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British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority films British Columbia Electric Company
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B.C. Electric Company film productions

The sub-series consists of films produced by or for the British Columbia Electric Company during the years 1945-1961. There are films on all of the company's major engineering projects from that period: all phases of the Bridge River hydro-electric development; construction of dams, power plants and transmission lines throughout the Lower Mainland; and the laying of undersea power lines to Vancouver Island. Most of these "project films" are detailed and technical in nature, intended mainly for an engineering audience. Other titles, created for public relations use, promote BC Electric transit, natural gas and home electrical services. A few, such as GARDEN RENDEZVOUS, VACATION TIME and VANCOUVER DIAMOND JUBILEE, do not relate to BC Electric operations, but were sponsored and distributed by the company for general interest.

Bridge River

The item is a composite print of an industrial film made between ca. 1945 and 1948. It shows the first phase of the Bridge River Project including construction of the Bridge River diversion dam, Seton Lake powerhouse, penstock on Mission Mountain, and power transmission lines to Vancouver; site preparation for La Joie storage dam and opening of first phase on 23 October 1948. There is also footage of Vancouver and vicinity emphasizing demand for electrical power.

Bridge River stage two (dam) : part 1 : Soletanche

The item is an industrial film on a black and white workprint made between 1956 and 1960. It contains footage of the construction of the Mission Dam on the Bridge River project Soletanche and shows special operations (1958-59) required to seal the foundations and substrata under the site to prevent seepage. Depicts work to remove sections of old steel pilings (cut loose by divers with torches working in mud-filled pits); driving a wall of sheet pilings; manufacturing a clay/cement grout mixture and forcing it into the substrata under pressure to form an impervious curtain. This film is likely very similar to the French-language film produced for the French engineering firm (Soletanche Ltd.) which carried out the work.

Bridge River stage two (dam) : part 2

The item is an industrial film on a colour print made in the late 1950s. It contains footage showing the construction of Mission Dam on Bridge River from 1956 to 60, intended to increase the height of Carpenter Lake. The new dam structure incorporated the original 1948 diversion dam. The film begins with an overview of the Bridge River development.

Bridge River unit no. 4

The item is an Industrial film on a colour print made in the early 1950s. It contains footage of the construction of the fourth penstock down Mission Mountain, to drive generator no. 4 at Seton powerhouse of the Bridge River project.

British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority films

  • GR-3354
  • Series
  • 1945-1984

The fonds consists of industrial, engineering, and public relations films created for or by British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority and its predecessors (the British Columbia Electric Company and the British Columbia Power Commission) from 1945 to about 1984. This material includes 164 unique film items in 16 mm film, each containing one or more printing elements such as prints, sound tracks, negative reels, selected out-takes and unedited footage. In some cases, there are no edited prints, only miscellaneous reels of footage.

Most of the BC Electric and BC Hydro films are the work of Vancouver producer Lew M. Parry. The fonds also includes a number of non-Hydro films produced by Parry, as well as a selection of prints and film material relevant to BC which had been circulated through (or stored at) Hydro's film library.

British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority

Dinner for Miss Creeden

The item is an Industrial film on colour print made in 1947. It is a film about the growth of B.C. Electric from 1906 to 1946, built around the story of stenographer Flossie Creeden, the first female office employee of the company. Footage includes: Goldstream power plant, Vancouver natural gas facilities, BC Electric Railway lines in Fraser Valley, Stave Falls generator plant, Alouette Lake and Ruskin plants, 1939 royal visit, BCE employee's newsletter, A.E. Grauer family at home, office scenes, plans & construction at Bridge River project, BCE employee's service in World Wars I & II and BCE streetcar and trolley bus services.

Film library films

The sub-series consists of prints of 13 films from among the titles circulated by the BC Electric/BC Hydro lending library. The films include National Film Board productions, travelogues relevant to British Columbia and the northwest, films about electrical power in Canada, and U.S. productions dealing with the Columbia River. Some films are accompanied by additional film elements.

On the spot

The item is a promotional film from 1949. Broadcaster Cal George is given a tour of the Vancouver bus system by his "cousin" Penny, a B.C. Electric employee. Shows complete operation of the system, including training and assignment of drivers, maintenance of buses, Oakridge transit depot, Cambie Street garage, etc.

Rails to rubber

The item consists of a film print of unedited footage from 1955. It shows BC Electric's celebrations marking completion of the conversion from streetcars to trolley buses in Vancouver. Footage shows final streetcar runs from downtown Vancouver to the PNE, with special cars for longtime local residents, crowd entering PNE grounds, ceremonies inside PNE Exhibition Gardens, including BC Electric (male) choir, BCE President Dal Grauer, Vancouver Mayor Fred Hume, speeches, presentations and communal singing, etc.