Latest Classifieds in Department Store Nostalgia

Through the beginning of the 20th century, the Woodward’s Department Store grew as a catalogue service, transporting goods across Canada

Two views of the Woodward’s rooftop. One, from the COV collection, of a patio on top of the department store, another, from the market rate building hot tub, shaped as a “W”. Only residents of the market condo building have access to this rooftop leisure centre.

Images from Woodward’s hat collection. There’s no explanation as to why these catalogue images are preserved in the COV archive,

Grasping at straws, eh? Author of this poster and details of its dissemination unknown.

A cheerful letter from a concerned resident. Many letters from…

This article, posted to CBC News, was an oddly timed fluff piece praising the redevelopment of Woodward’s — oddly timed, because it coincided with Westbank’s Fight For Beauty exhibition, which also argued that the Woodward’s redevelopment had a positive revitalizing effect on the neighbourhood, which W.W.A.S. research demonstrates is not true.

This plan for the neighbourhood around Victory Square was put forward by the Development Services branch of the City of Vancouver, and adopted by council on July 19, 2005. In it, there are valuable insights into how City officials regarded the neighbourhood around Victory Square. This plan acknowledges its decline and the need to bring businesses back to the neighbourhood, but it also passes judgement on existing businesses for supporting illegal drug activity. This document is at times thought-provoking and compassionate and other times misguided and ignorant.

This article speculates that the parkade will be demolished. It also mentions the costs of repairing other aspects of Woodward’s original architecture, and speculates that Woodward’s may become office space for tech companies.

This article, written in the late ‘90s, has a strong grasp of the history of the site. It is based around quotes from Jim Green, who is introduced as “chief troubleshooter in the Downtown Eastside.”

The Staff Committee recommends that the Board approve this application,…