1945

Here's something I haven't done in a while. Today, I am taking a look at events in 1945 that helped shape this beautiful city.

In January of 1945, Charles Cotterell - a CPR (Canadian Pacific Railway) assistant general manager since 1934 - became president of the Vancouver Board of Trade. Sadly, he died February 15, 1946.

Good news for families. On February 20, 1945, the first family allowance cheques were mailed by the federal government.

Emily Carr, artist and writer, died in Victoria on March 2, 1945 at the age of 73. I am not going to go over her long career in this entry because I wrote on her in December of 2011. Here's Part One, Part Two and Part Three.

On March 6, 1945, the freighter Greenhill Park exploded in Vancouver harbour. Eight men were killed and hundreds of windows in downtown buildings were broken. Can you imagine being at work in an office and that happening? I was going to write on this event for a later post but then realized I already have an entry on that.

On April 6, the Dutch city where Captain George Vancouver was born, Coevorden, was liberated from Nazi forces by Canadian forces. April 6 also happens to be the City of Vancouver's birthday.

On April 18, writer and publisher Howard White was born in Abbotsford. White went on to make his name with a regional journal entitled Raincoast Chronicles. BC Bookworld describes Howard as “one of the key figures in the evolution of British Columbia culture.”  And Barry Broadfoot - Canadian interviewer and history writer  said, “Howard White and his Harbour Publishing have done more for regional writers, the history of the West Coast, its people, its character, its fast-fading uniqueness, than any other publisher in North America—hell, in the world.”

April 18 was also the day that a pre-school for deaf children began at Lord Tennyson School.

April 25. The United Nations began operations in New York City.

April 30 was the day that fire destroyed the Capilano Stadium. Vancouver firefighters battled the blaze, which raged past midnight into May 1. The stadium was quickly rebuilt and renamed Nat Bailey Stadium in 1978.

On May 7, Vancouverites were woken at 7:04 am by air raid sirens blaring. The sirens were announcing VE Day (Victory in Europe). Now attention was given to conquering Japan.

Thanks goes to The History of Metropolitan Vancouver website for the above information.

I hope you find the beauty around you.