Downtown looking west, 1960<\/strong><\/h2>\n![\"vancouver](\"https:\/\/www.livabl.com\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/vancouver-1960s-1024x786.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nPhoto: <\/span><\/i>City of Vancouver Archives<\/span><\/i><\/a><\/p>\nDowntown Vancouver looked a lot different in the 1960s than it does today \u2014 the biggest difference? Building height! Today many downtown streets are permanently shaded by huge buildings that hadn\u2019t been built in the \u201860s. <\/span><\/p>\nWest Cordova Street, ca. 1960<\/strong><\/h2>\n![\"vancouver](\"https:\/\/www.livabl.com\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/vancouver-1960s-15-compressed-1024x712.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nPhoto: <\/span><\/i>City of Vancouver Archives<\/span><\/i><\/a><\/p>\nCordova Street is one of Vancouver\u2019s <\/span>most photographed streets<\/span><\/a>, and it\u2019s not hard to see why \u2014 it runs through some of the city\u2019s most popular areas, including Coal Harbour and Gastown, before leading into Powell Street. The photo above was taken at the intersection of West Cordova Street and Carrall Street, and shows the longstanding Army & Navy store \u2014 still present today. <\/span><\/p>\nBeatty Street, 1961<\/strong><\/h2>\n![\"vancouver](\"https:\/\/www.livabl.com\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/vancouver-1960s-17-compressed-702x1024.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nPhoto: <\/span><\/i>City of Vancouver Archives<\/span><\/i><\/a><\/p>\nTaken not far from the intersection of Beatty Street and Dunsmuir Street, this photo shows the <\/span>Sun Tower<\/span><\/a>. Built in 1912, it was originally home to The Vancouver World newspaper, and for a time was the tallest building in the British Empire. By the 1960s, The Vancouver Sun newspaper had taken over the space and given it the name it goes by today. <\/span><\/p>\nIn much more recent years, the Sun Tower was <\/span>digitally enhanced<\/span><\/a> to play the role of the Watchtower in the TV series \u201cSmallville.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\nWest End and English Bay, 1965<\/strong><\/h2>\n![\"vancouver](\"https:\/\/www.livabl.com\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/vancouver-1960s-11-1024x809.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nPhoto: <\/span><\/i>City of Vancouver Archives<\/span><\/i><\/a><\/p>\nMany things have changed in Vancouver in the last few decades, but not the beachy appeal of English Bay. Sand was <\/span>added in 1898<\/span><\/a>, and by the time the 1960s rolled around the area was an established summertime haunt for many Vancouver residents. <\/span><\/p>\nGranville Street looking north, 1965<\/strong><\/h2>\n![\"vancouver](\"https:\/\/www.livabl.com\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/vancouver-1960s-1-compressed-1024x677.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nPhoto: <\/span><\/i>Rob\/Flickr<\/span><\/i><\/a><\/p>\nThis stretch of colourful Granville Street was once known as \u201ctheatre row\u201d and was home to various movie theatres, including the Vogue, the Orpheum, Capitol, Coronet and the Odeon \u2014 all visible in the photo above. Today, there are no movie theatres operating along the stretch, although venues like the Vogue and the Orpheum have been repurposed for live events. <\/span><\/p>\nHotel Vancouver, 1965<\/strong><\/h2>\n![\"vancouver](\"https:\/\/www.livabl.com\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/vancouver-1960s-19-compressed-690x1024.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nPhoto: <\/span><\/i>City of Vancouver Archives<\/span><\/i><\/a><\/p>\nThe Hotel Vancouver, located in the heart of downtown and now branded as the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver, is the third hotel in the city<\/a> to go by that name. The first was a much smaller five-storey brick building, and the second, built from 1912 to 1916, was turned into a government administration building during World War II and then torn down. This third Hotel Vancouver opened in 1939 at a final cost of $12 million.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nDowntown looking north, 1966<\/strong><\/h2>\n![\"vancouver](\"https:\/\/www.livabl.com\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/vancouver-1960s-9-compressed-1024x698.