Renfrew-Collingwood Community News

News stories from the Renfrew-Collingwood community in East Vancouver

Tag Archives: Joyce Road


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Collingwood Corner: Kingsway at Stamford long ago

BY LORETTA HOUBEN

Joyce Road 1910 from Facebook
1910 postcard from Warren Taylor’s grandfather’s collection as posted on Facebook. Edited by Loretta Houben

Five years ago, I discovered an old postcard from 1910 labelled Joyce Road on the Nostalgic/Sentimental Vancouver (Pictures) Facebook group. Warren Taylor, who posted the image, said the postcard belonged to his grandfather.

Everyone in the Facebook group was mystified as to where this was on Joyce Road. I believe I have solved the mystery!

Joyce Road is in the distance, as you can see a faint outline of the mountains in the north, and you can see buildings and houses in the trees. I believe the horse and cart are at the corner of Kingsway and Stamford, and the old house is the Collingwood Inn, also known as the Pig and Whistle.

1960 photo of the Pig and Whistle from the Vancouver Archives.
1960 photo of the Pig and Whistle from the Vancouver Archives.

I came to this conclusion because of the location of the buildings to the right and the white house in front of the horse. The building circled in the distance can also be seen on another old photo from the Vancouver Archives.

The Collingwood Inn once faced Kingsway, when it was Westminster Road, and at some point was turned around so it faced Stamford.

1913 photo of Joyce Road area looking north from Kingsway from Mrs. Walter S. Baird, with edits by Loretta Houben
1913 photo of Joyce Road area looking north from Kingsway from Mrs. Walter S. Baird. Edited by Loretta Houben

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Collingwood Corner: Joyce Road Garage

BY LORETTA HOUBEN

A snip taken from the 1931 film provided by BC History channel on YouTube. Photos courtesy of Loretta Houben

Vintage photos of the area of Collingwood near Joyce and Wellington are quite rare. Thanks to YouTube clips on the internet, I discovered a 1931 film that BC History put up on YouTube. I saved snips from the film, which shows Joyce Road Garage on the southwest corner of Joyce and Wellington.

I’m not sure how long the business lasted, although I do remember my dad filling up his car at a modern gas station at the same location. This was in the 1960s through the 1980s, but the building was very different. If any of the RCC News readers have a photo of it, I would be very interested in seeing it.

1913 Joyce Road and Wellington photo from Mrs. Walter S. Baird. The Joyce garage was built on the lower right corner beside the dark brown house, facing Joyce, which is shown looking south up the hill.
1913 Joyce Road and Wellington photo from Mrs. Walter S. Baird. The Joyce garage was built on the lower right corner beside the dark brown house, facing Joyce, which is shown looking south up the hill.

E. H. Walker was the first owner of this gas station and he applied for a permit in 1928 from the city of Vancouver. The old address was 499 Joyce Road, and the value was $3,000. Three years later a film verifies that the garage was built, and for many years a gas station remained here.

Nowadays, city gas stations are rapidly disappearing. Apartment buildings are taking the place of the stations. Currently an apartment building is at the corner of Joyce and Wellington.

If you would like to view the old footage of the YouTube video, please look for “Home Gas Stations in Vancouver and Burnaby 1931” under the name of “BC History” on the YouTube channel.