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This legendary venue started life in 1952 as an 'exotic' supper club before it was transformed into a punk rock mecca in the 1970s.  Some of the acts rumored to have played there include Jimi Hendrix, Tommy Chong and Tina Turner. A 1983 fire put an end to its popularity and it languished for many years. The 2020 pandemic ended a recent attempt to turn it into an indoor skate park. Today it's only function is to serve as a back rest for the hundreds of street people who have taken over the neighbourhood. (I found the original photo on a Facebook page with no credit and no date.)

This church has served the West End Community since it was built in 1905. Several of the stained glass windows were part of an older church in Yaletown. (1905 Major Matthews image from Vancouver City Archives.)

This little house has been facing the lane between York and Cornwall since 1908. It's one of the last remaining original laneway houses in the City. The young boy in the photograph is Paul Houle, who moved into the house in 1960. (1961 photograph from Paul Houle).

This low-rise building near Kits Beach sold drugs in the 1940s, now it sells burgers.  

This 1931 photo shows the pool under construction. At its current length of 137 metres (it used to be even longer), it is the largest salt water pool in North America. It was originally filled by the tidal flow from Burrard Inlet. It was extensively rebuilt in 1979 and again in 2018. (Major Matthews photo from Vancouver City Archives). 

A battalion of Canadian troops march down Pender Street on their way to World War I.  The Palmer (later called the Pender Hotel), built in 1913, is still operating under the name Skwachays Lodge, although only the facade remains from the original building. Further down the block, the Arco Hotel can be seen.  (1915 Stuart Thompson photograph from the Vancouver City Archives).

A Kitsilano courtyard in 1970. Built and managed by Balfour Properties, and photographed by Vlad Keremidschieff. 

This photo shows a Kiwanis picnic at Kits Beach in 1914. (1914 photo from Vancouver City Archives).

This 1899 building is one of the oldest on the Granville Strip. It was built a little too early - by 1901 it was still surrounded by vacant land.  The upstairs floor was originally residential. One of its tenants was Sam Greer, who for a time owned most of Kits Beach (interesting back story here). (1925 photo from Vancouver City Archives).

This building first showed up in the City directory in 1912. Before Vancouver adopted zoning in 1928, Vancouver boasted hundreds of family owned grocery stores scattered throughout the City.  Few have survived, although recently there have been efforts to revive neighbourhood retailers.  Some of the structures, like this one, have been converted to private homes. (1969 photo from Vancouver City Archive. )