About Vancouver Then & Now
How to Make an Ordinary, Everyday Street Photo More Interesting
Step 1: Take the photo.
Step 2: Wait 50 years.
The original purpose of this collection of photos from 1974 was practical and utilitarian, shot by The Vancouver Planning Department never intended for postcards or similar uses.
My name is Mike Clegg, owner of Really Virtual, a drone and virtual tour company. I’ve always been fascinated by how photography captures a moment in time. I’m pretty sure photography and film are the closest things to time travel we’ll ever experience.
I discovered these photos in the city archives and thought it would be interesting to show the changes to Vancouver's streets over the past half-century by creating a virtual photo time machine. All of these photos are one-point perspective, meaning they look straight at the subject, not tilted left or right, which made them perfect for the “virtual photo time machine.”
The changes to downtown Vancouver over the past 50 years have been astonishing. In these photos, you'll see retail stores and restaurants that have come and gone, like the Texaco on Robson Street, and some that remain, like The St. Regis Hotel on Dunsmuir and Pappas Furs on Hamilton. The abundance of parking lots and 19th-century homes contrasts sharply with today. And what about the cars? Wow, what a change—from the land yachts of '74 to today's compact and electric vehicles. Take note of the number of VW Bugs back then versus the Teslas today!
I hope you find these photos at least half as interesting as I do. Link to Vancouver Then & Now 1974
Happening in 74
Seasons In The Sun
"From his home studio in North Vancouver, singer and songwriter Terry Jacks recorded the international number 1 hit of 1974, 'Seasons in the Sun.'"
Energy Crisis
The energy crisis had begun, and the land yachts you see in these photos would soon fade into history
The Nature Of Things
Dr. David Suzuki began as the host of CBC-TV’s The Nature of Things, and it’s still running today with his daughter Sarika at the helm.
Canadas Sport Car
The Bricklin, Canada’s very own sports car, rolled off the assembly line for the first time.
Mr Peanut For Mayor
Mr. Peanut ran for mayor, gaining media attention from all over North America. He didn’t win.
Mushroom Records
Mushroom Records was founded by brothers Wink and Dick Vogel. An early Mushroom LP, Dreamboat Annie by Heart, sold four million copies.
Chief Dan George
Chief Dan George’s book My Heart Soars was published. It is a collection of memories, life stories, wisdom, and poetry from the perspective of one of the nation's most influential First Nations chiefs
Takin’ Care of Business
Bachman-Turner Overdrive exploded out of Vancouver. Their album Not Fragile was released and included their biggest hit single, "Takin’ Care of Business."
Insurance
As of March 1, 1974, all motor vehicles in BC were required to have ICBC insurance. The new corporation got off to a robust start with one million policies.
Trending!
Streaking was all the rage. The newspaper reported, "Three young women bounced onto the ice at the Pacific Coliseum" during a game between the Canucks and Islanders on March 30th. The Oscars were also entertained by a streaker just a few days later on April 2nd.
In the Movies
The movie Russian Roulette starring George Segal was filmed in Vancouver in late 1974. Some fantastically nostalgic footage of Vancouver can be seen throughout the movie. Watch the entire film for free on YouTube.
