Gastown in Vancouver
Gastown in Vancouver
Between Hastings St and Waters St, Homer St and Columbia St [KIDS][FREE] Vancouver’s first community was where Gastown now stands. In the 1860s, it grew up around the Globe Saloon, owned by Gassy Jack Deighton, a former river pilot renowned for his volubility—hence the nickname Gassy. After the fire that levelled the infant city of Granville in 1886, the city moved westward and changed its name to Vancouver. The old Gas-town gradually disintegrated into the city’s skid-row area.
In the late 1960s, the renovation and restoration of the area began. The streets were paved with cobblestones or red brick, decorative streetlamps were installed, and trees were planted in front of glittering boutiques and restaurants. In 1971, Gas-town was designated a heritage site.
In Gastown, all roads—Carrall, Powell, Water, and Alexan¬der streets—lead to Maple Tree Square. Nightclubs, art gal¬leries, antique stores, and jazz clubs all add to the attractions of this pleasant place. Tucked into corners are flower-filled courtyards with names like Gaoler’s Mews, and except for the presence of some elegant boutiques, they seem unchanged from the turn of the century. Gassy Jack himself has not been forgotten—his statue stands proudly in the centre of Maple Tree Square.
The 2-tonne (almost 2 tons) Gastown Steam Clock, on the corner of Cambie and Water streets, operates on steam tapped from the underground pipes of nearby buildings. The 5-metre-tall (16.4-foot-tall) clock whistles every 15 minutes and sends forth clouds of steam every hour. With a big glass face on all four sides, a 20-kilogram (44-pound) gold-plated pen¬dulum, and a gothic roof, the clock is a popular stop for pho¬tographers. Around the corner and beside the train tracks, Ray Saunders, who designed the clock, has a store filled with an¬tique clocks and watches.