Today in Local History – June

Above: The Buzzer produced its first issue in 1916 [Image: Translink]

From the Province newspaper for August 11, 1936: “British Columbia with only 6.7 per cent of Canada’s population on June 1, 1936, was employing 9 per cent of all industrial workers of the Dominion.”

Vancouver population June 1, 2008: 604,347 (est.)
Metropolitan Vancouver population: 2,216,311 (est.)

On June 2, 1916 The Buzzer, that little publication you get on the trolleys and SkyTrain in the lower mainland, produced its first issue.

Vancouver population June 2, 2008: 604,359 (est.)
Metropolitan Vancouver population: 2,216,382 (est.)

On June 3, 1935 one thousand unemployed men boarded freight cars in Vancouver to begin the “On to Ottawa” trek protesting conditions for the unemployed. They were turned back at Regina.

Vancouver population June 3, 2007: 604,371 (est.)
Metropolitan Vancouver population: 2,216,453 (est.)

On June 4, 1935 from Page One of the Province: “A total of 6,255 single men were in relief camps in British Columbia last December 31, and 3,536 last April 30, according to a return tabled in the House of Commons.”

Vancouver population June 3, 2007: 604,383 (est.)
Metropolitan Vancouver population: 2,216,524 (est.)

The official opening of the big, handsome Royal Bank Building on the northeast corner of Granville at Hastings was June 5, 1931—77 years ago today.

Vancouver population June 5, 2007: 604,395 (est.)
Metropolitan Vancouver population: 2,216,595 (est.)

On June 6, 1929 this appeared on Page 2 in The Daily Province: “The old red building on the west side of Main street, near the corner of Hastings, which for forty years has served successively as public market, public auditorium and City Hall, will enter public service again about the middle of this month, when additional quarters for the public library are opened there . . .” (The central library was in the Carnegie Library building adjacent to the north.) The main library would occupy this site until the opening in 1957 of the building at 750 Burrard Street.

Vancouver population June 6, 2008: 604,407 (est.)
Metropolitan Vancouver population: 2,216,666 (est.)

On June 7, 1989 the Vancouver Canucks made a sixth-round pick—called “possibly the best sixth round pick in NHL history”—a young Russian player named Pavel Bure.

Vancouver population June 7, 2008: 604,419 (est.)
Metropolitan Vancouver population: 2,216,737 (est.)

Vancouver Harbour Centre was officially opened June 8, 1977. At 481 feet (146.6 m) it was the tallest building in Vancouver at the time.

Vancouver population June 8, 2008: 604,431 (est.)
Metropolitan Vancouver population: 2,216,808 (est.)

On June 9, 1933 Vancouver City Council voted to allow men to go topless on city beaches.

Vancouver population June 9, 2008: 604,443 (est.)
Metropolitan Vancouver population: 2,216,879 (est.)

On June 10, 1925 the United Church of Canada was born, a union of the Congregationalists, Methodists and two-thirds of the Presbyterians of Canada. That day it became the largest Protestant Christian church in Canada. An inaugural service was held this day at St. Andrews Presbyterian in Vancouver to celebrate the union, the first United Church service in Vancouver.

Vancouver population June 10, 2008: 604,455 (est.)
Metropolitan Vancouver population: 2,217,021 (est.)

The Vancouver Maritime Museum opened June 11, 1959. The museum’s fate is in flux at the moment.

Vancouver population June 11, 2008: 604,467 (est.)
Metropolitan Vancouver population: 2,217,092 (est.)

On June 12, 1964 the Port Mann bridge opened. Its construction was unique in North America, and at the time it was the most expensive piece of highway in Canada.

Vancouver population June 12, 2008: 604,479 (est.)
Metropolitan Vancouver population: 2,217,163 (est.)

Major J.S. Matthews began the Vancouver City Archives on June 13, 1933. It’s a fine place to visit: friendly and helpful staff, free, and stuffed with thousands of photographs, books, memoirs and more. A short stroll east from the Vancouver Museum.

Vancouver population June 13, 2008: 604,491 (est.)
Metropolitan Vancouver population: 2,217,234 (est.)

On June 14, 1921 the Province reported that “Jenny Dill and her husband Frank arrived in Vancouver today, having walked across Canada. They left Halifax February 1.” There was a lot more to the story. It turns out there was a race across the country, and the Dills weren’t the first to arrive. There were three teams battling to win the race, and they faced terrible storms, wolves, wildcats, defective footwear . . . it was a real adventure and the whole country was following their every step!

Vancouver population June 14, 2008: 604,503 (est.)
Metropolitan Vancouver population: 2,217,305 (est.)

On June 15, 1921 a brief and ineffective period of prohibition that had started in BC in 1917 came to an end, but from this date on there would be provincial government control of the sale of spirituous and malt liquors.

Vancouver population June 15, 2008: 604,515 (est.)
Metropolitan Vancouver population: 2,217,376 (est.)

On June 16, 1928 Nat Bailey established a permanent restaurant in a small log hut at West 67th Avenue and Granville, calling it the White Spot Barbecue, the first White Spot drive-in.

Vancouver population June 16, 2008: 604,527 (est.)
Metropolitan Vancouver population: 2,217,447 (est.)

