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10 (More) Forgotten Facts About Vancouver

10 More Forgotten Facts About Vancouver By Vancouver Is Awesome Do you think that you know all there is to know about our amazing city? Well, think again! After our first set of forgotten facts about Vancouver , we decided to share 10 more! Street-si

10 More Forgotten Facts About Vancouver

By Vancouver Is Awesome

Do you think that you know all there is to know about our amazing city? Well, think again! After our first set of forgotten facts about Vancouver, we decided to share 10 more!

  • Street-side Safety

    By Vancouver Is Awesome

    On a particularly windy night before August 1887, you might have been at risk of having no light to walk under. This was the month that streetlamps were repalced with electric streetlights.

  • Gone Coastal

    By Vancouver Is Awesome

    With the equator being over 40,000km, it's pretty crazy to think that the length of BC's coastline is over 27,000km. Including islands and shorelines, it's impressive none the less.

  • The Best Thing Since...

    By Vancouver Is Awesome

    In 1937, sliced bread made its way to Vancouver. What was the best thing before that? We're not sure.

  • The Baby Approved Invention

    By Vancouver Is Awesome

    You may have heard of the Jolly Jumper baby seat before, but did you know that it was designed by Canadian Susan Olivia Poole and her son? The seat was patented in 1957 and manufactured in North Van.

  • Ice, Ice Baby

    By Vancouver Is Awesome

    Located in Coal Harbour, The Denman Arena, which opened in 1911, was the largest ice arena in Canada at the time. With 10,500 seats, it lasted 'til it was 25 years old , when it burnt down.

  • Rebuilt from the Ashes

    By Vancouver Is Awesome

    Just months after Vancouver was incorporated, a fire burned the majority of the city to ashes. The rebuilding process began immediately, and as soon as four days later, buildings were re-erected. 

  • Canada's First Skid Row

    By Vancouver Is Awesome

    Canada's first "Skid Row" is said to have formed in Vancouver. As unemployed loggers gathered in the area bordered by Carrall & Cordova streets, cheap lodging, brothels, and bars soon set up shop too.

  • Where Houdini Once Performed Live

    By Vancouver Is Awesome

    The iconic Harry Houdini performed a live feat on March 1st, 1923. Straight-jacketed and suspended from downtown's "Sun" building, Houdini wowed audiences by managing to escape in under four minutes.

  • World Class Wealth

    By Vancouver Is Awesome

    Vancouver's own Jim Pattison is Canada's third wealthiest person, with a fortune estimated to be in excess of $7 billion. He's also 184th on Forbes' list of the wealthiest people in the world.

  • Owner of the Strange and Unbelievable

    By Vancouver Is Awesome

    The Jim Pattison Group is the surprising owner of "Ripley's Believe It or Not!" and the "Guinness World Records" among other assets. Talk about an unlikely match-up!