From an article written by Eric Sommer in The Georgia Straight, published by the Vancouver Free Press, February 14-27, 1969. These sketches show something of a comeback for the Vancouver freeway Project 200 that never was. One ambitious firm thought they would try their hand at ‘hiding’ the freeway underground, or perhaps partially underground. Needless to say, I don’t believe this went anywhere, as it no doubt would have been vulnerable to enormous cost overruns while offering very little benefit to the city.
I’m sorry the pictures are such poor quality here. It would be nice to visit the UBC Archives to see the original article in person; perhaps one day I will get the chance. Here’s an excerpt from the article:
City Council will soon consider plans for a new Vancouver freeway that could almost be called a non-freeway.
The new concept is not an ugly concrete span scarring the city skyline; it is not a roaring thunderway through downtown Vancouver; it would not interfere with pedestrian traffic; and it would leave Chinatown intact.
The new concept is explained in a report commissioned by the National Harbors Board and prepared by the local engineering firm of Swan-Wooster and CBA. Although not due for presentation to City Council until early in March, the STRAIGHT has managed to obtain an advance copy of the report.
This report originated as an attempt to find a replacement for the great elevated freeway scheme that collapsed last year under tons of criticism from Vancouver residents. The defeated scheme would have cut a wide swath through Chinatown, introduced true multi-lane ugliness to Vancouver, and might well have initiated the Los Angelization of the city…
I recently posted the Project 200 brochure on flickr, the often discussed freeway and urban development that almost wiped out Chinatown. Gordon Price has mentioned it on many occasions; here in 2008 he agrees with John Atkin who states it was not only outspoken public opposition that ended the project; they also ran out of financing options, and the feds walked away with the money.
What I find most amusing about this photo is ironic juxtaposition between the iconic landmarks of the Woodward’s building, the Dominion Building, and the Marine Building, and the giant blocks of Lego architecture that look like badly designed hotels of the 70s. Never mind the fact that no one would have dared to imagine Woodward’s would no longer be in business some 30 years later…or that it would one day become the vibrant redevelopment that it is today. I’ll add another footnote to the story tomorrow.
Cover image of Chinatown, from the October 1968 issue of Canadian Architect, artist unknown. The scene illustrates E Pender Street, looking towards Carrall. Inside this issue are a number of fantasy concepts which I hope to feature in a series of upcoming posts. Click here for the Google Street View today.
717 East Pender by Marlene Yuen, a book artist, and seen at the Alcuin Society Wayzgoose 2011. From the limited edition accordion book A Haunting History of Vancouver, hand printed silkscreen images with glow-in-the-dark ink, published October, 2011.
Cover of the book At Home With History - The Untold Secrets of Greater Vancouver’s Heritage Homes by Eve Lazarus. The painting on the cover is by Richard Tetrault titled Hawks Avenue, and it was painted in 1975. Book description from the Anvil Press website:
At Home with History is a collection of real life stories that bring to life the glamorous and not-so-glamorous social histories of selected heritage homes in Greater Vancouver—stories of brothels and bootleggers, secret rooms, and Shakespearean-style murders. An Italian family survives the depression by selling booze and sandwiches from their eastside home. A Shaughnessy mansion headquarters the Ku Klux Klan and then a children’s hospice. A secret radio room is uncovered during renovations. Every home has a social history and a genealogy that tells a tremendous amount about the history of the times and offers up a sense of place…
Egg Mart, Chinatown, a very photo-realistic painting from 2011 submitted by Alison Fleming. 269 E Georgia Street, to be exact. We normally don’t feature photographic works here on Illustrated Vancouver, but if you look closely enough you will see this is indeed a painting. Oil on gessoed wood, to be exact, according to her website. Thanks, Alison!
Gung Hay Fat Choy, oil on canvas (40 x 30in) by Paul Alexander Goranson, 1996. Paul was both a student of Frederick Varley, and a war artist with the Royal Canadian Air Force. Painting sold for $4,680 CDN (premium included) at Heffel Auction House on February 24, 2011. Goranson turned 85 in 1996, just 6 years before his death in 2002.
Vintage Vancouver Chinatown decal, sold at Cunningham Drug store for 5 cents prior to 1970. Found via ebay auction.
Vintage Vancouver Chinatown decal, sold at Cunningham Drug store for 5 cents prior to 1970. Found via ebay auction.
