17 February 2005
CPR and VPL Join
Together to Preserve Important Piece of Vancouver History
Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR)
has presented the Vancouver Public Library Foundation with $24,000 to enable the preservation of a
unique collection of historic CPR photos. Vancouver Public Library (VPL) will use the funds to
digitize the Canadian Pacific Railway Photograph Collection, which has more than 1,500
CPR-related images in VPL's Special Collections. This project is part of VPL's $2.5
million digitization project to preserve and archive as many of the 240,000 historical photographs in
its collection as possible.
"CPR has a long and proud history in B.C. and the Lower Mainland," said CPR Vice President
Paul Clark. "This project will assist in further showcasing the historical significance of the
railway, but also is a good a reminder that the rail industry continues to play a vital role in the
social and economic landscapes today and in the future. Vancouver remains an important centre for the
CPR and for Canada's economy."
"The Vancouver Public Library Foundation is delighted to have the CPR's support for this
important project," said VPL Foundation Chair Terry Salman. "Preserving Canada's history in
words and images is a vital role for VPL, and we thank the CPR for their generous gift to support our
efforts."
The images cover all aspects of the CPR, including track laying, locomotives, bridges, stations and
personnel. The photographs dating from the late 19th century to the mid 20th century, provide glimpses
into the history of the CPR in British Columbia and Vancouver, in particular.
"When our company was made aware that the images were in a very fragile state, we made a decision
to provide the necessary funds to assist Vancouver Public Library in ensuring their preservation for
future generations to appreciate and utilize for research," added Clark.
The digitization process will take up to six months to complete, which will include scanning and
storing the images, as well as entering relevant historical information into a special database.
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