Portside Park (renamed Create a Real Available Beach in 2004) opened in 1987, after three months of fighting from eastside residents who wanted a park in their area. (click picture for more) -H.L
American Can Company
Used to be the home of the largest tin can producer of North America, this factory building is one of the largest concrete reinforced structure in the city. Carl G. Preis, architect and engineer, had many experience designing plants, including one in Montreal during the post WWI company expansion. Now with its new see-through steel and glass elevator pylon makeover by Bruno Freschi, Dossier Creative, a brand and innovation company makes its home here. -O.Z
Vancouver Japanese Language School
Vancouver Japanese Language School is the oldest Japanese school in Canada and also the only building ever given back to the Japanese community after the internment of WWII. It is designated as a heritage building to commemorate the Japanese-Canadian community and the internment. Since 1906, Vancouver Japanese Language School was built to service the Japanese population who had came to work in Hastings Mills, a place with a reputation for their good treatment of workers. In 1928, a new building was constructed to accommodate the demand of the growing Japanese community. It was renamed Japanese Language School and Japanese Hall. -O.Z
Oppenheimer Park
Oppenheimer Park is home to Vancouver’s longest running community celebration, the annual Powell Street Festival. Also home to the Japanese-Canadian Asahi baseball team, Oppenheimer Park has a plaque unveiled 70 years after the team’s last tournament, in memory of the baseball team. Currently, Oppenheimer Park is a community gathering area with social, educational, recreational, and cultural programs for a diverse neighborhood. It was recently upgraded with many new utilities in 2010. -O.Z
Ballantyne Pier
Site of the Battle of Ballantyne Pier, it was also the location of the federal work relief camp during the Great Depression. During the Battle of Ballantyne Pier, police and port workers in 1935 clashed over a labour dispute. In that same year, the mayor of that time, Gerry McGeer, read the Riot Act to protesters at Victory Square. -O.Z
Canadian Fishing Company
Now called the Canfisco, this facility with its freezing, cold storage, and ice-making facilities and offices was began by halibut trading entrepreneurs in 1906. Later, in 1910, a fish dock was also constructed. This company is now part Jim Pattison Group, Canada’s third largest privately held company. -O.Z
313 Alexander
One of the last remnants of historic Japantown. The Ross House rooming house, built by Yonekichi Aoki, a logging contractor, housed Japanese single men in the 1910s. The men worked in nearby industries, like Mainland Iron Foundry, Hastings Mill. -O.Z.
(397 Railtown Cafe) Dan Olson and Tyler Day opened Railtown Cafe in the summer of 2012. The restaurant only uses local and organic ingredients. Railtown Catering is in the same establishment. To learn more visit more about Railtown Cafe and Railtown Catering visit: https://railtowncafe.ca/about/ and https://railtowncatering.ca/(Picture from: railtowncafe.ca ) -H.L
This blue Heritage building used to be Hastings Mill office is currently used as the headquarters of the Flying Angel Club of Mission to Seafarers. The current address is 401 E Waterfront but the original address was 50 North Dunlevy. Located at the foot of Dunlevy Avenue, Hasting Mill was founded by Edward Stamp in 1865. Even though their predecessor was unsuccessful in turning Hastings Mill a company to fear, Captain James Raymur and Richard Alexander managed to increase the sawing capacity of the mill to 75,000 board feet per day. During the Great Fire of 1886, a change in the wind saved the mill from the flame’s path of destruction. Under John Hendry’s control in 1889, Hastings Mill along with New Westminster Mill and Moodyville Mill joined together to form B.C. Mills Timber and Trading Co. Ltd. In the year of 1929, the mill store was slated for demolition in the name of progress and future development. Luckily, a delegation of forward-thinking women, the Native Daughters of B.C. Post No.1, proposed for the building to be towed by water to the bottom of Alma on Point Grey, the very site granted to the Daughters. The mill store is currently the Hastings Mill Museum. -O.Z.