Something about old buildings always give off that paranormal vibe, especially on grey fall Vancouver days. Maybe it’s just me, but having been in the Dominion Building a few times, it has always crept me out a little. When it opened in 1909, this 14-storey building was the tallest in the British Empire and our city’s first steel-framed high-rise. The buildings architect has since been rumoured to be the apparition that haunts this beautiful 100-year-old building.
The building’s grand opening party was cut short as the architect, John S. Helyer fell to his untimely death. It’s not exactly known how he fell. Some say he threw himself, others say he tripped and fell down the staircase and was killed. Since then, his spirit has been seen by many and his footsteps heard in the stairway between the seventh and eighth floors. His ghost has been seen there, too.
Image: Carole Brown
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