12 photos of East Van being East Van

A year ago I wrote that Gatekeepers and Garages of East Van (@gatesandgarages) was a new "must follow" Instagram account, offering look into the gritty alleyways and from the sidewalks East of Main. Since then the account (curated by someone using the pseudonym Vladimir P. Footlocker) has remained true to its mission to be "Dedicated to the preservation and apotheosis of East Vancouver's finest architectural icons". Week by week it delivers a new visual look into the heart of what makes East Van what it is.

Below are a few gems from the past 12 months. Be sure to follow @gatesandgarages for more.

Sunlit lions, nothing more. #EastVan Photo by Suzo Hickey. #VancouverIsAwesome

A photo posted by Gatekeepers & Garages of E Van (@gatesandgarages) on May 9, 2015 at 9:13pm PDT

Often in #EastVan, deals can be found in the alleys. In this case, an entire cabinetry set was available. With kudos to @vancouveralleys #vancouverisawesome

A photo posted by Gatekeepers & Garages of E Van (@gatesandgarages) on Apr 29, 2015 at 11:14pm PDT

Sittin' on Chrome. We featured these splendid gatekeepers in mid-2015, but new pertinent information has recently come to light: the silver coating so lovingly applied to the figurines is actually rated at SPF 5000, a holdover of the UVA UVB arms race of the early 90s. #EastVan #VancouverIsAwesome #Vancitybuzz Photo and new info courtesy @patentimage

A photo posted by Gatekeepers & Garages of E Van (@gatesandgarages) on Jan 31, 2016 at 10:58am PST

Red lions signify membership in the house of lords. #EastVan #BCLions

A photo posted by Gatekeepers & Garages of E Van (@gatesandgarages) on Dec 22, 2015 at 7:44pm PST

Neither a gate nor a garage, but still awesome. #EastVan #architexture #mosaic

A photo posted by Gatekeepers & Garages of E Van (@gatesandgarages) on Nov 1, 2015 at 8:33am PST

Carolina and 19th. The Fox rocks? #99.3 #EastVan

A photo posted by Gatekeepers & Garages of E Van (@gatesandgarages) on Jul 2, 2015 at 10:50pm PDT

A grouping of multiple gatekeepers on at least four adjacent properties is generally referred to as a "phalanx" by industry specialists. #EastVan #architecture

A photo posted by Gatekeepers & Garages of E Van (@gatesandgarages) on May 28, 2015 at 11:45pm PDT

According to an obscure city edict from the 1980s during Mike Harcourt's tenure as mayor, a #purple fence permits a homeowner to install a 20+ ft. diameter satellite dish on the garage side of the property. #EastVan

A photo posted by Gatekeepers & Garages of E Van (@gatesandgarages) on Apr 22, 2015 at 10:23pm PDT

Some people in #Vancouver make a fortune by buying derelict properties and torching them. All indications are that is the case here. #EastVan

A photo posted by Gatekeepers & Garages of E Van (@gatesandgarages) on Mar 26, 2015 at 6:50pm PDT

The owner of this #EastVan #garage was at one point contemplating a more modern upgrade in the style of Zaha Hadid, but thankfully decided to stick with the old design. #starchitect #Vancouver

A photo posted by Gatekeepers & Garages of E Van (@gatesandgarages) on Apr 9, 2015 at 8:05pm PDT

This is what happens when the #AngryBirds inhale the air around #CommercialDrive. #EastVan #garages #streetart

A photo posted by Gatekeepers & Garages of E Van (@gatesandgarages) on Mar 17, 2015 at 4:10pm PDT

We're not sure if this garage owner is expressing their solidarity for the underground Nepalese carnival movement, or if they just really like the movie "Monsters Inc." #eastvan #flags

A photo posted by Gatekeepers & Garages of E Van (@gatesandgarages) on Mar 4, 2015 at 7:47am PST