Vancouver's first synagogue, Sons of Israel, was erected here in 1911-12. The building was moved to the back of this site to allow the larger Schara Tzedeck Synagogue to be built in 1921. It became the home of the orthodox congregation under the spiritual leadership of Rabbi Nathan Pastinksy.
The only Pontiff to visit Vancouver, Pope John Paul II officiated the “Celebration of Life” at B.C. Place Stadium on September 18, 1984. Afterwards he attended a special dinner in his honour in Holy Rosary Cathedral and spent the night in the Duke Residence.
Percy Williams (1908-1982) was born in Vancouver. His meteoric athletic career began at Brockton Oval and exploded on the international scene in 1928 at the Olympic Games in Amsterdam. He won the 100 and 200 metre sprints, a feat no other Canadian has duplicated.
False Creek east of Main Street was initially an area of tidal flats. A proposal to dredge a shipping channel was abandoned in favour of railway development and by 1917 one third of False Creek was filled in.
In 1911 Con Jones, an enterprising Australian immigrant and cigar store owner, built a stadium to house his Canadian champion Vancouver Lacrosse Club. The park became a centre for baseball and soccer when professional lacrosse ended in 1924. It became Callister Park in 1949.
Ukrainians of the Greek Orthodox faith began holding Vancouver area services in Cedar Cottage Hall in 1928. Postwar immigration increased the congregation, and in 1948 they built the present church.
Pioneer settlers were buried near Brockton Point. Homemade coffins, graves scattered among the trees, and headboards fashioned from rough lumber reflected the informality of pioneer burial practices. By 1888 the little cemetery had fallen into disuse.
Vancouver's first Pantages theatre opened here on January 6, 1908. Part of a “circuit” of vaudeville theatres owned by Alexander Pantages, it featured live commercial entertainment for family audiences. Vaudeville remained popular until the late 1920s but succumbed to the competition of talking pictures.
After the First World War various districts sought to provide lasting remembrances. South Vancouver established this park and also erected the first cenotaph in Canada at its municipal hall. After amalgamation, the cenotaph was moved to its present location.
In 1910 McGill College (renamed the University of British Columbia in 1915) was housed in temporary buildings on this site. By 1922 the permanent buildings at Point Grey were still unfinished and protesting students embarked on “The Great Trek”.
During the 1860's, Kanakas (Hawaiians) – some former H.B.C. employees and some deserters from sailing ships – settled at Stamp's Mill where many were employed. Later, they moved to Coal Harbour, their settlement being known as Kanaka Ranch or Cherry Orchard because of the fruit trees they planted.
The Bavarian-born Oppenheimers, David and Isaac, combined commercial success, extensive real estate holdings and political influence – David served as mayor from 1888 to 1891. Oppenheimer Brothers remains the oldest family-run business in the Lower Mainland.