On June 17, 1958 the Second Narrows Bridge collapsed during construction. Eighteen workmen and one rescue worker died and 20 more were injured. On June 17, 1994 the bridge was renamed in their and other workers’ honor. It is now officially the Ironworkers Memorial Second Narrows Crossing. A ceremony of remembrance is being held today at the bridge.

Vancouver population June 17, 2008: 604,539 (est.)
Metropolitan Vancouver population: 2,217,518 (est.)

On June 18, 1935 wearing his Victoria Cross and Military Medal and carrying the Union Jack, James [Mickey] O’Rourke led a parade of 1,000 striking waterfront workers in what has come to be known as the Battle of Ballantyne Pier.

Vancouver population June 18, 2008: 604,551 (est.)
Metropolitan Vancouver population: 2,217,589 (est.)

On June 19, 1967 the first four notes of O Canada played from four huge cast aluminum airhorns atop the BC Hydro Building at Nelson and Burrard. Robert Swanson designed them. Unsuspecting pedestrians could be visibly alarmed when the horns blared out. Today they’re atop Canada Place and aimed out over the water. They signal the noon hour.

Vancouver population June 19, 2008: 604,563 (est.)
Metropolitan Vancouver population: 2,217,660 (est.)

In the first event in just-opened BC Place Stadium, on June 20, 1983 the Vancouver Whitecaps soccer team defeated the Seattle Sounders.

Vancouver population June 20, 2008: 604,575 (est.)
Metropolitan Vancouver population: 2,217,731 (est.)

On June 21, 1971 George Tidball opened his first Keg Restaurant in North Vancouver. In 1987 he would sell his Kegs and other restaurants (76 in all) to Whitbread PLC of London, England.

Vancouver population June 21, 2008: 604,587 (est.)
Metropolitan Vancouver population: 2,217,802 (est.)

On June 22, 1956 Burnaby’s stylish new Municipal Hall opened near Deer Lake in the geographical centre of the municipality. Architectural historian Dr. Harold Kalman wrote this about the building: “Fred Hollingsworth, one of the pioneers of the new West Coast style, produced an understated masterpiece of modernism, a two-storey structure whose crisp rectangular design symbolized Burnaby’s progressive leadership.”

Vancouver population June 22, 2008: 604,599 (est.)
Metropolitan Vancouver population: 2,217,873 (est.)

On June 23, 1985 Canada’s worst mass murder occurred as a bomb hidden in a suitcase aboard Air India Flight 182 exploded in the plane’s forward cargo hold as it approached the coast of Ireland. The plane, which had left Vancouver International Airport a few hours before, was 31,000 feet above the Atlantic—just 45 minutes from landing at London’s Heathrow Airport. Everyone on board—329 people, including 82 children—was killed. Many of the people aboard were Canadian citizens of East Indian descent, intending to fly on to Bombay or Delhi.

Vancouver population June 23, 2008: 604,611 (est.)
Metropolitan Vancouver population: 2,217,944 (est.)

The Vancouver Sun reported June 24, 1912 that “The roads are getting crowded: the total number of automobiles in Vancouver is 1,769.”

Vancouver population June 24, 2008: 604,623 (est.)
Metropolitan Vancouver population: 2,218,015 (est.)

On June 25, 1924 HMS Hood, the largest ship in the British Navy, visited Vancouver. Thousands of us turned out to see her. The Hood would be sunk May 24, 1941 by the German battleship, the Bismarck, during the Second World War. The Bismarck itself would be sunk just three days later in action against a British flotilla.

Vancouver population June 25, 2008: 604,635 (est.)
Metropolitan Vancouver population: 2,218,086 (est.)

On June 26, 1943 the cornerstone was laid for HMCS Discovery on Deadman’s Island, Stanley Park.

Vancouver population June 26, 2008: 604,647 (est.)
Metropolitan Vancouver population: 2,218,151 (est.)

Deejay Red Robinson hosted Vancouver’s first rock-and-roll concert as Bill Haley and the Comets blew ’em away June 27, 1956 at Kerrisdale Arena. An estimated 6,000 fans screamed for more.

Vancouver population June 27, 2008: 604,659 (est.)
Metropolitan Vancouver population: 2,218,222 (est.)

On June 28, 1971 the Georgia Viaduct opened, in a ceremony presided over by Vancouver mayor Tom Campbell. (Its Dunsmuir twin, to the north, would open in November.)

Vancouver population June 28, 2008: 604,671 (est.)
Metropolitan Vancouver population: 2,218,293 (est.)

On June 29, 1878 the Moodyville Tickler, Burrard Inlet’s first newspaper, appeared. It had a very brief, tongue-in-cheek existence. For example, the more you paid for your obituary the more illustrious your life became.

Vancouver population June 29, 2008: 604,683 (est.)
Metropolitan Vancouver population: 2,218,364 (est.)

The Lower Mainland Regional Correctional Centre (which until 1970 had been called Oakalla Prison Farm) closed June 30, 1991. Thousands of prisoners had passed through the doors of Oakalla. Originally designed to house a maximum of 484 prisoners, the prison’s population had peaked in 1962-63 with 1,269 inmates

Vancouver population June 30, 2008: 604,695 (est.)
Metropolitan Vancouver population: 2,218,435 (est.)