UPDATE: Vancouver, British Columbia, Mountain View Cemetery Index, 1887-2007

Ancestry.ca has put on a “third-party database” of the burials from the Mountain View Cemetery.

You can also go to 

http://former.vancouver.ca/commsvcs/NONMARKETOPERATIONS/MOUNTAINVIEW/burials/burials.htm

139, 897 records have been added.

The website is http://search.ancestry.ca/search/db.aspx?dbid=70665

Ireland Canada Monument

I have been following the news as the people behind The Ireland Canada Monument as they have put their plans before the Vancouver city Council for approval during the past couple of years.

Lately, they seem to be making good process, and the other day Brendan Flynn, the Executive Director of The Ireland Canada Monument sent out a progress report.

She reports, along other things, that all 120 names (100 on the Monument website) and 20 (Honourary Mention category) will be include on the Monument; that The Brian Ború Harp (The Harp of Ireland), the Celtic Cross and the Map of Ireland will feature on the Central Column of the Monument (how the Map of Ireland is to be included on the central Column requires review); and the drawing of Irish Music and Irish Dancing will feature on the Monument.

Once these issues are addressed in the very near future, The Monument Society will proceed with estimating the outstanding items to finalize the overall budget.

She says that fundraising to raise the required funds to build the Monument will begin as soon as possible. If you can help in anyway please do not hesitate to contact me.

To read more about this monument, go to their website at http://irelandmonumentvancouver.com

Canada's First Christmas

This year will be Canada's snowiest Christmas ever, says Environment Canada's Senior Climatologist, Dave Phillips. There will be snow everywhere, even including the West Coast in Vancouver and Victoria, and on the East Coast in Halifax.

The first Christmas to be celebrated in Canada was in 1535, when French explorer, Jacques Cartier, and one hundred and ten men observed the holiday in a tiny fort at the foot of Quebec City.

So may everyone have a "Happy Holiday!", and we hope that Santa be most generous when he hands out the gifts!