Cacher's Cabaret
A historical journey of
The Drunk Skunk Cacher's Cabaret
Multi Cache
N49 16.856 W123 00.770
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There was a time when Vancouver glimmered during the twilight hours.  In the halcyon days of neon, tourists and locals alike flocked to the downtown core to see the colourful light displays.  Vancouver's Great White Way was the subject of postcards.  And in the years before radar, airline pilots specifically asked for midnight Vancouver runs as it was one of the few cities that could be spotted from high altitudes during the evening hours.
      
 It all began in the roaring twenties when a company in Vancouver was awarded one of three licenses to produce Neon in North America.  Theatre row was the first to take advantage of the new invention.  Hotels and cafes eventually followed suit.
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By the 1940's there were several electric sign manufacturers in Vancouver -- all of which were armed with a gang of high pressure salesmen.  Neon was sold a bright solution to cloudy winter days and every business from plumbers to automobile dealerships  were convinced that they needed electric advertising.  By 1958 there was one neon sign for every 18 people living in Vancouver.
The photographs above show how Vancouver embraced electricity in the early days.  Strings of light bulbs hung above the streets.  Neon was already popular in the late 1920s

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Vancouver's neon display was unique for its variety.  Artists had a heyday designing animated characters of every description.  The movement created by these fluid displays brought normally quiet city streets to life.  And on rainy nights the glowing signs were doubly intensified when reflected off the slick sidewalks and the chrome of passing automobiles.  The overall impact was so impressive Vancouver was dubbed the "Neon Capital of Canada."
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This was the era of abundant and inexpensive energy.  To crown the skyline Vancouver's first glass and steel skyscraper was ornamented from bottom to top with blue and green exterior lights.  At the same time, the Sun Tower outlined it's entire roof with neon.  The idea of the building as a sign in itself was eventually adopted by the hotels of Las Vegas.
    
The golden days of neon lighting came to a dramatic conclusion on Broadway's automobile row.  In an effort to outdo Bowmac's tallest neon sign in North America, Campbell's car dealership built a glowing Petty Girl on a 40 foot swing.  The scantily clad woman stopped traffic -- literally.  There were several car accidents in front of Campbell's dealership in the first week alone.
As Vancouverites began to move to the suburbs, the downtown core began to noticeably deteriorate.  The clutter of signage was viewed as an eyesore, especially during the light of day when peeling paint and rusting metal was all the more noticeable.  Neon became synonymous with urban decay and deviant behaviour.

At the same time, a "City Beautiful" movement was sweeping across North America and advertising clutter appeared to be the root cause of streetscape ugliness.  It was for this reason Vancouver's city council banned all new signs overhanging a sidewalk.  Rooftop billboards and advertisements painted on the sides of downtown buildings were also banned.  A heavy tax was implemented for all existing signs.  The new rules and regulations became so strict and expensive many businesses decided the cost and upkeep of neon was not worth the effort. 
City council's clean-up plan worked.  By the 1980s most of Vancouver's city streets were void of large electric signs.  And with that the newly streamlined downtown core lost much of its personality.  Businesses along Granville, Robson and Pender streets went bankrupt as the skyline slowly darkened and people stopped coming.  The biggest looser of all of this was Chinatown.  The once lively district is now closed at 6 PM and empty of pedestrians at night.  It is estimated that less than three percent of Vancouver's original neon remains.  What is left has been either altered or is currently threatened.

Recently, the city loosened the strict signage laws resulting in Granville and Robson streets to see some glow and life come back again.  A few older signs have garnered heritage status and the three storey Ho Ho sign has been moved into storage by the city with hopes that it can one day be resurrected.

Vancouver may never revert back to its glory days of neon.  The era has passed.  But for one brief shining moment Vancouver can boast that it was a mecca of a unique type of art.

The cache is located in Second Narrows Park but I couldn't plant a cache dedicated to neon without taking you to at least one sign.

The co-ordinates are for Helen's Children's wear.  The sign is considered one of the best surviving examples of kinetic neon signage in Vancouver.  Slightly to the West of the store, there is a heritage marker describing the building's history and the sign itself.  You will have to read about Helen and answer the following questions.

When did Helen Arnold originally open her children's wear store next door?  _ _ _ _  The year will be A, B, C and D.

When was the sign erected? _ _ _ _ This year will be E, F, G and H.

The co-ordinates for the final cache are: N49 E7.GD3 W123 0A.0HH

There are two ways you can get to the cache from the Trans Canada Trail.  There is one trail heading North about 100m from the cache.  However, this trail has some steep sections and may not be suitable for everyone.  An easier trail head is situated about 50m West.  Both trails will be slippery when wet.

As you approach the bluffs you will be offered an excellent view of Burrard Inlet.  Another cache placement can be clearly seen across the water.  GPS reception may be a bit difficult during the summer months.  The cache itself can be found East of three large Maple Trees along a side trail.  There is no need for bushwhacking as the cache is located within 2 meters of the trail tucked under what is left of a tree.

Good Luck.