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nPhoto: <\/span><\/i>City of Vancouver Archives<\/span><\/i><\/a><\/p>\nThe Hotel Vancouver is visible from a different angle in this aerial view of downtown Vancouver taken in 1966. Burrard Street is the street running through the middle, and the former Vancouver Public Library can also be seen \u2014 since then it\u2019s been <\/span>relocated<\/span><\/a> to West Georgia Street. <\/span><\/p>\nEast Georgia Street, 1966<\/strong><\/h2>\n![\"vancouver](\"https:\/\/www.livabl.com\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/vancouver-1960s-13-compressed-1024x713.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nPhoto: <\/span><\/i>City of Vancouver Archives<\/span><\/i><\/a><\/p>\nThe Moon Glow Cabaret and many other businesses and buildings in Vancouver\u2019s Strathcona neighbourhood were wiped out during the 1960s. Starting at the end of the 1950s, three levels of government <\/span>teamed up<\/span><\/a> to acquire and clear property in the area to make way for public housing projects. <\/span><\/p>\nThe first phase of redevelopment started in 1960, and despite protests from the community, the second phase began in 1963 \u2014 an end didn\u2019t come until 1968, when neighbourhood associations were able to put a rehabilitation program in place.<\/p>\n
Hotel Europe, ca. 1960<\/strong><\/h2>\n![\"vancouver](\"https:\/\/www.livabl.com\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/vancouver-1960s-16-compressed-1024x685.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nPhoto: <\/span><\/i>City of Vancouver Archives<\/span><\/i><\/a><\/p>\nGastown, the location of the Hotel Europe, also faced some turmoil in the 1960s \u2014 like Strathcona, as well as Chinatown, it was scheduled to be redeveloped during that time. Ultimately campaigners were able to convince the government to reconsider, and Gastown was declared a historical site in 1971. <\/span><\/p>\nWest End, 1967<\/strong><\/h2>\n![\"vancouver](\"https:\/\/www.livabl.com\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/vancouver-1960s-2-compressed-1024x1014.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nPhoto: <\/span><\/i>Rob\/Flickr<\/span><\/i><\/a><\/p>\nThis photo of Vancouver\u2019s West End was taken in 1967, during the <\/span>boom in high-rise apartment construction<\/span><\/a> that took place from 1962 to 1975. During that period over 220 high-rises were built, drastically changing the look of the neighbourhood, and eventually prompting the creation of local planning programs. <\/span><\/p>\nBeach Avenue and Davie Street, 1967<\/strong><\/h2>\n![\"vancouver](\"https:\/\/www.livabl.com\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/vancouver-1960s-3-compressed-699x1024.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nPhoto: <\/span><\/i>Rob\/Flickr<\/span><\/i><\/a><\/p>\nIf you\u2019ve ever attended the annual <\/span>Celebration of Light<\/span><\/a> fireworks displays, you may recognize the intersection shown in this 1967 photo. It\u2019s right beside English Bay Beach, a prime location for viewing the fireworks. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nPacific Coliseum construction, 1967<\/strong><\/h2>\n![\"vancouver](\"https:\/\/www.livabl.com\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/vancouver-1960s-18-1024x801.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nPhoto: <\/span><\/i>City of Vancouver Archives<\/span><\/i><\/a><\/p>\nThe Pacific Coliseum is now a well-known part of Hastings Park in Vancouver\u2019s Hastings-Sunrise neighbourhood, but back in the 1960s it was only just being built. It was completed in 1968, the year after the photo above was taken, and has gone on to host a diverse array of events, including figure skating and short-track speed skating during the 2010 Olympics.<\/span><\/p>\nPNE grounds, 1968<\/strong><\/h2>\n![\"vancouver](\"https:\/\/www.livabl.com\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/vancouver-1960s-14-1024x961.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nPhoto: <\/span><\/i>City of Vancouver Archives<\/span><\/i><\/a><\/p>\nAlso located in Hastings Park, the Pacific National Exhibition (PNE) grounds were an established part of Vancouver life by the 1960s. The grounds play host to the Playland amusement park, as well as the yearly Fair at the PNE. You may recognize Playland\u2019s wooden roller coaster in this photo \u2014 <\/span>built in 1958<\/span><\/a>, it\u2019s still one of the park\u2019s most popular rides. <\/span><\/p>\nPlanetarium, 1968<\/strong><\/h2>\n![\"vancouver](\"https:\/\/www.livabl.com\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/vancouver-1960s-20-compressed-1024x1024.