Today in Local History – May

Above: Construction began on the Shaughnessy Military Hospital in 1940 [Image: Heritage Vancouver]

On May 1, 1922 BC’s deaf children got a school of their own, the Provincial Oral School, in Vancouver. Blind kids would join them in September.

Vancouver population May 1, 2008: 603,971 (est.)
Metropolitan Vancouver population: 2,214,036 (est.)

On May 2, 1940 the first sod was turned in the construction of “the new Shaughnessy Military Hospital.” World War Two would ensure this was to be a busy place.

Vancouver population May 2, 2008: 603,984 (est.)
Metropolitan Vancouver population: 2,214,107 (est.)

On May 3, 1943 Vancouver city police seized two cameras and a quantity of film from persons taking photographs in prohibited waterfront areas. It was wartime!

Vancouver population May 3, 2008: 603,997 (est.)
Metropolitan Vancouver population: 2,214,178 (est.)

On May 4, 1971 Peter Pantages, who began our famous Polar Bear Club (in which swimmers dive into English Bay on New Year’s Day), drowned in Hawaii.

Vancouver population May 4, 2008: 604,010 (est.)
Metropolitan Vancouver population: 2,214,251 (est.)

Simon Fraser University opened a downtown Vancouver campus in the historic Spencer’s Building on West Hastings Street on May 5, 1988.

Vancouver population May 5, 2008: 604,023 (est.)
Metropolitan Vancouver population: 2,214,322 (est.)

Vancouver’s Oakridge shopping centre opened May 6, 1959 at Cambie Street and West 41st Avenue, the first shopping centre in the city.

Vancouver population May 6, 2008: 604,035 (est.)
Metropolitan Vancouver population: 2,214,393 (est.)

On May 7, 1927 the Georgia Hotel opened in Vancouver. In 1998 Sean Rossiter wrote a fine and award-winning book about that hotel: The Hotel Georgia: A Vancouver Tradition. It’s now called the Crowne Plaza Hotel Georgia.

Vancouver population May 7, 2008: 604,047 (est.)
Metropolitan Vancouver population: 2,214,464 (est.)

On May 8, 1886 the Vancouver Daily Advertiser first appeared, the first daily newspaper in Vancouver.

Vancouver population May 8, 2008: 604,059 (est.)
Metropolitan Vancouver population: 2,214,535 (est.)

Fred Karno’s entertainment troupe from England was at the Orpheum Theatre (not the present one) at Pender and Howe Streets on May 9, 1911. Among the performers, a 22-year-old Charlie Chaplin, not yet famous. Also in the troupe: 21-year-old Stan Laurel.

Vancouver population May 9, 2008: 604,071 (est.)
Metropolitan Vancouver population: 2,214,606 (est.)

On May 10, 1947 Vancouver school children circulated a petition calling for an end to wartime taxes on candy. In response, the price of chocolate bars was lowered from eight cents to seven cents.

Vancouver population May 10, 2008: 604,083 (est.)
Metropolitan Vancouver population: 2,214,679 (est.)

On May 11, 1935 the Province was reporting that a Vancouver man (unnamed in the story) had placed a telephone call to Perth, Australia.. The 2,400-kilometre call set a new world record for distance.

Vancouver population May 11, 2008: 604,095 (est.)
Metropolitan Vancouver population: 2,214,750 (est.)

On May 12, 1990 Roedde House opened in the West End of Vancouver. This handsome 1893 Victoria home is open for visitors who want to travel back into the past.

Vancouver population May 12, 2008: 604,107 (est.)
Metropolitan Vancouver population: 2,214,821 (est.)

On May 13, 1907 the City of North Vancouver was incorporated.

Vancouver population May 13, 2008: 604,119 (est.)
Metropolitan Vancouver population: 2,214,892 (est.)

On May 14, 1918 a fire in Steveston destroyed three canneries, three hotels, numerous residences and much of the retail district. The Chinese and Japanese sections south of Moncton Street were razed, leaving 600 homeless.

Vancouver population May 14, 2008: 604,131 (est.)
Metropolitan Vancouver population: 2,215,034 (est.)

The Arthur Laing Bridge officially opened May 15, 1976 named for a native son of Richmond who became a cabinet minister under Pierre Trudeau, then later a Senator.

Vancouver population May 15, 2008: 604,143 (est.)
Metropolitan Vancouver population: 2,215,105 (est.)

There was no joy in Vancouver (nor the rest of Canada) on May 16, 1982 when the Vancouver Canucks were defeated by the New York Islanders in the quest for the Stanley Cup.

