Archive for December, 2011

Vancouver 125 Legacy Projects

As Vancouver’s 125th anniversary and year as a Cultural Capital of Canada comes to a close there are many wonderful events, activities and memories to reflect on and a number of Vancouver 125 projects that will live on as legacies of this year of celebration.

Major Matthews’ Early Vancouver

All seven volumes of Major Matthews’ Early Vancouver, a popular resource on Vancouver’s early history written by Vancouver’s first City Archivist, are now available online. Written between 1931 and 1956, Early Vancouver represents years of arduous labour by Vancouver’s first City Archivist, Major James Skitt Matthews and it is a popular resource documenting Vancouver’s early history that was previously available only in hard copy in the Archives’ Reading Room.  Learn more…

Yaletown Productions

The City of Vancouver Archives’ largest moving-image acquisition to date is the works of Yaletown Productions Inc., which produced documentaries, commercials, and tourism films about the city, Expo 86, and B.C. from the 1970s to 1990s. Included in the collection are over 300 hours of final productions and raw footage.  Some materials are available now on the Vancouver Archives website, and the complete collection will be online in early 2012. Learn more…

Interactive Vancouver Building Permit Database

Heritage Vancouver’s new interactive Vancouver Building Permit Database unlocks a legacy of information about thousands of Vancouver’s historic buildings. One of the most frequent questions at the City of Vancouver Archives is “How old is my house?” Until now, the early building permit information for Vancouver buildings has been locked away in chronological register books, not searchable in any way. Learn more…

Vancouver 125 Legacy Books Project

The Association of Book Publishers of British Columbia (ABPBC) has launched a collection of 10 classic Vancouver books. Previously out-of-print, these books are now available as new editions as part of the Vancouver 125 Legacy Books project. Ranging from the classic oral history of Daphne Marlatt and Carole Itter’s Opening Doors to Vancouver’s most notorious unsolved murder mystery in Edward Starkins’ Who Killed Janet Smith? the titles in this collection are a testament to the depth of Vancouver’s literary history and the vibrant writing community that now thrives in our city. Learn more…

The Chuck Davis History of Metropolitan Vancouver

Author Chuck Davis embraced 125 years of material, with the exuberance and talent for storytelling that made him one of Vancouver’s most successful and beloved journalists and broadcasters. This volume represents the culmination of his life as a folk historian and of his immense contribution to historical knowledge of the city of Vancouver. It was nearly realized, but not quite completed before his death in November, 2010. Harbour Publishing worked with Davis on The Chuck Davis History of Metropolitan Vancouver for five years, and has collaborated with the Vancouver Historical Society to complete the volume in 2011 to mark the city’s 125th anniversary. Learn more…

Vancouver 125 Poetry Conference Sound Recordings

The Vancouver 125 Poetry Conference, a four day gathering of close to 100 of Canadian and North American contemporary poets organized by Vancouver’s second Poet Laureate Brad Cran, took place as part of the city’s 125th anniversary celebrations on October 19-22, 2011. The complete sound recordings from the conference including readings, panel discussions and the welcome ceremony for Vancouver’s new Poet Laureate Evelyn Lau will be available shortly through the City of Vancouver Archives.

20 Songs Inspired by Vancouver

20 free songs by 20 local artists are now available for download thanks to a partnership between The PEAK Performance Project, Music BC, and a host of hard working artists, producers and recording students.

The songs are all inspired by Vancouver and written to commemorate the city’s 125th birthday this year. Listen online or download here.

125 Vancouver Stories

As part of the City’s 125 celebrations, Vancouver Park Board selected a team of digital media artists to work within the Vancouver community to capture the oral histories, stories and memories of local residents. 125 of these Vancouver stories were collected, reflecting Vancouver’s diverse multicultural population, including narratives from members of First Nations and immigrant communities. Learn more here and here.

Celebrate Vancouver 125 Mural Projects
The City of Vancouver’s Great Beginnings program was launched in 2008 and brings—among other projects—more than 20 community-driven murals to Vancouver’s Downtown East Side. The Vancouver 125 Mural Program partnered with Great Beginnings to commission new community murals in neighbourhoods across Vancouver. These celebratory murals will be documented in a Vancouver Murals Map that will feature stories, images, and historical photos that inspired the creation of over 150 murals since 2003. Visit MuralsVancouver.ca.

