Woodwards, a homegrown department store, was once the anchor of the Downtown East Side.
When it closed, it took the economic vitality of the neighbourhood with it. After years of controversy, a new plan was agreed finally to. Details here.
But it required the demolition of additions to the original store, seen below in the right middle with the wooden supports.
Saturday morning, September 30, 8:32 am, marked the end of the old Woodwards.
$1.49 Day RIP.
There’s now an open space Vancouver has never seen before – and won’t for long.
UPDATE: Yun Lam Li has just posted a video of the demolition on his website here. It’s part of what will eventually be “The Reincarnation of W” – a project that began in July and will end with the completion of the building in 2009. It’s already very Koyaanisqatsi – and still gives a jolt when the blasts go off.