Vancouver population May 16, 2008: 604,155 (est.)
Metropolitan Vancouver population: 2,215,176 (est.)

On May 17, 1917 the War Dog was launched by Wallace Shipyards, becoming the first steel ocean-going freighter to be built on Burrard Inlet.

Vancouver population May 17, 2008: 604,167 (est.)
Metropolitan Vancouver population: 2,215,247 (est.)

The eruption of Mount St. Helens in Washington State on May 18, 1980 rattled windows in Greater Vancouver. More than 50 people in Washington were killed.

Vancouver population May 18, 2008: 604,179 (est.)
Metropolitan Vancouver population: 2,215,318 (est.)

On May 19, 1914 Myrtle and Alex Philip arrived at Alta Lake and began building Rainbow Lodge, the first fishing/vacation lodge of any size in the Whistler area, and soon recognized as the most popular summer resort west of the Rockies.

Vancouver population May 19, 2008: 604,191 (est.)
Metropolitan Vancouver population: 2,215,389 (est.)

The Joe Fortes Branch of the Vancouver Public Library on Denman Street in the West End opened May 20, 1976.

Vancouver population May 20, 2008: 604,203 (est.)
Metropolitan Vancouver population: 2,215,460 (est.)

The first sod for the construction of Malkin Bowl in Stanley Park was turned by former mayor and wholesale food merchant William H. Malkin on May 21, 1934. The bowl was a gift to the city from Malkin as a memorial to his late wife Marion.

Vancouver population May 21, 2008: 604,215 (est.)
Metropolitan Vancouver population: 2,215,531 (est.)

On May 22, 1941 bombs dropped on Vancouver, a sawmill was hit and burst into flame, and every light in the city was extinguished. It was the city’s first air-raid drill of the Second World War (the bombs and the fire were fictional, the blackout was real), and the Air Raid Patrol here said it was a great success.

Vancouver population May 22, 2008: 604,227 (est.)
Metropolitan Vancouver population: 2,215,601 (est.)

50,000 people turned out May 23, 1987 to welcome Rick Hansen back from his 26-month 24,901.55-mile (40,000 km) around-the-world “Man in Motion” tour.

Vancouver population May 23, 2008: 604,239 (est.)
Metropolitan Vancouver population: 2,215,672 (est.)

On May 24, 1948 the waters of the Fraser River began to rise, and the province’s most destructive flood commenced. Before the flood ended in early June it had wreaked enormous havoc: ten people died, there was $20 million in damage (in 1948 dollars), more than 16,000 people lost their homes, rail service was disrupted for two weeks, and more than 80 bridges were washed away.

Vancouver population May 24, 2008: 604,251 (est.)
Metropolitan Vancouver population: 2,215,743 (est.)

The Hotel Vancouver (now the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver) opened officially May 25, 1939.

Vancouver population May 25, 2008: 604,263 (est.)
Metropolitan Vancouver population: 2,215,814 (est.)

The new main branch of the Vancouver Public Library opened to the public May 26, 1995. It’s a popular place: more people go through its doors in a year than attend all professional sports events in Vancouver combined.

Vancouver population May 26, 2008: 604,275 (est.)
Metropolitan Vancouver population: 2,215,885 (est.)

On May 27, 1976 Habitat, a United Nations Conference on Human Settlements, began in Vancouver. Hundreds of delegates attended from all over the world. The event ran to June 11.

Vancouver population May 27, 2008: 604,287 (est.)
Metropolitan Vancouver population: 2,215,956 (est.)

On May 28, 1930 work began on construction of the Hope-Princeton Highway. It’s now a portion of the Crowsnest Highway, 837 kilometres (520 miles) of which is within BC.

Vancouver population May 28, 2008: 604,299 (est.)
Metropolitan Vancouver population: 2,216,027 (est.)

On May 29, 1964 the last spike was driven in the Stanley Park miniature railway. The line is 1.6 kilometres long (one mile) and follows a route partly created by the ravages of Typhoon Frieda!

Vancouver population May 29, 2008: 604,311 (est.)
Metropolitan Vancouver population: 2,216,098 (est.)

On May 30, 1929 the city bought Little Mountain (now Queen Elizabeth Park) for $115,270.

Vancouver population May 30, 2008: 604,323 (est.)
Metropolitan Vancouver population: 2,216,169 (est.)

On May 31, 1976 UBC’s Museum of Anthropology, around since 1947, moved into a stunning new building designed by Arthur Erickson.

Vancouver population May 31, 2008: 604,335 (est.)
Metropolitan Vancouver population: 2,216,240 (est.)