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Posted on: December 22nd, 2011 by Vancouver125
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The History of Metropolitan Vancouver

Chuck Davis History of Vancouver

Date: April 1 – December 30, 2011; book available in stores starting November 15, 2011; book launch on December 6, 2011
Location: Vancouver
Website: www.vancouverhistory.ca

This project will mark Vancouver’s 125th anniversary by creating and publishing a very special book­-The History of Metropolitan Vancouver by the late Chuck Davis. In writing the book Davis set out to cover each year of Vancouver’s incorporation in a chronicle style. In other words, the text forms a massive collection of stories, news reports, essays, character portraits and factoids that are joined chronologically rather than thematically. The hardcover book will have 512 large-format pages, 500 archival photos and will be published in October, 2011. This project will result in an appropriate and lasting monument to Greater Vancouver’s first 125 years.

Celebrate the book and the life of Chuck Davis with a free book launch event on Tuesday, December 6th at 7:00 pm. Join journalist Allen Garr, broadcaster Red Robinson, musician Dal Richards & others to celebrate the launch at the Vancouver Public Library—350 West Georgia Street, Vancouver. Other speakers include publisher Howard White, Councillor Heather Deal, Tourism Vancouver CEO Rick Antonson. For more information regarding the book launch, please visit www.harbourpublishing.com or email info@harbourpublishing.com.

The Chuck Davis History of Metropolitan Vancouver: Book Launch
Date: Tuesday, December 6, 2011, 7:00 pm-8:30 pm
Location: Alice Mackay Room, Lower Level Vancouver Public Library (Central Branch, 350 West Georgia Street)

With support from the City of Vancouver’s 125th Anniversary Grants Program and the participation of the Government of Canada.

Read more

The Globe and Mail: Chuck Davis Remembered: B.C. authors band together to finish late historian’s magnum opus

Blog – Miss604: The Chuck Davis History of Metropolitan Vancouver

Posted on: December 15th, 2011 by Vancouver125
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‘Polar Bear: Native to Vancouver’ by Tony Pantages on Canada Line video screens

Polar Bear: Native to Vancouver by Tony Pantages launches December 5 and runs to December 18 on the Canada Line video screens. One of 15 public art projects commissioned by the City of Vancouver’s Public Art Program for Vancouver 125, Polar Bear: Native to Vancouver is the seventh in the 10 Seconds series of commissioned works for the Canada Line video screens as part of a year-long project celebrating Vancouver 125.

Polar Bear: Native to Vancouver is a tribute to the annual New Year’s Day Polar Bear Swim in Vancouver. Started by Peter Pantages in 1920 with ten members, this is the oldest and largest Polar Bear Swim and is the genesis of the worldwide Polar Bear Swim movement. Tony Pantages, a third-generation Vancouverite and a filmmaker, attaches a personal history to this public tradition. For half a century his grandfather, Peter, took his daily dip in English Bay 365 days a year through sun, rain, snow, sleet and hail. Polar Bear: Native to Vancouver pays homage to his grandfather Peter, father Tony Sr., and uncle Basil, who all appear in this 10-second film.

Tony Pantages is an extraordinary storyteller, avid Vancouver historian and award-winning commercial and music video director. A self described Viewsician, he also creates live visual mixes alongside the world’s best DJs and musicians at some of the biggest music festivals in the world. He recently performed at the DXB Festival in Dubai; Coachella in California; and the Ultra Music Festival in Miami. His short film Dovetale won Best in Category at the 2010 Toronto Urban Film Festival. He is currently shooting a feature film Three Days in Havana with co-director Gil Bellows.

Polar Bear: Native to Vancouver launches December 5 on the Canada Line subway video screens and on www.youtube.com/offonmain and Facebook. A new work is featured each month on the Canada Line through March 2012, playing every two minutes to an audience of over 100,000 commuters per day.

See previous projects Hippie Chick by Dana Claxton, Slash Forward by Michael Turner, One Percent by James Yan, Movement For Two Grannies by Laiwan, An Ode To Vancouver Hockey Fans by Jeff Chiba Stearns and Escape Velocity on YouTube or at www.onmaingallery.com.

10 Seconds is curated by Paul Wong and presented by On Main in partnership with InTransitBC. Commissioned by the City of Vancouver Public Art Program with the support of Vancouver 125 and the participation of the Government of Canada.

The 2011 Public Art Program focuses on opportunities for residents and visitors to enjoy unique images, objects and perspectives on Vancouver and British Columbia for the City’s anniversary year. Details about Vancouver’s Public Art Program can be found at vancouver.ca/publicart. The program has facilitated over a hundred projects in the past ten years, spanning large-scale permanent installations, design-team collaborations and artist-initiated artworks.

Posted on: December 6th, 2011 by Vancouver125
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