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April 1996 WEST VANCOUVER HISTORICAL SOCIETY Page 7 Camping at West Bay By: Trevor Roote Trev Roote has been a West Vancouverite for over 30 years and a friend of Ian Macdonald for almost^ as long. The cabin they rented at West Bay was just two doors west of the Macdonald family home. Back in the 30’s as a young boy I always looked forward to summer holidays. Every year Mom and Dad, my brother Bob and I headed off to some sununer retreat, usuaUy near the water; Cultus Lake, Crescent Beach, Bowen Island, Birch Bay, etc. hi 1936 and 1937 Dad rented a small cottage in the middle of West Bay. Our Vancouver home was in Kitsilano and it was a real expedition to get all our belongings over to West Vancouver. My grandfather McConaghy owned a plumbing company which had an old model “T’ truck. We would load everything into the back seat, then my brother and I would climb on top while Mom rode up front with grandfather. We drove all across town past the old PNE grounds, then down to the Second Narrows Railway Bridge. Plank decking was laid alongside the rails so vehicles could drive over on a single lane; red and green lights told when to go. The road through North Vancouver and on through West Vancouver was narrow and winding. Our trip that would start mid-morning would end up at West Bay in mid-afternoon. The small cottage sat on a rocky point jutting out into West Bay and had a beautiful view of English Bay across the water. Just west of the cottage a set of floats projected from the beach into the bay to meet a floating log breakwater. From the beach stairs led up a steep bank to the Black Cat Tea Room. If we were lucky our weekly 10 cent allowance enabled Bob and I to buy an ice cream cone and a candy sucker. The candy was so hard it was called an all-day sucker. In those days the large Canadian Pacific Empress liners travelled in and out of Vancouver on the Orient route. These liners created huge waves. When we saw one coming all the local kids ran to the beach to play in the waves. Continued Above Right What You Have in Your Home - Continued from Page 8 is not necessary. But for many other records, especially personal papers, there are not as yet any hard and fast guidelines. If you are in any doubt about how to care for your family treasures, or whether or not to keep them, get in touch with us. Don’t assume that no-one else will be interested in what you have. And don’t be discouraged if your children or grandchildren seem uninterested in their family history; they may feel that way now, but they’ll care more and more about it as they get older. That’s part of the maturing process. So don’t underestimate your own life or your own records. Every human being is unique and unrepeatable, and the same is true of the documents of his/her life. They are nothing less than the tangible record of an individual’s existence. Like each of us, the records we create throughout our lives are vital and irreplaceable. Call the Archives at 925-7295 On Friday evening Dad arrived for the weekend. The drive took upwards of two hours and longer if there was a train on the bridge. Many years later Dad told me that the rental on the cottage at the time was $100 a month. The owner offered to sell the place for $6000, which was a great deal of money back in 1937. Times have changed! A Walk in Dundarave in 1942 - Continued from Page 3 We linger to talk to members of the Presbyterian Church who are just emeiging from a meeting in the Hall, then look in the windows next door at the antiques in Dundarave Tea Room, not open until later in the day. There are only bushes along the rest of the north side of Marine to the comer. This used to be the terminal for the 14th to 25th Street bus route, later extended to 29th Street. We pause here, but Tuffy can wait while we walk down 25th to the pier. We have spent lots of time here with family and friends. I let the children play on the rocky beach. I learned to swim from the floats here where the Dundarave Regatta was held each year. Today we stop for a few moments to call on friends who live in the Fortune Cup Inn at the west side of the pier. This complex was built in the 1920’s as a hotel and restaurant. It is full of small apartments now. May Days used to be planned here, PTA meetings were held monthly. If it is sunny tomorrow I will bring the children down to play with my friends children on the beach. Now we are getting tired and it will soon be time for their lunch and a sleep. I cross 25th, glancing at the Clachan, a hotel built also in the 20’s. Most of our Kinsman meetings and parties are held here and I am looking forward to our next big bash on Saturday night. The Kinsmen Club supplies most of our social life. Wearily I push my heavy burden up the hill, making one stop on the way. Just off 25th on Jefferson Avenue there is a row of small houses and one of these holds an old couple who make the best bread in West Vancouver. We smell the delicious odour of baking bread as we near the door, our hungry stomachs grumbling at the thought of the enticing lunch ahead. The old gentleman comes to the door, bearded and bent. He sells me two beautiful loaves. Luckily he doesn’t pay much attention to the children because Penny fmaks out each time his bearded face comes too near. . We struggle up the hill to Nelson Avenue, Tuffy rejoining us on the way. We cross the bridge over the creek and we’re home. It takes me several loads to carry the baby, groceries and a half-asleep boy into the house. We eat lunch without delay, both children succumb quickly to sleep and I too lie down for a well-earned rest. By: Barbara Johnson, Contributions Editor