While building a piece of Vancouver's future, excavation crews at the Pacific National Exhibition (PNE) found a piece of Vancouver's past.
As they worked onsite on March 27, they found what looked like a gun. But not just any gun.
What was found at the PNE?
It was a piece of WWI-era German artillery.
"I've been told by the curator at the Seaforth Highlanders of Canada Museum that it's actually a circa-1914 howitzer," says PNE spokesperson Laura Ballance.
The PNE grounds and Hastings Park have served many purposes in Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»over the years, for better or worse. One of those purposes was as a parade ground and storage for the military.
The howitzer was found not far from the former storage unit.
"How it ended up in the yard a few hundred yards from the storage facility, we're not entirely sure," says Ballance, adding that the discovery reminds her of how central the area has been to Vancouver's history.
While the piece of artillery has degraded, much of it remains, she adds.
"It looked like it was in pretty rough shape, but the curator and archaeologist seemed impressed," she explains. "There's actually still wood that is still there."
What now for the howitzer?
Ballance says several museums have already contacted the PNE about the historical item.
However, there's a process, she adds.
"We're going through the correct channels within the military to make sure it goes to the right place," she says.
The piece of artillery is currently in storage after being reviewed by a city archaeologist and a military historian.
How Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»got a howitzer
During WWI, the German military deployed guns like the ones found on the battlefields of Europe. As Allied troops began to win, many took possession of what the German military left behind.
"As the Canadians were capturing and winning battles, they were capturing munitions, and when the war ended, they were brought back to Canada," Ballance explains.
About 100 years ago, visitors to Stanley Park could stop and take a photo with a howitzer at the park's entrance. It had been captured by the 72nd Battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Force; they're also known as the Seaforth Highlanders of Canada, a regiment based in Vancouver.
Whether the gun found at the PNE is the same one once on display at Stanley Park is yet to be determined.
What does this mean for the new PNE music venue?
Often, archaeological finds at a building site can slow down the process.
However, Ballance says the howitzer was found near the end of the excavation, and nothing else has been discovered to this point.
"Nothing else was found; this is a singular item," says Ballance. "At this point, we're moving ahead."
The Freedom Mobility Arch is expected to open in the summer of 2026.
