200+ Vancouver stories of the past

Seems like wherever you wander in Vancouver there are panels with stories about the city’s history.  I began taking photos of them years ago, but this year I decided I would finally collect them into a blog to share with readers.

Turns out there are several different initiatives, including “Portrait V2K” a millennial project that documented 200 stories placed on poles in various neighbourhoods to create 23 easy walking tours throughout the city.  The stories range from “Christmas at Woodwards” to “My First Banana Split” and “Two Nice Girls.”

If you walk along Coal Harbour’s sea wall (a popular walk for tourists and locals) there are 20+ panels that tell the story of the settlement of Vancouver and British Columbia.  I love the one titled “Taking It To Ottawa.”

In the West End, the alleys are named after individuals who have helped make it one of the most inclusive communities in Canada. Along South Granville’s sidewalks, you will find stories about the first Safeway, the first Urban Barn, and the Aristocratic restaurant chain.

And of course, like most cities, there are historical plaques on heritage buildings especially in historic Gastown. And I found a lovely old poster of Stanley Park in the lobby of the historic Sylvia Hotel.

There are even storyboards at future and existing construction sites that tell pedestrians what is being built or what is being proposed.  

Here is just a sample of the various Vancouver heritage stories I found while flaneuring Vancouver’s different neighbourhoods.  I have not cropped and corrected the photos as I thought leaving them as taken creates a more authentic experience for the reader.

Not sure I have seen a plaque celebrating a city’s first parking garage before.

Found this photo in the lobby of an office building across the street from site of the old Aristocratic Restaurant.

Found this poster in the lobby of the Sylvia Hotel. Tell the story of Canada’s most famous park - Stanley Park.

Last Word

In many ways Vancouver’s streets are like an outdoor history museum.