Homeless in Vancouver: Fairview lions in winter
This is the display atop a Fairview apartment building on Oak Street between West 13th and West 14th avenues.
I don’t know about the beaver-like thing and satellite dish on the south corner, but the centerpiece has been there a long time.
A British Union Jack flag flanked by two Chinese-style ceramic lions—who knows why: a far-flung outpost of Hong Kong that didn’t revert back to China in 1997?
More proof of the inscrutability of building owners and managers
A building manager in the area explained that the “100% Canadian” owner never forgave Canada for replacing the Red Ensign as the national flag; I think that’s what he said—his words were slightly slurred.
I think he had his tongue planted firmly in his cheek, at least I hope so.
The debate over “Pearson’s Red Rag” is long over. British loyalists lost. Canada has the most perfect flag in the world. Let’s move on.
A McDonald’s coffee mate suggested the apartment building’s name might offer a clue so I withheld the post until I was able to swing by the building and double-check its name: “Mary’s Apartments.”
Oh yes, that explains everything!
Comments
2 Comments
Meathead
Dec 22, 2013 at 8:26pm
I lived across the street from this building for 5 years about a decade ago and it always had the Union Jack flying... not sure what the addition of the dragons means though.
Martin Dunphy
Dec 22, 2013 at 9:27pm
Just my opinion, but they appear to be traditional Chinese guardian lions, and they may be standing in for the traditional representation of the British Empire, the lion.
Possibly the owner, or a new owner, of the building is of Chinese background.