Raised in a Barn

This is called The Barn and is located on East Pender Street, not far from my apartment. Although the architects and builders are unknown this structure is reported to date back to 1905.

The structure has a distinctive Boomtown style false facade and wooden drop siding. It is presumed to have originally been a shelter for horses that served the neighbourhood's fire hall.

The Barn has been converted into artists' co-op studios. It really attracts attention seeing as it is situated among houses in a distinctly residential area.

I think I picked the right day to take photos of this building. I like the way the blue of the building almost blends with the blue of the sky.

Now let's jump ahead about twenty five years and finish looking at events in Vancouver in 1930.

On August 26, 1930  The Vancouver Women’s Aeronautic Assn was organized. It was the first association of its kind in Canada.

On September 7 the Commodore Lanes and Billiards opened in the basement of 838 Granville Street. As I have written before this is Canada's oldest surviving bowling centre.

It opened under the direction of Frank Panvin. And here is an interesting tidbit: from the day of opening to the Panvin's death in 1962 the only time that staffer Mitz Nozaki spent away from the lanes was when the Canadian government had him interned at a camp in the Shuswap Lake with other Japanese Canadian citizens.

(Here's something you don't see everyday. This house, which is over a hundred years old, sits on a regular size lot but it was built against the alley. The present owner was telling me that this factor was a deterrent for many prospective buyers because they only saw the disadvantage of not having a garage. She however saw the fact that the south facing yard would make a great garden.)

Remember that the Losmar tore away the south span of the first Second Narrows Bridge in April? Well on September 13 another ship, the Pacific Gatherer, got in the game by tearing away the fixed center span. No attempts were made to reconstruct the bridge.

On September 30 the first iron lung was donated to the Vancouver General Hospital.

In October the art deco masterpiece known as the Marine Building opened.

November 20 was the day that the Canadian National Institute for the Blind opened its Vancouver headquarters on Broadway.

On November 21, 1930 Vancouverites got their first look at the dolls called Lillybet. They were modelled after five year old Princess Elizabeth - known more recently as Queen Elizabeth II

On December 6 the first airmail letter to the Orient left Vancouver.

I hope you find the beauty around you.

TAGS:Vancouver, Karen Magill, Lillybet Dolls, Queen Elizabeth,1930,Marine Building ,History,The Barn,iron lung