Here in Vancouver we have an interesting little thing that occurs at high noon in the downtown core. A horn sounds, quite loudly I might add, and plays the first four notes of our national anthem ‘O Canada’. Now this started at the BC Electric building back in 1957. That building has now been converted to condos and is known as The Electra. The horn was moved to Canada Place which is at the foot of Pender Street on the waterfront. One of the things I always enjoy about different cities is their strange little curiosities. Always makes for an interesting conversation with locals on how certain things came into being.
In the evening we also have the 9:00 o’clock gun. It is an operational naval cannon that is still set off nightly at 9:00 PM. This was at one time I believe to sound a general curfew that may have existed. I don’t know if this accurate but I was told this many years ago particularly during war-time is when this was effective. It was also used by ships to set their chronometers by. The cannon was cast in England back in 1816 and I think we got it in 1898. In any case, it is very loud.
Those are a few little tidbits about Vancouver. We of course have theatres that are haunted and pubs that are haunted as well. The Vancouver Art Gallery once housed the City Jail and in the catacombs there are these cells that still exist with the thickest brick walls I think I have ever seen. The gallery was then turned into a courthouse and in 1983 converted to its current status as the main Art Gallery in the city.
I do love this city of mine. She is a beautiful and welcoming place to live in. Her diversity extraordinary.
I went to a Fred Herzog exhibit a few months ago and boy did it take me back. Vancouver has changed quite a bit over the years. She has been polished up quite a bit. I know though, when I was looking at the many photographs I would see an establishment such as the White Lunch Cafe that used to be on Granville Street and it brought back many memories of early morning breakfasts in my youth.
In any case there is a little info about my hometown that may not be common knowledge.
Summer has arrived. Back to work for now.
Enjoy.
Power of One by Nancy 