Secrets of the City

Some of our secrets have included the Post Office tunnel that runs from Georgia and Hamilton to Cordova Street; the basement catacombs of the Vancouver Art Gallery where we found the old holding cells for prisoners awaiting trial upstairs in the former court house; a film studio where a popular television show featuring a guitar playing singer was shot; the Hotel Vancouver's roof with the abandoned CBC radio studios; the back spaces and roof of the Hudson's Bay Company and a host of other unique locations.

When we use a bus it is provided by TRAMS a non-profit society which preserves historic transit vehicles. Our regular bus is a "new look" GM from the 1960's. It's currently the society's movie bus - available for rental - and is painted in New York Transit Authority colours.

For more information on Secrets contact: johnatkin@shaw.ca

September 2006

We had a great time exploring Richmond Steel. For great photos check out Flickr and search for Richmond Steel

We took a break between for June, July, and August

March 2006

We were off to explore the hidden confines of Shaughnessy hospital, the steam plant and get a peek at the tunnels.

February 2006

For this month we visited the Vancouver Museum's basement for a behind the scene look at their operations and collections. A fascinating tour was led by senior curator Joan Seidl. Because of security, and the fragile nature of the artifacts there were no photos allowed.

January 2006

Our first tour of 2006 was to the Alsco Laundry (originally the Empire and much later Nelsons Laundry) at 4th and Ontario.

There was no Secrets tour in December 2005.

November 19 , 2005

Our November tour was the Yip Sang building on Pender Street in Chinatown. We were met by Bob Rennie, the owner, who allowed the group free reign to explore the building. The interior is still pretty much intact with the tonque and groove panelling covering walls and ceiling; lots of vintage linoleum and the classroom on the third floor is intact with blackboards still in place. What's missing is the pigeon droppings and dead rodents from our last visit two years ago. Watch for the restoration of this important building complex, it should be quite wonderful. Check out the Quicktime movie.

October 15 , 2005

The group met at the Vancouver Museum for a trip to the east side where we visited the main ambulance station for the BC Ambulance Service. Ambulances galore, lots of equipment - both old and new. The delight of the morning were the three vintage ambulances brought in from the Fraser Valley by their owners just for our visit. Sirens, stretchers and all sorts of fun things.

September 17, 2005

After meeting at the Dr Sun Yat Sen Garden our group set off on foot to the St James Hotel on Hastings Street. Their basement is a huge empty space where the structure of the building - huge steel floor beams and timber posts - could be seen. The back stairs were tight and steep and came down in front of the large Empire boiler used to heat the place.

Then it was across the street and into the damp spaces of the Dodson Hotel's basement. Once a restaurant space - most of Vancouver's fashionable restaurants were in the basement until bylaw changes forced them up to the ground floor - we could see the paneling, columns and remnants of the original floor. Parts of the original elevator machinery, old freezers and dumb waiters used to move beer kegs from the street to the basement were also found.

Our last stop for the morning was the Merchant's Bank. Down a flight of stairs into a dark and very damp basement were the impressive vaults, original tile floors and the unused elevator shaft. Upstairs the place was a mess of old offices and store rooms including the old bank manager's office with its fireplace. In a closet off the hallway there was the ladder to the roof, an interesting climb to a great view.

For more photos check out Jason Vanderhill's Flickr site.

An update on a 2003 Secrets visit.

On the roof of the Merchant's Bank	Merchant's Bank	The view to the Sun Tower