Happyland
by Jacqueline Wu
Amusement parks are always fun, even for people of all ages. In its early days, Vancouver has seen much growth and development. Amongst the labouring hours, people still found time to relax and have fun. One way of having fun and spending a day for an average middle class during the early 1900s would be going to the fair and amusement park.
Happyland was an amusement park situated in the annual Vancouver Exhibition (now the Pacific National Exhibition) from roughly 1926, according to the Vancouver Archives records, to 1957 when the facilities were torn down to build the current Pacific Coliseum and its adjacent parking lot. The fair was located on the outskirts of the city at that time. People would need to hop on the streetcars and head eastward in order to reach the location where the Fair was. Happyland was developed on the midway between the streetcar station on Renfrew and the action ground where the Exhibition was. It is very difficult to discuss the history of Happyland without looking into the history of the Vancouver Exhibition as well. Happyland contained rides from before it was established as an amusement park and many rides were gradually replaced due to various reasons until 1957 when the Pacific National Exhibition decided to open up Playland to replace Happyland. |
The Vancouver Exhibition was hosted annually by the Vancouver Exhibition Association. The Association was established in 1907 by a group of Vancouver businessman who wanted to open up a fair similar to the one in New Westminster. The first ever Vancouver Exhibition was opened at 1910, featuring many agricultural and art displays and animal shows.
Happyland was a gradual development of various rides on the midway and the sign of Happyland was not erected at the entrance of its own until 1929, which is considered by most as the date when Happyland was officially opened. The rides were originally installed for the entertainment of the children accompanying their parents to the fair. Among the numerous rides that had come and gone in Happyland and Playland, the infamous wooden roller coaster – The Giant Dipper – was the crowd’s favourite. It was installed in 1925, and had quickly gained the fondness of the crowd until it was demolished in 1947 for the expansion of the horseracing tracks. |
The Giant Dipper, 1932, VPL Accession Number: 12276
The Giant Dipper was reported to have a 59 foot drop and speed of 40mph, however the number of this report does not quite work out and the ride is speculated to possibly having a 90 feet or more drop with a maximum speed of 58mph. Although it was taken down in 1947, some of its trains were purchased by the owner of Puyallup Coasters and are still in use as part of the wooden roller coaster in Western Washington Fairgrounds in Puyallup, WA.
Other notable rides are:
Dip the Dips (ca. 1915 – 1925)
Possibly the first coaster to be built in the fairgrounds and has incorporated the “figure 8” structure, a popular coaster layout at that time, in it.
Shoot the Chutes (ca. 1925 – 1957)
A popular water ride at that time and was located next to the Giant Dipper
Baby Dipper (1928 – 1944)
The smaller version of the Giant Dipper that is for younger visitors
The Parker Carousel (1936 – present)
It was moved from Happyland to a pavilion in Playland at the time of the demolition of Happyland. Today it can be found restored in the Burnaby Village Museum and is still operational.
The Vancouver Exhibition and Happyland would open annually during the summer season for visitors, the only exception being the years during the two World Wars. During the two World Wars, the land where the Vancouver Exhibition and Happyland is situated was used for military purposes. Although the Fair recovered quite well after both wars, Happyland’s profit suffered and never made a recovery, especially after the demolition of the Giant Dipper. Soon, it was obvious that Happyland could no longer make any more profit in the state it was.
Gradually, rides have been torn down due to the high maintenance expenses and a decision to build a brand new amusement park – the Playland – has been made in 1957. Happyland operated for the last time in 1957 and is discontinued its service after that season. Many of its employees had been rehired for Playland and several of its rides were purchased as well for the new amusement park.
Other notable rides are:
Dip the Dips (ca. 1915 – 1925)
Possibly the first coaster to be built in the fairgrounds and has incorporated the “figure 8” structure, a popular coaster layout at that time, in it.
Shoot the Chutes (ca. 1925 – 1957)
A popular water ride at that time and was located next to the Giant Dipper
Baby Dipper (1928 – 1944)
The smaller version of the Giant Dipper that is for younger visitors
The Parker Carousel (1936 – present)
It was moved from Happyland to a pavilion in Playland at the time of the demolition of Happyland. Today it can be found restored in the Burnaby Village Museum and is still operational.