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nPhoto: <\/span><\/i>City of Vancouver Archives<\/span><\/i><\/a><\/p>\nLocated across False Creek from the West End and downtown, the planetarium \u2014 formally known as the H.R. MacMillan Space Centre \u2014 opened in October 1968. The building was <\/span>a gift to the city<\/span><\/a> from lumber magnate H.R. MacMillan, who was inspired to provide it by the dawn of space exploration. It remains a community resource today. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nMount Pleasant and downtown, 1969<\/strong><\/h2>\n
![\"vancouver](\"https:\/\/www.livabl.com\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/vancouver-1960s.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nPhoto: <\/span><\/i>City of Vancouver Archives<\/span><\/i><\/a><\/p>\n Downtown Vancouver looked a lot different in the 1960s than it does today \u2014 the biggest difference? Building height! Today many downtown streets are permanently shaded by huge buildings that hadn\u2019t been built in the \u201860s. <\/span><\/p>\n Photo: <\/span><\/i>City of Vancouver Archives<\/span><\/i><\/a><\/p>\n Cordova Street is one of Vancouver\u2019s <\/span>most photographed streets<\/span><\/a>, and it\u2019s not hard to see why \u2014 it runs through some of the city\u2019s most popular areas, including Coal Harbour and Gastown, before leading into Powell Street. The photo above was taken at the intersection of West Cordova Street and Carrall Street, and shows the longstanding Army & Navy store \u2014 still present today. <\/span><\/p>\n Photo: <\/span><\/i>City of Vancouver Archives<\/span><\/i><\/a><\/p>\n Taken not far from the intersection of Beatty Street and Dunsmuir Street, this photo shows the <\/span>Sun Tower<\/span><\/a>. Built in 1912, it was originally home to The Vancouver World newspaper, and for a time was the tallest building in the British Empire. By the 1960s, The Vancouver Sun newspaper had taken over the space and given it the name it goes by today. <\/span><\/p>\n In much more recent years, the Sun Tower was <\/span>digitally enhanced<\/span><\/a> to play the role of the Watchtower in the TV series \u201cSmallville.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Photo: <\/span><\/i>City of Vancouver Archives<\/span><\/i><\/a><\/p>\n Many things have changed in Vancouver in the last few decades, but not the beachy appeal of English Bay. Sand was <\/span>added in 1898<\/span><\/a>, and by the time the 1960s rolled around the area was an established summertime haunt for many Vancouver residents. <\/span><\/p>\n Photo: <\/span><\/i>Rob\/Flickr<\/span><\/i><\/a><\/p>\n This stretch of colourful Granville Street was once known as \u201ctheatre row\u201d and was home to various movie theatres, including the Vogue, the Orpheum, Capitol, Coronet and the Odeon \u2014 all visible in the photo above. Today, there are no movie theatres operating along the stretch, although venues like the Vogue and the Orpheum have been repurposed for live events. <\/span><\/p>\n Photo: <\/span><\/i>City of Vancouver Archives<\/span><\/i><\/a><\/p>\n The Hotel Vancouver, located in the heart of downtown and now branded as the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver, is the third hotel in the city<\/a> to go by that name. The first was a much smaller five-storey brick building, and the second, built from 1912 to 1916, was turned into a government administration building during World War II and then torn down. This third Hotel Vancouver opened in 1939 at a final cost of $12 million.