Catching up in conversation at the old Ruckle farm house. The kitchen & dining area were added after a while to the initial simple two story home.
the Anglicans mark many of their graves with stone markers...perhaps due to a fear of the reality of time's erasure of most of us
A retired tractor at McNab's Produce Farm. It is a great road marker for anyone looking for the farmstand where fresh produce is available to purchase.
A street from simpler times is now a bypass of Duncan city centre. Sidewalks are narrow due to the fact that the original throughway was much narrower.
The old ferry slip in Nanaimo now serves Welcox Yard for loading and unloading railcars from the mainland.
Camera Traders in Victoria still serves film enthusiasts with its massive collection of analog equipment and darkroom supplies. A long-time fixture in Market Square
A retired totem pole in Bowen Park, Nanaimo. When the poles can no longer stand independently, they are laid down in the forest to return to the eart...a beautiful cycle
Glenora Market & Cafe has been operating since the 50s keeping the community supplied with staples. The gas prices are still competitive as well!
An old timer outside of what used to be the Cambie Hostel on Victoria Crescent in Nanaimo. It now houses the Terminal Hotel & Lounge
A ghostly figure of one of the horses in the stables at Providence Farm. The stables were added to the dairy & pig barn almost a hundred years ago and are now used by the Cowichan Therepeudic Riding Association
Austin Seng in his vintage shop in Nanaimo. The building was once a bakery and is among the oldest in the city
An old drill rig beside the highway on the way to Port Alberni from the Aerosmith region.
The Jolly Miner is no more...demolished in 2025 after years of neglect, locals still share many stories from its colourful past.
The former Woodgrove Christian Church in Lantzville was deconsecrated years ago.
A romantic in the heart of Ladysmith
Sound Heritage in Nanaimo where vinyl still rules. I remember spending countless hours in record stores flipping through the stacks looking for rare gems.
St. Anne's In Parksville is the oldest log church on Vancouver Island. What was once a patch of peaceful land has now been surrounded by new developments.
Keeping old analog gear alive at Sound Heritage
Superette Foods in Nanaimo continues to supply fresh produce to the community after decades in business.
The Fernwood Inn in the heart of Fernwood in Victoria...a landmark that continues to thrive today
The Hollywood Theatre in Kitsilano closed over a decade ago after running continuously for 75 years. Owned and operated by the same family for all of that time, the double bills were legendary and its status as a repertory cinema kept prices low.
Zingaro Perfumery in Victoria...a reminder of what shops once were
One of the oldest farms in the Fulford Valley has one of the largest barns as well
Duncan was famous for having the world's biggest hockey stick. it was finally retired a few years ago after safety concerns due to lack of maintenance
a comfort in cold times. my friend Julia's little wood stove kept us warm in her cottage in Chesham just outside of London
Willie's Bakery lasted for many, many years before being converted into a nightclub by the current tennants. I miss the comforting meals that they used to serve, especially on the wet west coast days
True Grain Bread in Cowichan Bay gives customers that old-time experience of buying fresh bread in a rustic seaside shop. The interior is all lovely wood that lends a nostalgic feel to the whole experience
What once was our sole means of communication when away from home has been removed from most communities.
An old pump from the days when leaded gasoline was still available. I wonder if there will be any gas pumps left in 50 years!
The Arbutus Cafe in Duncan continues to serve up classic diner specials in a suitable space: swivel stools and booths are still used!
Arbutus Coffee in Kitsilano in an old landmark heritage building
The oldest theatre in Victoria/Oak Bay was converted into apartments around 1933 during the worst years of the Great Depression
Local firefighters engaging in the last ladder practice on the old Island Hotel. The hotel will now house condominiums with several extra stories above the old roofline
One of the old multiplexes in Nanaimo still features new releases but attendance is not nearly as high these days