2013 Denis Bouvier | denisbouvier.com

The antique cars in the right of the picture are headed north on the Cambie Bridge to celebrate the location of Canada’s first gas station at the corner of Cambie and Smithe, outside the entrance to Pacific Landmark Condos. The car in front is a 1910 Russell; behind it is a 1911 Chalmers and the following two hoodless cars are 1915 Model T Fords. The riders are dressed appropriately in attire from 1910–1915. They are members of the Vintage Car Club of Canada, Vancouver and Antique Chapters, and are sponsoring a plaque commemorating our first gas station, which reads as follows:

“In 1907, a 13-gallon (59 L) kitchen hot-water tank, a length of rubber garden hose, a glass steam-gauge, an open-sided corrugated tin shed and a barroom chair were all that were needed for Charles Merle Rolston, local Manager of Imperial Oil to establish Vancouver (and Canada’s) first gas station. His Uncle J.C. Rollston, who was chosen to act as Attendant, was overheard to have said: ‘I’ve been busy this morning!’ ‘How many?’ ‘Three cars this morning!’”

This quote was recalled by James S. Matthews, who later became Vancouver’s first city archivist. At the time the station opened, he was an employee of Imperial Oil under local manager Charles Merle Rolston.

In attendance at the June 29, 2013 ceremony were current members of the Rolston family and representatives of Imperial Oil Esso.

The event is part of Vancouver Heritage Foundation’s Places That Matter Plaque Project, which began in 2011 to celebrate the 125th anniversary of Vancouver’s incorporation as a city. The public was asked to nominate a place, person, or event of importance to Vancouver that had not been adequately acknowledged in the past. 125 Vancouver stories were selected, each honored with a blue plaque describing their significance. Here are some samples of the diversity of the stories selected: a Sikh temple, unique Vancouver homes, a neon sign, community centres, corner stores, nightclubs, a chicken coop, a centre of gay rights and the detainment site of 8000 Japanese Canadians.

For more information, go to: http://www.vancouverheritagefoundation.org and look under ‘Special Projects: Places That Matter.’