Dear Editor,
Before the Imperial and Phoenix Canneries were demolished, there was a thought to save some of the docks and a small section of a building to support interest for visitors and visiting boats.
Some fishing towns like Monterey Golf have a cannery row. In order to do this, they kept most of the original buildings and docks. Any thought along these lines went away when the canneries were torn down. It was never suggested that a complete, third historic cannery was needed.
The Phoenix was not only the first in Steveston, but C 1900 was the most active and interesting. It was one of the major stops for paddle wheel boats between New Westminster and Victoria.
The town folk would go to New Westminster for the agriculture fair and other events. Many thousand cases of salmon were loaded for Victoria to be reloaded on sailing ships.
The first Japanese hospital was built on Phoenix property.
The activities and many jobs held in the canneries are just a memory, but Richmond should be congratulated for saving the Britania Shipyard (cannery) and some of the outer buildings.
To try and bring back any marine activity on the site of the Phoenix on Imperial Canneries even in a small way would be very difficult at this time. There is no proper dock for support and not enough room on the shore for needed use.
It would seem the old adage of “you can lead a horse to water but you can’t make it drink” may apply here.
Not to worry! Things in Steveston always seem to find a way around bumps on the road.
Andy Felker
Richmond
