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Vernon historian unveils footage from Vancouver in 1970

Vancouver 55 years ago

It was a time of political unease, cultural change and the dawn of a new era in sports as the Vancouver Canucks played their first game in the Pacific Coliseum.

Vernon historian and videographer Francois Arseneault has converted film footage from 1970 to a sharp 4K format that shows the Lower Mainland from more than half a century ago.

“The metro Vancouver area in 1970 had a population of just over one 1 million people having experienced significant growth in the 1960s. With a mild climate and numerous beautiful parks, it was attracting many newcomers,” Arseneault said.

The footage takes a trip to Queen Elizabeth Park and its 130-acres of green space.

On top of Little Mountain at approximately 125 metres above sea level, it is the location of a former basalt quarry dug in the beginning of the 20th Century to provide materials for roads in the city.

In 1936, the BC Tulip Association suggested the creation of sunken gardens within the old quarries to the city's park board and by the end of the decade, the site had been turned over to the Vancouver Park Board for park and recreation purposes.

The park was dedicated by King George VI and his consort, Queen Elizabeth (the mother of Queen Elizabeth II) during their visit to Vancouver in 1939, as King and Queen of Canada.

The 1939 royal visit to Vancouver can be viewed here.

The trip down memory lane also stops at the country's first geodesic conservatory.

The Bloedel Floral Conservatory opened on Dec. 6, 1969 amidst much jubilation.

“Its enclosed tropical garden houses 500 exotic plants and flowers and more than 100 free-flying tropical birds. The geodesic conservatory was only a few months old when this footage was shot,” Arseneault said.

And the biggest green space in the city was Stanley Park which in 1970, housed a zoo. The zoo closed in 1996.

“Officially Canada's first public aquarium, the Vancouver Aquarium has become the largest in Canada and one of the five largest in North America. The Vancouver Aquarium was the second aquarium in the world to capture and display an orca,” Arseneault said.

“Other whales and dolphins on display included belugas, narwhals and dolphins. The aquarium has since moved to emphasize the educational aspects of the displays rather than the public spectacle of the shows.”

Other popular Lower Mainland landmarks are also seen in the 55-year-old footage including the Capilano Suspension Bridge, the relatively new Whistler ski hill, Grouse Mountain Resort which includes a ride on the two cable cars, known officially as the Skyride.

“The view of Vancouver and the Georgia Strait from the ride is remarkable,” Arseneault said. “The Sea to Sky highway in 1970 was merely a single-lane highway hugging the cliff sides of Howe Sound and only recently paved in 1966.”

Arseneault is always looking for more information on the vintage footage he digs up, and he encourages people to add their input in the comments section on his Youtube page.

Arseneault has an extensive collection of vintage footage, and he is looking for more.

Anyone who may have old 16 mm or 8 mm film footage of the Vernon and Okanagan area is invited to email Arseneault at [email protected].

- with files from Francois Arseneault



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