Building the bridge

1936

The federal government approves the project. It asks the company to use local materials and workers where it can.

S109S058

31 March 1937

Construction starts. Crews begin clearing a 20 m (66 ft) wide road through Stanley Park. A Government of Canada backgrounder gives 7 July 1937 instead.

S109S099S058S083S002

13 August 1937

Workers start sinking the caisson for the north tower, a concrete box with no bottom, weighing 8,700 tons. About three months later it rests on coarse gravel about 21 m (70 ft) down; later accounts give 72 ft.

S058S083

10 March 1938

The south tower is finished. Workers raise a British flag on top.

S058S083

25 April 1938

Both towers are finished, by the company’s booklet. Two later accounts give 29 April for the north tower.

S058S083

May 1938

Crews hang the two main cables. Each cable is made of 61 prefabricated strands, and the strands go up in 16 days. The exact dates differ between sources, so only the month is given.

S058S003S083

15 June 1938

The liner Empress of Japan sails under the first deck sections hung from the cables. Crews lift 174 deck and truss sections in 12 days.

S058S137

12 November 1938

The bridge opens for public use, to people on foot.

S108S052S146S059