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Page 8 WEST VANCOUVER HISTORICAL SOCIETY May 1995 “Captain Chilton, the manager of the new West Vancouver branch of the Royal Bank, with his wife and famiiy have moved into their new residence on 15th Street and inglewood.” The North Shore Press - May 14, 1920 Royal Bank Celebrates 75th Anniversary of West Vancouver Branch On May 3rd the Royal Bank commemorated its 75th ‘birthday’ in West Van. It was on May 3 1920 that Captain Chilton opened West Van’s first bank in the 1400 block Marine Drive in premises formerly occupied by Seed’s grocery. This was indeed a humble beginning, but then West Van’s population was only 2400 (but 50(X) in summer!). Hark back to those simpler times - electricity would not come for another two years; a pound of Nabob coffee was 680; two cans of Pacific Milk could be had for 250; and the West Van council’s budget for 1920 was $120,000 - including schools! Corporate Members We gratefully acknowledge the support of our Corporate Members whose names appear here in order of joining Chapman Land Surveying Ltd. Hollyburn Funeral Home Ltd. The Beach House at Dundarave Pier West Van Florist Ferguson Moving & Storage Wetmore Motors Ltd. Murchie’s Tea & Coffee Ltd. Watt Real Estate Ltd. Crawford E. Laing Ltd. British Pacific Properties Ltd. VanCity Credit Union Peake & Richmond Ltd. William Meek Printing Ltd. Capers of Dundarave Dr. Jan Easton, Inc. B.C. Rail Ltd. Drs. Rovinelli & McRoberts Faximum Software Ltd. Dr. Robert N. Hicks, Inc. The Square Rigger Pub Barry Hicklenton Insurance Agencies Ltd. G.V.Kirk Electric Ltd. Dave’s Auto Body Shop Ltd. The North Shore News Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce The Royal Bank of Canada The Bank of Montreal Quill Printing Limited So, it was more an act of faith and in expectation of better times to come that led the Royal to open the branch which today is located at 1703 Marine. Captain Chilton, who had been an accountant at the Mount Pleasant branch before the move, had a single assistant on opening day - Les Yates, a young man from an already well known West Van family. Les didn’t stay long as he was rather quickly transferred to North Van - some say that the locals didn’t like one of their own knowing the details of their finances! From this humble location, the branch moved to a similar one immediately to the west of the general store which stood at the south-west comer of 17th & Marine, currently the site of the Coronation Building. All during the twenties West Van experienced rapid growth, and it became apparent that modem banking facilities were necessary to cope with the increased business. The Royal’s response was to build a handsome two-story building at the south-east comer of 17th & Marine - on what is now part of the Safeway parking lot - into which it moved in November 1926. Many of our members will remember this building. We opened our first bank accounts there, under the watchful eye of Captain Chilton and later Mr. Ostrom. And we climbed up that long staircase which led off 17th to reach the offices of doctors or dentists. Then came the 1960’s redevelopment of the square block bounded by Marine, Bellevue, 16th and 17th and the razing of the 1926 building to make way for Safeway and for new bank premises - actually just directly behind the prior site. But the space pressures of a growing business led the Royal to move in 1987 to the attractive and fitting building it now occupies on the northwest comer of 17th and Marine. Over the years the Royal added other branches - Park Royal in 1950 and Dundarave in 1970. But to many, the Village branch will always be ‘The Royal’. By: Miuy Chapman and Rupert Harrison ^Capilano’ - Continued from Page 3 None of us can forget the floods of 1914 and 1949. Marine Drive Bridge was entirely washed out and West Vancouverites were marooned. Business men sometimes packed groceries home on their shoulders, crossing the raging waters on the Suspension Bridge. In 1949 the West Vancouver Ferry took commuters from Dundarave pier to their jobs in Vancouver. Cleveland Dam ended such catastrophes. When you want a good ‘read’ pick up “Capilano” by James Morton and know the history of our grand river. You, as I, will be carried back in memory to your early visits to this well-known wonder and you will want to explore its beauty once again.