(Daquella maner/ Flickr)
I was born in 2004, just in time for the 2010 Winter Olympics, an event so monumental that its effects can still be observed today. The Richmond Olympic Oval, BC Place’s crown, and those run-down “Welcome To the City Of Vancouver, host city of the 2010 Winter Olympics” signs are just a few remnants of an event that many reflect on as a high point in our shared history. But before the Olympics, there was an equally important event that left a significant legacy: Expo 86.
The 1986 World’s Fair was an exhibition aimed at showcasing innovations in the world of transportation and communication, with pavilions celebrating different nations and global culture, essentially a temporary EPCOT Centre (which itself was inspired by World’s Fairs). Although we’re rapidly approaching the 40th anniversary of Expo, there are still bits and pieces of the fair scattered around the Lower Mainland. Much was demolished, sold, or moved, but some notable remnants have miraculously stuck around.
5. Friendship 500, A.K.A. The McBarge
Status: Partially sunk
The Friendship 500 barge, better known by its nickname “McBarge”, is perhaps the most tragic piece of the Expo to survive into the modern day. Operating as one of many McDonald’s locations in the fairground, the McBarge was particularly notable, as it was one of the only floating McDonald’s locations on earth. However, when the fair ended, the land it was docked off of was rezoned, forcing the barge to be relocated to the Burrard Inlet in Burnaby. Eventually, it was moved once again, this time to Maple Ridge, where in March of 2025, it started to sink into the muddy bed of the Fraser River after years of neglect.
4. Expo Benches
Status: Moved to White Rock Promenade and other locations
Unlike the McBarge, the bright-colored benches that once dotted the Expo grounds faced a much better fate. Many were moved to the White Rock Promenade, where they still stand today, complete with their Expo 86 logo engravings intact. White Rock wasn’t the only place the benches ended up, as a handful of green ones can be spotted at the Greater Vancouver Zoo in Langley.
3. Russian Pavillion
Status: Moved to New Westminster, now a paper plant
The Russian Pavilion at Expo 86 used a unique structure to host its exhibits. The building featured a roof composed of various triangular segments, which enabled it to stand without the need for internal support columns. So what became of this unique piece of architecture? It’s a toilet paper factory. No, I’m not joking. Kruger Paper Products has operated in New Westminster for over 100 years, and after Expo, they purchased the Russian Pavilion to house machinery at the plant. So if you’re ever headed north on the Queensborough Bridge, take a look at the buildings below, you’re bound to notice the former pavilion amongst the unassuming industrial park.
2. The China Gate
Status: Moved to Chinatown, redesigned in 2005
The Millennium Gate is one of Chinatown’s most recognizable and enduring symbols. But it isn’t the only gate in the neighborhood, and it’s far from the first. In 1901, the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall and York were set to visit Vancouver, so a large wooden welcome arch was constructed. Nearly a century later, another gate would be built, this time a few blocks away at Expo 86. The China Gate, as it was known, was donated to the city by the Chinese government after the Expo ended and was relocated to the Chinese Cultural Centre. It was massive and intricately detailed, a true highlight of Chinatown. But in 2005, after nearly 20 years of wear and tear, the city decided a facelift was in order, so the China Gate was rebuilt, losing much of its color and detail in the process. The gate still stands today as a reminder of the friendship between nations that the World Expositions of old aimed to foster.
1 .Most of Vancouver’s Landmarks
Status: Still in use
So, besides park benches and a McDonald’s, what else remains of Expo? Almost every major landmark in the city. Science World? Expo. Canada Place? Expo. BC Place? You guessed it, Expo. Even the SkyTrain, one of Metro Vancouver’s most important methods of transportation, has its roots in Expo 86, hence the name of the “Expo” Line.
People of my generation probably don’t think about Expo much, but looking around the city today, it doesn’t take long to see how important it really was. So next time you’re at a Lions game, walking down the White Rock Promenade, or buying Kruger Paper Products toilet paper, remember that without Expo, Metro Vancouver would be a very different place.
*We’d probably have found a different toilet paper supplier, so that part might not be too different.
Written by Noah Schmidt
Contact: nschmidt20@my.bcit.ca