Ian Gibbs - Vancouvers Most Haunted: Supernatural Encounters in BCs Terminal City

Text copyright 2021 by Ian Gibbs

Photographs copyright 2021 by Jason Kelly

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher. For more information, contact the publisher at: TouchWood Editions

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The information in this book is true and complete to the best of the authors knowledge. All recommendations are made without guarantee on the part of the author or the publisher.

Edited by Rene Layberry

Cover and interior design by Sydney Barnes

Cover photo by Vicki Ng of Vixxi Pix Photography

CATALOGUING DATA AVAILABLE FROM LIBRARY AND ARCHIVES CANADA

ISBN: 9781771513180 (SOFTCOVER)

ISBN: 9781771513197 (ELECTRONIC)

TouchWood Editions acknowledges that the land on which we live and work is within the traditional territories of the Lkwungen (Esquimalt and Songhees), Malahat, Pacheedaht, Scianew, TSou-ke and W SNE (Pauquachin, Tsartlip, Tsawout, Tseycum) peoples.

We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Canada Book Fund and the Canada Council for the Arts, and of the Province of British Columbia through the British Columbia Arts Council and the Book Publishing Tax Credit.

This book was produced using FSC-certified, acid-free papers, processed chlorine free, and printed with soya-based inks.

Printed in Canada at Friesens

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Nothing ever becomes real till it is experienced.

John Keats

To all those who have experienced the unexplained, this book is for you.

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

VANCOUVER IS, WITHOUT A DOUBT, ONE OF THE LOVELIEST cities in the world. Its diverse cultural population, stunning natural attributes, and enviable position on the west coast of Canada make it an incredibly attractive place to be.

As with any wonderful city, Vancouver comes with layers of history, and that history leaves traces. Sometimes youll find those traces in buildings, or at other times in parks; once in a while, those traces are found in places with ambiguous origins.

Ghost stories from city to city often share commonalities. Theatres, hospitals, and hotels seem to retain energy in a tighter, heavier way than other places. Sometimes a spectral presence will linger where a tragedy took place; at other times its simply that the residual energy of people who existed for generations still resonates in a certain location. And then, once in a while, theres a haunting for no reason at all. Much of the time, ghost stories are aligned with older places with an identifiable story attached, but thats not always the case.

As you will see in Vancouvers Most Haunted, ghosts do what they want. They appear in different ways, and sometimes they can only be perceived through specific senses. In my years of collecting and sharing ghost stories, and as a Ghostly Walk tour guide in Victoria, British Columbia, Ive learned that most ghosts want connection to be heard, to be acknowledged. Im sure if I was stuck alone in a house for seventy years and someone who could sense me came in, Id be quite anxious to communicate! Ghosts are not there to scare us, generally, but when we encounter them, of course we get frightened because we dont know what is going onespecially when weve decided were not the type to believe in ghosts. Some of my favourite stories involve those who were previously skeptical, because theyre always so surprised when they have an encounter and discover theyve been wrong.

While writing this book, I was delighted to learn more about Vancouver as a city and its history over the last hundred years, and I developed a new appreciation for the City of Vancouvers being situated on the traditional territories of the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Wautuththe traditional unceded territory of the Coast Salish people. For these reasons and more, I am utterly convinced that Vancouver is fascinating and exceptional.

I am so grateful to all of the fantastic individuals, paranormal groups, and fellow tour guides in Vancouver who took the time to communicate with me, either by reaching out or responding when I reached out to them. Thank you. When it comes to learning ghost stories, it all comes down to the people and the history. Thats what I love most. The true beauty of ghost stories is that they belong to historytheir own history, on their own terms. Our job, as those who care to listen, is to learn and share these stories, to keep them alive, to pass them on from generation to generation. Its an honour and privilege to be part of that chain.

Throughout the book I have changed peoples names. Anyone who asked for their name to be withheld has been given a pseudonym. Where the story involves private residences, the details have been kept vague to protect the privacy of the people involved. Id like to add that the stories and experiences shared in this book are based on the authors collection of sources, including individuals whose experiences have led them to believe they have encountered phenomena of some kind or another. The stories are meant to entertain, and neither the publisher nor the author claim that these stories represent fact. Additionally, it is not my intention to influence anyones beliefs; instead, my hope is that these stories will inspire, thrill, delight, and comfort.

I invite you to get comfortable wherever you are (just make sure the room is well lit!) and enjoy this offering of stories from Vancouver, British ColumbiaCanadas prettiest cityand come to know its history, its people, and its ghosts.

VANCOUVERS THEATRES

WHEN I LEAD THE GHOSTLY WALK TOURS IN VICTORIA, which I really enjoy doing, guests often have questions. One of the most popular questions is, What is the most haunted place? I always have the same response: No matter where you live, if you want to find a ghost, start with hotels, hospitals, and theatres.

Vancouver is no exception to this rule. There are several old, preserved theatres still around, and at least three of them have their very own ghosts.

Why theatres? Well, just think of the amount of energy being put out by the performers onstageand not only that, but the reaction and energy of the audience in response to that performance. This is a place where people dream, work tirelessly, and fight to express themselves; performers and staff come together to make something special happen. Theatres have their own kind of magic, so much so that we go there and pay money to be distracted or to feel like part of something bigger. In this setting, we can experience life from another perspective or have a shared musical experience that can only happen by being present in that space. Its almost as if a spell is cast when a performance begins, and we willingly fall under its power. That power, without a doubt, seems to linger and permeate the buildings in which it is unleashed.

Some theatre traditions are superstitious and open to the presence of the paranormal. It is well known, for example, that one must never say good luck to a performer about to go on stage; instead they are told to break a leg. The name of