Granville Island is a hub for shopping and entertainment—making it a local favourite and hot spot for tourists.
Historically though, it was known as Industrial Island, and then changed to Granville Island after the bridge it was underneath. In 1915, the Vancouver Harbour Commission approved a reclamation project for an industrial area in False Creek.
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Today, Granville Island has completely transformed from being an industrial area to being one of Vancouver’s gems, but let’s take a look back at it’s history.
This photo taken in 1917 depicts a sawmill and shows the beginning of dredging in False Creek and the Granville Bridge, Yaletown and Downtown in the background.
BC Equipment Ltd. built a wood-framed machine shop near the Island’s western end. To this day that structure houses part of the booming Granville Island Public Market.
This photo taken in 1922 shows Schaake Co. Machinery Company, Pacific Sheet Metal Works and False Creek Dock and Warehouse Company Limited.
Taken in 1931, this photo shows how industrial the area was and how it was filled with warehouses.
This photo shows the entrance to Granville Island in 1976.
This photo was taken underneath the Granville Bridge in 1980.
The above photo shows a restaurant patio in 1982.
Here is Granville Island today
Today, Granville Island provides visitors with an extensive marina, the large public market, a boutique hotel, the Emily Carr University of Art and Design and many fine art galleries and shopping boutiques.
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Fun Fact: Did you know that the City of Vancouver was once called Granville? That was up until 1886, when it was renamed. The name was instead given to Granville Street, which now spans the area known as False Creek.
