Hockey
City Renames Street
You have to ask yourself “why is it only after someone passes away that a City, Town or community eventually pays respect for them?”
Well it’s no different for the City of Vancouver following what many call a legend for what he did for hockey in the community and the Country.
Well now it’s been made official and the City of Vancouver will pay tribute and respect for the late Pat Quinn (71) who passed away November 23rd.
For his years of service with the Vancouver Canucks and many local charity initiatives, Pat Quinn will go down in history in Vancouver with a street named after him.
As noticed by the photo Pat alway’s had time for today’s youth and while covering a Giants game, Markus was fortunate enough to have his photo with Pat that is his piece of history.
Vancouver City Council unanimously approved a proposal to rename the 700-block of Abbott Street from Expo Boulevard to Pacific Boulevard.
This follows a passed motion proposed by Mayor Gregor Robertson to examine the possibility of renaming a street to honour Pat Quinn.
City staff also considered renaming the plaza south of the Pacific Coliseum, the former home of the Canucks, but they opted Abbott Street instead given that Quinn was instrumental in the team’s move to Rogers Arena (General Motors Place) in 1995.
The municipal government does not consider renaming streets unless the renaming is meant to improve public safety.
City staff understood the historic and cultural implications of Quinn’s legacy on both the local and national stages of Canada’s National Winter Sport (hockey) and his charity work.
The City’s Civic Asset Naming Committee has no issue with the street renaming’s impact on the integrity of existing historical references.
Points of Note:
The 700-block of Abbott Street is a relatively recent extension of Gastown’s century-old Abbott Street, named after Henry Braithwaite Abbott, a Canadian Pacific Railway executive.
The street was extended decades ago when the rail yard under the Dunsmuir and Georgia Street Viaducts were demolished.
Only the address of Rogers Arena will be affected by the street renaming.
The Vancouver Canucks paid tribute in a special way and did it extremely professional.
