olympic history. 1968 also saw her keep the World Cup title as she raced to 10 titles on the tour.”

Vancouver population today, February 15, 2008: (est.) 602,973
Metropolitan Vancouver population: 2,208,646 (est.)

On February 16, 1937 CBC Radio began broadcasting out of Vancouver over a station with the call letters CRVC. Today, it’s known as CBU at 690 on the dial.

Vancouver population today, February 16, 2008: (est.) 602,986
Metropolitan Vancouver population: 2,208,717 (est.)

On February 17, 1936 George Pearson, the provincial Minister of Labor, spoke to the Advertising and Sales Bureau of The Vancouver Board of Trade at a luncheon meeting in the Hotel Georgia. His talk pushed for better wages. “I’ll gamble,” he said, “that if you let me go at it for two years more you will be blessing me for what I’m trying to do, and there’ll be mighty few criticisms of my efforts to improve labor conditions . . . Better wages mean better business all around.”

Vancouver population today, February 17, 2008: (est.) 602,999
Metropolitan Vancouver population: 2,208,788 (est.)

On February 18, 1924 Brothers M.J. Lannon and P.J. Ryan founded Vancouver College.

Vancouver population today, February 18, 2008: (est.) 603,012
Metropolitan Vancouver population: 2,208,859 (est.)

On February 19, 1938 a huge bang was heard in Vancouver. It woke up thousands west of Cambie. No cause was ever found.

Vancouver population today, February 19, 2008: (est.) 603,025
Metropolitan Vancouver population: 2,208,930 (est.)

On February 20, 1945 the first family allowance cheques were mailed out by the federal government. Known as the “baby bonus,” they were regular monthly payments of $5 to $8 (in 1945 dollars, remember) to all parents of children under 16.

Vancouver population today, February 20, 2008: (est.) 603,038
Metropolitan Vancouver population: 2,209,001 (est.)

On February 21, 1970 a newspaper called The Vancouver Express began publishing in the absence of The Vancouver Sun and The Province, both shut down by a labor dispute. The Express, the brainchild of journalist Mike Tytherleigh, would be published until May 12 when the strike ended. Copies of the Express are on microfilm at the Vancouver Public Library. Marc Edge’s 2001 book Pacific Press has fascinating details on the birth (and death) of that paper.

Vancouver population today, February 21, 2008: (est.) 603,051
Metropolitan Vancouver population: 2,209,072 (est.)

On February 22, 1936 the Seaforth Highlanders Regimental Band was formed in Vancouver.

Vancouver population today, February 22, 2008: (est.) 603,064
Metropolitan Vancouver population: 2,209,143 (est.)

On February 23, 1951 UBC’s War Memorial Gym opened unofficially for a basketball game, almost exactly five years to the day a fund-raising campaign by students and alumni had begun. The new gym replaced a building opened in 1929, which had become too small for the university. The new building was dedicated to the men and women of British Columbia who had served in the two world wars.

Vancouver population today, February 23, 2008: (est.) 603,077
Metropolitan Vancouver population: 2,209,214 (est.)

On February 24, 1911 transportation was the obvious theme of Vancouver’s first Automobile, Motor Boat and Accessory Exhibition.

Vancouver population today, February 24, 2008: (est.) 603,090
Metropolitan Vancouver population: 2,209,285 (est.)

On February 25, 1891 the first test of Vancouver’s new fire-alarm boxes was made from Box 16 at the corner of Hastings and Granville. There were 15 other boxes like it around the downtown.

Vancouver population today, February , 2008: (est.) 603,103
Metropolitan Vancouver population: 2,209,356 (est.)

On February 26, 1962 the Queen Elizabeth Playhouse opened in Vancouver.

Vancouver population today, February 26, 2008: (est.) 603,116
Metropolitan Vancouver population: 2,209,427 (est.)

On February 27, 1912 the Pacific Great Eastern Railway was incorporated to build and operate a railway from North Vancouver to Prince George. North Vancouver hoped thereby to become the major railway terminus on the west coast. (The PGE was named after and partly funded by Britain’s Great Eastern Railway, hence the odd name.) Today it’s known as BC Rail.

Vancouver population today, February 27, 2008: (est.) 603,129
Metropolitan Vancouver population: 2,209,498 (est.)

On February 28, 1958 the famed “Interurban” tramlines had their final run on the Marpole-Steveston run, the region’s last remaining route.

Vancouver population today, February 28, 2008: (est.) 603,142
Metropolitan Vancouver population: 2,209,569 (est.)

On February 29, 1940 The Vancouver Sun merged its radio station with CKWX and that station’s power was increased to reach nearly all parts of B.C.

Vancouver population today, February 29, 2008: (est.) 603,155
Metropolitan Vancouver population: 2,209,640 (est.)