The Best Little Movie House in Vancouver

Photo Credit: CPR Station on Hastings Street, 1933, The Life & Times of the Legendary Mr. D

NOSTALGIC VANCOUVER Upon returning from the Chicago World’s Fair of 1933, where Arthur Delamont and his Kitsilano Boy’s Band won the Junior band Championship of the World.

While the boys played their one-night engagements back across Canada, the band executive, led by Mr. Barlow, was busily arranging a welcoming home for the boys like Vancouver had never before witnessed. Shortly after 7:00 a.m. on the morning of September 5 the vanguard of the crowd began to arrive at the CPR Station on Cordova. By 9:30 a.m. three large musical bands had gathered and started to play concert programs for the crowd of well-wishers. In the main rotunda was a band of 80 members of the Musicians’ Union led by local professional band leader, Calvin Winters. On the platform where the boys’ train was to arrive were the South Vancouver Juvenile Band led by J. Olson, The Daily Province Carriers’ Band, South Burnaby and West Vancouver Juvenile bands conducted by A.W. Jordan and the Vancouver Girls’ Band, led by W. Haywood, a member of Calvin Winters’ band. In the square outside the station at the immediate east end was the Vancouver Sun Juvenile Band under R.J. Peebles. (Vancouver Sun/Province)

All three large bands played their individual programs at the same time. Due to their positioning none interfered with the other. By 9:30 a crowd of nearly 10,000 persons jammed the rotunda and railway platforms. The whistle of an approaching locomotive threw the long-waiting crowd into excitement, but it was the wrong train. Finally at 10:20 a.m., one hour and twenty minutes overdue, the train carrying the victorious Kitsilano marchers arrived on No. 4 track while the bands on the platform sounded their tribute with rousing selections. Wild cheering greeted the appearance of smiling faces of the championship instrumentalists as the car occupied by the band came to a stop. Admiring parents fondly embraced their happy but tired sons through opened windows while police struggled to keep the enthusiastic crowds in place. A welcoming committee made up of Mayor Louis D. Taylor, Captain R. Steeves representing the Federation, and officials of the band executive boarded the train. In a moment Arthur appeared and the crowd went into a cheering frenzy. Escorted by the police and the band executives, Arthur, Lillie, and the boys marched along the platform. “The whole town’s down to meet you, Arthur,” shouted a friend, to which Arthur gave a smile of of satisfaction. As Arthur passed each band, he received the customary salute and congratulatory hand shake from their conductors. When the party reached the station rotunda, it was greeted by the music of Calvin Winters’ band and again received a hearty ovation from the throng which packed into the building. After a brief speech over the radio, introduced by Frank C. Anders, the band was taken outside to a row of automobiles and whisked off quickly to their homes.

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