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Photo: <\/span><\/i>City of Vancouver Archives<\/span><\/i><\/a><\/p>\n The Hotel Vancouver is visible from a different angle in this aerial view of downtown Vancouver taken in 1966. Burrard Street is the street running through the middle, and the former Vancouver Public Library can also be seen \u2014 since then it\u2019s been <\/span>relocated<\/span><\/a> to West Georgia Street. <\/span><\/p>\n Photo: <\/span><\/i>City of Vancouver Archives<\/span><\/i><\/a><\/p>\n The Moon Glow Cabaret and many other businesses and buildings in Vancouver\u2019s Strathcona neighbourhood were wiped out during the 1960s. Starting at the end of the 1950s, three levels of government <\/span>teamed up<\/span><\/a> to acquire and clear property in the area to make way for public housing projects. <\/span><\/p>\n The first phase of redevelopment started in 1960, and despite protests from the community, the second phase began in 1963 \u2014 an end didn\u2019t come until 1968, when neighbourhood associations were able to put a rehabilitation program in place.<\/p>\n Photo: <\/span><\/i>City of Vancouver Archives<\/span><\/i><\/a><\/p>\n Gastown, the location of the Hotel Europe, also faced some turmoil in the 1960s \u2014 like Strathcona, as well as Chinatown, it was scheduled to be redeveloped during that time. Ultimately campaigners were able to convince the government to reconsider, and Gastown was declared a historical site in 1971. <\/span><\/p>\n Photo: <\/span><\/i>Rob\/Flickr<\/span><\/i><\/a><\/p>\n This photo of Vancouver\u2019s West End was taken in 1967, during the <\/span>boom in high-rise apartment construction<\/span><\/a> that took place from 1962 to 1975. During that period over 220 high-rises were built, drastically changing the look of the neighbourhood, and eventually prompting the creation of local planning programs. <\/span><\/p>\n Photo: <\/span><\/i>Rob\/Flickr<\/span><\/i><\/a><\/p>\n If you\u2019ve ever attended the annual <\/span>Celebration of Light<\/span><\/a> fireworks displays, you may recognize the intersection shown in this 1967 photo. It\u2019s right beside English Bay Beach, a prime location for viewing the fireworks. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Photo: <\/span><\/i>City of Vancouver Archives<\/span><\/i><\/a><\/p>\n The Pacific Coliseum is now a well-known part of Hastings Park in Vancouver\u2019s Hastings-Sunrise neighbourhood, but back in the 1960s it was only just being built. It was completed in 1968, the year after the photo above was taken, and has gone on to host a diverse array of events, including figure skating and short-track speed skating during the 2010 Olympics.<\/span><\/p>\n Photo: <\/span><\/i>City of Vancouver Archives<\/span><\/i><\/a><\/p>\n Also located in Hastings Park, the Pacific National Exhibition (PNE) grounds were an established part of Vancouver life by the 1960s. The grounds play host to the Playland amusement park, as well as the yearly Fair at the PNE. You may recognize Playland\u2019s wooden roller coaster in this photo \u2014 <\/span>built in 1958<\/span><\/a>, it\u2019s still one of the park\u2019s most popular rides. <\/span><\/p>\n Photo: <\/span><\/i>City of Vancouver Archives<\/span><\/i><\/a><\/p>\n Located across False Creek from the West End and downtown, the planetarium \u2014 formally known as the H.R. MacMillan Space Centre \u2014 opened in October 1968. The building was <\/span>a gift to the city<\/span><\/a> from lumber magnate H.R. MacMillan, who was inspired to provide it by the dawn of space exploration. It remains a community resource today. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nWest Cordova Street, ca. 1960<\/strong><\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/p>\nBeatty Street, 1961<\/strong><\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/p>\nWest End and English Bay, 1965<\/strong><\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/p>\nGranville Street looking north, 1965<\/strong><\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/p>\nHotel Vancouver, 1965<\/strong><\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/p>\nDowntown looking north, 1966<\/strong><\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/p>\nEast Georgia Street, 1966<\/strong><\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/p>\nHotel Europe, ca. 1960<\/strong><\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/p>\nWest End, 1967<\/strong><\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/p>\nBeach Avenue and Davie Street, 1967<\/strong><\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/p>\nPacific Coliseum construction, 1967<\/strong><\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/p>\nPNE grounds, 1968<\/strong><\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/p>\nPlanetarium, 1968<\/strong><\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/p>\nMount Pleasant and downtown, 1969<\/strong><\/h2>\n