The Vancouver Exhibition and Happyland would open annually during the summer season for visitors, the only exception being the years during the two World Wars. During the two World Wars, the land where the Vancouver Exhibition and Happyland is situated was used for military purposes. Although the Fair recovered quite well after both wars, Happyland’s profit suffered and never made a recovery, especially after the demolition of the Giant Dipper. Soon, it was obvious that Happyland could no longer make any more profit in the state it was.
Gradually, rides have been torn down due to the high maintenance expenses and a decision to build a brand new amusement park – the Playland – has been made in 1957. Happyland operated for the last time in 1957 and is discontinued its service after that season. Many of its employees had been rehired for Playland and several of its rides were purchased as well for the new amusement park.
Further readings:
Coaster Enthusiasts of Canada – Closed Canadian Parks: Happyland Park (1890s – 1910 – 1957)
http://cec.chebucto.org/ClosPark/HappLand.html
Roller Coasters of the Pacific Northwest – The Giant Dipper, Happyland, Vancouver, BC
http://www.rollercoastersofthepacificnw.com/pages/giant.html
Theme Park Review – Happyland Vancouver
http://www.themeparkreview.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=47153
100 Years of the PNE & Playland Contest
http://www.miss604.com/2010/05/100-years-of-the-pne-playland-contest.html
Vancouver History: Wooden Coaster
http://www.miss604.com/2011/08/vancouver-history-wooden-coaster.html
CoasterGallery.com -- Vancouver National Exhibition -- Playland Amusement Park
http://www.coastergallery.com/2003t/pne.html
http://cec.chebucto.org/ClosPark/HappLand.html
Roller Coasters of the Pacific Northwest – The Giant Dipper, Happyland, Vancouver, BC
http://www.rollercoastersofthepacificnw.com/pages/giant.html
Theme Park Review – Happyland Vancouver
http://www.themeparkreview.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=47153
100 Years of the PNE & Playland Contest
http://www.miss604.com/2010/05/100-years-of-the-pne-playland-contest.html
Vancouver History: Wooden Coaster
http://www.miss604.com/2011/08/vancouver-history-wooden-coaster.html
CoasterGallery.com -- Vancouver National Exhibition -- Playland Amusement Park
http://www.coastergallery.com/2003t/pne.html
Bibliography:
Boulanger, Annie
1995 A carousel is magic: the saving of Parker #119. Lower Mainland Association of Friends of the Vancouver Caroulse.
Buday, Grant
2005 A place called Happyland. Vancouver Courier 17 August: Front. Vancouver, BC.
Fralic, Shelley
2010 Lucky girl grew up in an amusement park; Living at Happyland was like ‘being Alice in Wonderland’. The Vancouver Sun 16 August: A.1. Vancouver.
Knight, Iola
2008 Happy days around Happyland. North Shore News 20 July: 8. North Vancouver, BC.
Miller, J. J.
1953 Early History of the Vancouver Exhibition Association. City Archives. Vancouver, BC.
Sim, Gary
2008 Art & artists in exhibition: Vancouver, 1890 – 1950 / Vol. 1. Sim Publishing.
1995 A carousel is magic: the saving of Parker #119. Lower Mainland Association of Friends of the Vancouver Caroulse.
Buday, Grant
2005 A place called Happyland. Vancouver Courier 17 August: Front. Vancouver, BC.
Fralic, Shelley
2010 Lucky girl grew up in an amusement park; Living at Happyland was like ‘being Alice in Wonderland’. The Vancouver Sun 16 August: A.1. Vancouver.
Knight, Iola
2008 Happy days around Happyland. North Shore News 20 July: 8. North Vancouver, BC.
Miller, J. J.
1953 Early History of the Vancouver Exhibition Association. City Archives. Vancouver, BC.
Sim, Gary
2008 Art & artists in exhibition: Vancouver, 1890 – 1950 / Vol. 1. Sim Publishing.