Significant stories that happened in and around Coal Harbour.
The SS Greenhill Park exploding.
The SS Greeenhill Park Explosion In March of 1945, a shock wave was felt all over the city of Vancouver. The SS Greenhill Park, a vessel docked at Pier B. 8 men lost their life and 19 others were terribly injured. Many building properties were destroyed. Most Coal Harbour citizens at the time believed the incident was caused by the Japanese, when in reality the incident was caused by poor stowage of flammable materials
Writer - R.V
Now and Then: A man visiting his childhood hometown My childhood was a memorable period in my life full of fun and playfullness. I grew up in the small industrial neighborhood of Coal Harbour in the 1940's. I remember fooling around with my friends everyday around the harbour; no one ever objecting to where we went or what we did. My father would work at the cannery every morning and I would come visit him with my friends. My favorite activity would be fishing. Sometimes my father and I would sell the fish we caught and use the money to go for some ice cream. I remember how my classmates always wanted to go to English Bay to play on the beach, but I never had the desire. Coal Harbour was my beach. Everyday was fun. Despite the size of the area, there was always something to do. At times I would even just sit and watch the ships come to the harbour. My friends and I would always go down to the dock and wander around the several shops there. We might not have been the richest kids, and we may not have gotten everything we wanted, but our childhood was definitely a fun and memorable one. Now as I visit my home of Coal Harbour, I can barely recognize the place. Business men in suits and carrying briefcases enter skyscrapers. Only tourists explore the harbour. I see no kids playing with their friends like I did when I was young. As I walk towards the dock I see shops--just like when i was a kid, but theres gates that don't allow me to access the shops. I couldn't believe my eyes. I remembered a place where I could have fun and enjoy the small things. I came back to a place where it's almost impossible to do so.
Writer - M.M
The Vancouver Police on Deadman's Island preventing Ludgate from logging.
A Haunted History of Deadman's Island During 1899-1930, Deadman’s Island was home to a logging dispute. During that period the federal government rented out the land to an American industrialist, Theodore Ludgate. He bought the land in hope of building a lumber mill, unfortunately the local residents and authorities despised the idea and believed Deadman’s Island was a part of Stanley Park and not open for development. On April 24, 1899, when Ludgate went out with is 30 workers to log the area, Mayor James Garden brought the entire police force to block Ludgate from doing any logging. Because of Ludgate’s desire to build a lumber mill, Mayor Garden sent policemen to watch the island over night to keep the loggers at bay. In 1909 while keeping watch, the policemen claimed they had heard rattling of bones from the deceased that were buried on Coal Harbour. They had also declared that shrieking skeletons had claimed to haunt anyone who dared to cut down the trees on the island. After the HCMS discovery was built more supernatural events on the Island had occurred, making the local residents and authorities to believe that Deadman’s Island was being haunted by those who had perished from the Great Vancouver Fire of 1886, the smallpox epidemic, and Canadian Pacific Railway workers who died during construction.