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34 Signs You Grew Up In Vancouver In The '80s

34 Signs You Grew Up In Vancouver In The '80s
Andree Lau
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Vancouver may now be a sophisticated city of soaring glass towers with sushi restaurants on every corner, but let's not forget there was a simpler time. A time when SeaBuses were orange, Science World wasn’t a world yet, and something called Expo 86 defined the city.

If you grew up in Vancouver in the ‘80s, this list is for you:

You tried to phone into Switchback on Sunday mornings.
Expo Ernie was a rock star.
Photo: Jeremy Baker
You went to see 21 Jump Street being filmed...
... and would have died if you caught a glimpse of Johnny Depp.Credit: Fanpop
You thought Penhall was cuter than Hanson.
Credit: Fanpop
The whole city stood still for this:
Photo: Vancouver Rising
Birthday parties at the Burnaby Chuck E. Cheese were great...
... even though you dropped $5 at skee ball and all you won was a lousy rubber snake.Credit: The Atlantic
OK, birthday parties at the McDonald's caboose were also awesome.
Mile 105
You know who Finna, Bjossa and Hyak are.
Photo: Gary Kahrmann and Kimmy Vengeance
You spent Boxing Day at A&B Sound...
... and nearly got into a fight with someone over the last Sony Walkman priced at $29.99.
You think "The Steamer" is a perfectly acceptable and not at all hilarious nickname for someone.
Credit: Vancouver Canucks
You went to Playland to visit with Garfield.
There was no Science World. Just the Arts, Sciences and Technology Centre in a Granville Street basement
This was pure elation.
The only radio station worth listening to was LG73.
Photo: The Ultimate LG73 Tribute
The Bow Mac sign indicated where cars were sold, not toys.
Photo: Museum of Vancouver
You actually went to the Expo that the Expo Line is named after.
Credit: Vancouver Rising
You used paper bus transfers.
Photo: The Buzzer Blog
You knew Bryan Adams...
Well, you knew an older brother who had a friend who knew a guy who had a cousin who went to school with Bryan Adams.
You know why Canucks' fans wave white towels.
Credit: Vancouver Canucks
You visited polar bears at the Stanley Park Zoo.
Credit: Vancouver Rising
SeaBuses were orange.
Photo: Sean Nelson
This was the most magical place on earth.
Credit: Bobbea Studios
You spent a lot of time lining up to do this, over and over again.
Credit: Vancouver Rising
You showed off stamps in your Expo '86 passport.
Photo: Rhiannon Coppin/Van City Buzz
You stood outside Woodward's to see the Christmas windows.
Photo: miss604/Flickr
With a bursting heart, you watched Rick Hansen come home.
You know Sook-Yin Lee from alt-rock band Bob's Your Uncle
You got dragged to $1.49 days at Woodwards
Photo: Museum of Vancouver
The main public library was for studying, not buying lingerie.
It also smelled funny.Photo: Vancouver Heritage Foundation
The best road trip was to Bedrock City in Chilliwack
Photo: CardCow.com
Superdogs at the PNE were actually super
You cheered for the Vancouver 86ers
Photo: Swangard South
Cactus Club was a fancy night out.
Photo: Cactus Club
Identifying parts of Vancouver in "MacGyver" was a fun game
Credit: Vancouver Rising

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