Police Headquarters

Vancouver’s police stations were in various locations in the city’s early years, some of them temporary, beginning with a tent at the foot of Carrall Street in 1886 after the Great Vancouver Fire. In 1988, both the police station and City Hall were located at 137 Powell Street.

1886 -After the fire, a tent at the foot of Carrall Street

1888 – Vancouver Police station and City Hall at 137 Powell Street, later address 145 Powell Street.

Spring 1904 – move to 236 Cordova Street (current location of the Annex)

 

1912 – City Council vote to erect a new five-storey building on the site of the current station, to be completed in one year. The old station to be demolished.

 

 

Temporary HQ set up at 339 Railway Street, Imperial Rice Milling Company’s warehouse, rented at $850 per month

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Council demands Ontario marble for the main hall floor and entrance. Budget for the new station: $200,000 (which escalated to $300,000) but overruns were a further $102,000 and many problems arose; which could easily have been planned for in advance. For example, the heating plant was out of date before installation. Alderman Ramsay stated building the police station had been a bungled affair.

August 1914 – After several delays, the move occurs into the new 236 Cordova Street, but some sections and the switchboard controlling call boxes will be moved later.

Magistrate’s Court 3rd floor: the acoustics were so bad in this two-storey room, that blankets were strung across walls and hung from the lights in an effort to hear anyone speaking.

Morgue – The City decided (against the wishes of the police chief) to place a permanent morgue in the basement storeroom and janitor’s quarters. There was insufficient space to accommodate the doctor who accompanies ambulances. Initially, there was discussion to include an emergency hospital and free dispensary as well.

Jail cells on 4th and 5th floors. Top floor was to contain a gymnasium, tailor shop, chemical and poison analysis rooms, museum, photography room, dark room, and kitchen.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In 1947, discussions begin regarding location of a badly needed new police station, with consideration for Mount Pleasant. This is how that didn’t come to pass:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sources

City of Vancouver Archives, City P54 – City Hall on Powell Street, c 1893

City of Vancouver Archives, CVA 371-2129, Exterior of Police Station 236 E. Cordova, c 1910

City of Vancouver Archives, CVA A-30-1, Police Headquarters 218 E. Cordova, c 1914

Province Newspaper, Jun 22, 1912, pg 40 Tenders for Purchase & Removal of Police Station

Vancouver Sun, Jul 11, 1914, pg 1, City Police Station Minus Fire Escapes

Vancouver Sun July 14, 1914 pg 4, New Police Station is Modern Building

Vancouver Sun, Jul 27, 1914, pg 6, New Police Station is Too Long Delayed