Grand!

Built in 1913, this is 2235 Commercial Drive.


In 1902, Commercial Drive was known as Park Drive since it led to Clark Park, which at that time marked Vancouver's southern border.

H.V. Edmonds, Mayor David Oppenheimer and others started the Vancouver-New Westminster Interurban railway and this street was part of it. The rail line generated so much traffic that South Vancouver merged Cedar Cottage Road, Edmund Street and Norfolk Road into Commercial Street in 1910.

The city was anticipating a business boom in this area. In 1911, the street's name changed from Park to Commercial Drive. Yet, even then, it was known simply as "The Drive". Over the years the street has become more successfully commercialized.

In 1982, there was a proposal to rename the street Via Garibaldi in recognition of the area's Italian population and honoring the revolutionary patriot Giusseppe Garibaldi. However, due to the expense, the idea was quashed. As well, there is a Garibaldi Drive in Champlain Heights.

I live in this area and I know first had that "The Drive" is a magnet for our city's counter cultural activity, political statements, unique shops and restaurants. If you go for a walk along Commercial Drive, you will see panhandlers, artists displaying their wares, second hand merchandise spread out and being sold. There is money here and there is poverty.

Commercial Drive is in the Grandview district of Vancouver. The story of how this area got the name is that in 1892 a resident stuck a sign saying "Grand View" at the interurban stop nearest his home at Commercial and First. And there are some great views in this area.

Thanks to the extensive logging of the area's forest - beginning in 1871 - a view to False Creek, which at that time reached today's Clark Drive, could be seen. Today, the downtown core of Vancouver shines brightly on a sunny day.

This little village grew quickly when the interurban line to New Westminster was completed in 1892. Its main growth happened after Professor Edward Odlum built his home on Grant in 1904.

Other large homes were built around here and it looked like this was going to be an upscale neighborhood. But the grandiose visions for Grandview were crushed when the CPR invested $2 million in making Shaughnessy the place to be. So Grandview became a middle class area. 


In the years after World War II, Vancouver's Italian population left the area around Union Street and settled in Grandview, giving the area the nickname "Little Italy".

Thanks to Tom Snyders and Jennifer O'Rourke and the book Namely Vancouver for the information on the street names. And to Bob_2006 at Flickr.com for information on the building.

Karen Magill, Vancouver, Grandview, Commercial Drive, Park Drive, British Columbia

Elementary My Dear Watson

This is the Ashnola Apartments, built in 1912.

As I mentioned previously, Mount Pleasant is an area formed before vehicles and quite attractive to pedestrians. There are a few lanes in Vancouver, which are also considered residential streets. Watson Street is one and another is John Street, east of Main at King Edward.

Originally named Howard Street, Watson Street consisted of homes with no front yards but with stairs along the sides that led into the lane. This gave pedestrians an alternative to walking along the noisy Main Street. Streetcar operators - railway motormen - and their families occupied these homes because the area was close to where the streetcars were kept. (The streetcars would have been at Main and 14th, Centre Point Mall now.)

The last original house on Watson Street apparently still stands on Watson's west side between 13th and 14th. (I'll have to check that out) The front of this house is home to the long standing Bert's Restaurant. 

The mid-1900s saw Watson Street become the jazz hangout. The legendary club Cellar at Watson and Broadway boasted a lineup of entertainers like Charles Mingus, Cannonball Adderley and Wes Montgomery. The last commercial buildings in this area border Watson. Due to a fire, they are currently unused.


In recent years, a development of town homes facing the lane have reclaimed the original residential feel of Watson Street. There has also been repaving and additional sidewalks added so that the experience of walking along Watson Street is more pleasant and perhaps we'll see more lanes like this in the city.

However, a proposed development at the corner of Kingsway and Broadway threatens the history of Watson Street. This development will not only impact the nearby bike lane on 10th Avenue but more importantly will turn Watson Street into a mere back lane used as access to residential parking and as a loading bay.

Many historic areas in Mount Pleasant are threatened. A mid-1900s 'slum clearance' movement and development push destroyed some of the history of this place.

The buildings that survived that movement are presently in danger. Despite the inhabitants' efforts to restore these old beauties to their former glory, the city has not designated the structure heritage. Blocks of condominiums and other such buildings may one day replace which means the old Victorian homes of Mount Pleasant. 

I am all for progress and advancement but when are we going to realize that our history is important too? One of the old churches on tenth was converted to condos. The same with the Jewish temple on East Pender. Vancouver is supposed to be such a green city yet I wonder how does it help the environment to tear down these existing structures and build blocks of glass and steel?

Thank you to Ramp Vancouver for the information shared here today. And to Bob_2006 Photostream at Flickr for the information on the Ashnola Apartments.

I hope you find the beauty around you.

Karen Magill, Vancouver, Ashnola Apartments, Broadway, Watson Street, British Columbia

Nightingales and Education

This is the Florence Nightingale Elementary School located on Guelph Street in Mount Pleasant. It is notable in the history of this area not only because construction finished in 1912 but also because it is representative of a unique style in the Mount Pleasant area.

So what is so different about this structure? Look at the bricks. Mount Pleasant builders used a unique yellow-brownish, which was made in Abbotsford, in contrast to the primarily red brick used in other parts of the city.

As you may have guessed, the school took its name as a tribute to the legendary nurse, Florence Nightingale but what about Guelph Street?

In 1901, anyone travelling this area would be on Victoria - named after Queen Victoria. Ten years later, a person in the same spot would see signs labelling it as Laurier Street - a tribute to Prime Minister Sir Wilfred Laurier. However, there is a street in Shaughnessy Heights called Laurier Avenue so in 1912 the street name had another name change to avoid confusion. Queen Victoria's family name is Guelph.

A census in 1891 listed the median age of 24 and many of residents were newlyweds, drawn to the area due to the less expensive land. (The nickname for Mount Pleasant became Honeymoon Hill).

That name changed to Church Hill because of the large amount of churches in the area. As you may remember from previous posts, some of the churches still stand today and at least one is converted to condos.

An interesting fact: presently Mount Pleasant's composition consists of 46% individuals who are 20-39 years.Some things don't change much.

At one time, in 1910, some thought of Mount Pleasant becoming the center of a great metropolis. Therefore, 9th became Broadway (after the legendary street in New York) and Westminster became Main. Thanks to Ontario-born Doctor Israel Powell, we also have streets named after Canadian provinces.

Interesting enough, the area that surrounds Main and Broadway has the highest concentration of heritage buildings in Mount Pleasant. Due to the pedestrian-friendly way the area around Main and 7th was constructed, many Mount Pleasant businesses achieved longevity. The blocks in Mount Pleasant are shorter and filled with all the amenities a person needs. After all, this area sprang up before the age of cars.

I have to thank Ramp Vancouver for the information on Mount Pleasant and I am not finished yet! And Tom Snyders and Jennifer O'Rourke for the history of the name of Guelph Street.

I hope you find the beauty around you.

Karen Magill, Vancouver, Florence Nightingale, Broadway, Guelph, British Columbia