Price Tags did a series on Gary Pennington’s “West End Memories Project” back in June, 2013. Here’s more.
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WEST END MEMORIES: Growing Up in Vancouver’s West End
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Vancouver had pea soup fogs in the fall then, due to the burning of coal and sawdust and it was thrilling to hear the Seaforth Highlanders marching across Burrard Bridge in the fog. In the worst fogs, you couldn’t see across the street. – Greenwood
The Marine Building had around 20 floors and I think was the tallest building in Vancouver at the time. Pat Church was my buddy and we often roller skated in the marble foyer there and would walk up the many flights of stairs to the top floor with our skates on. We thought this was great fun and never had anyone stop us. – Panton
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Saturday nights my mom and dad and I walked four blocks down Barclay to the Bay Theatre. We were always in a hurry as my dad was determined to get there before the prices changed at 6 p.m. To this day, I am a fast walker and can out-walk most of my friends. We didn’t have a car when we lived in the West End so walked everywhere. – Ardis Squire (Leach), 1955
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In about 1935 or 1936 the government came out with the Moratorium Act that would prevent mortgage companies and real estate firms from paying up back taxes and acquiring ownership of properties. Three days before the Act came into power, a real estate company paid –up my Dad’s taxes and kicked us out of our home.
We then moved to a rental house at the corner of Alberni and Cardero. During this period (The Dirty Thirties), my Mom used to go down to Woodwards (right) and get all the damaged vegetables and stale bread and bring them home to make a SLUMGULLIAN (Mom’s words) and pass it all out to the ‘drifters’ that came by. The police came by and accused my Mom of being a communist for feeding all the hungry men on the street! This caused her a lot of problems in the future when she wanted to get a passport to cook on a yacht for the Commodore of the yacht club. – Herb Nolan, 1950
I found out recently that my grandfather grew up at 1717 Comox St in what I would assume to be a Victorian-style home. There is 3-4 storey walk-up there now, which I believe was built in the 1960s. There are stories of him going to school at Lord Nelson and King George. Pretty interesting stuff!!! There is so much history in such a young city.
Cameron. Love to have more of your stories. Please send to gazpen@gmail.com where we receive stories and photos for our West End Memories Project. Thank you.
Gary Pennington, KG Grad 1955, Chair WEMP