THE TALK OF THE TOWN

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What Do We Have For You This Month?

Welcome to “The Talk of The Town” for November, 2025. Click on the following links to find:

  • West End News & Notes: An update on the Tony McNaughton memorial formerly at Starbucks, the campaign to stop the hotel at 2030 Barclay continues, an opportunity to become a Zero Waste Ambassador, and a fond farewell to two beloved West End personalities.

  • Word On The Street: Openings, closing, and promises of things to come.

  • West End Moments: Our community has many talented photographers, and we share their images that capture our lives and time.

  • Hidden Treasure Hunt: Be the first to email us identifying the location of this West End “Hidden Treasure” and win your choice of a $50 coffee shop gift card.

  • West End Street & Lane Names: Vancouver’s streets and lanes each has their own history. Here’s the story of Thurlow Street.

  • West End / Coal Harbour In The News: In case you missed it, here’s a round-up of last month’s news stories from our community.

West End News & Notes

𝗨𝗣𝗗𝗔𝗧𝗘 𝗢𝗡 𝗧𝗢𝗡𝗬 𝗠𝗖𝗡𝗔𝗨𝗚𝗛𝗧𝗢𝗡 𝗠𝗘𝗠𝗢𝗥𝗜𝗔𝗟
A West End Hero’s Sacrifice Remembered

Since the closure of the Denman and Robson Starbucks earlier this month, and the uncertainty around the fate of the memorial to community hero Tony McNaughton, The West End Journal has been in touch with Starbucks' media liaison, who has now confirmed that the Joe Average painting, plaque, and photo have been gifted to Tony's then partner of 12 years Allan, and Allan's current partner.

Joe Average Painting, plaque, and photo.

They will make the decision as to the final home for the memorial, and TWEJ will keep you posted.

Thirty-nine-year-old Tony McNaughton was the manager of the Starbucks at the corner of Robson and Bidwell In January of 2000 when ex-husband of an employee entered the coffee shop wielding a knife to attack his ex-wife.

McNaughton fended off the assailant and as he was being stabbed told his employee to run. The woman crossed the street to call for help, and McNaughton was taken to St Paul’s Hospital where he died. The assailant was charged with second degree murder.

McNaughton’s selfless act was honoured by a painting by celebrated West End artist Joe Average and a plaque at the Starbucks. In 2014 that location was closed and the memorial was moved to the Denman and Robson location, where it remained until that location closed last month. The West End Journal will keep readers posted when and if a new location is announced..

𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗙𝗜𝗚𝗛𝗧 𝗧𝗢 𝗦𝗧𝗢𝗣 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗛𝗢𝗧𝗘𝗟 𝗖𝗢𝗡𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗨𝗘𝗦
Twenty-seven Stories Proposed for 2030 Barclay

Joyce is doing her part to stop plans for a hotel at 2030 barclay.

West Enders continue to rally against the proposed 27-storey hotel at 2030 Barclay, with weekly pop-up demonstrations, and petition signature forms in many West End apartment lobbies,

According to campaign organizers “This project would be outside the zoning and is simply another developer seeking to maximize their profits, with no regard for the character of the West End Neighbourhood. The rezoning of 2030 Barclay Street would drastically alter the neighbourhood character we cherish, increase congestion and traffic, straining local infrastructure, and transform a quiet neighbourhood into a de facto noisy commercial zone.”

Pictured here is Joyce, one of the many “Signature Collectors”. Joyce, 92, sets up in her building’s lobby collecting signatures and alerting her fellow residents about the rezoning.

You’ll find the campaign website here.

ZERO WASTE AMBASSADORS NEEDED
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We spotted this interesting poster at a couple of neighbourhood locations recently, and had to check this out.

If you are 16 or over and live in an apartment, condo, or other multi-unit residential building in Vancouver and are interested in reducing waste and improving recycling at your building?  This program is for you.

The Zero Waste Ambassador Program is designed to support waste diversion in apartments, condos, co-ops, rowhouses, and townhouse complexes.

The City’s outreach program trains volunteers who live in the building to engage fellow residents through education and recycling initiatives to reduce the amount of waste going to the landfill. 

There is no cost to join the program, and training and basic materials such as letter templates, posters, and signage are provided. After the initial training, it is recommended that ambassadors volunteer an average of two hours a week. 

Interested? Find more information on the City of Vancouver website here.

A STEP TO CURB PUBLIC DISORDER
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A new sign is starting to appear in some neighbourhood business windows.

A sign in a West End business seeks to curb public disorder.

The West End - Coal Harbour Community Policing Centre regularly hears concerns about people sleeping, using drugs, urinating, defecating, or engaging in other disruptive activity in front of their homes or businesses.

The Centre advises that by enrolling in the Trespass Prevention Program, Vancouver Police Department officers are authorized to remove Trespass Act violators from private property without the need to involve an owner or manager.

The program is bound to be controversial, given the shortage of homeless and addiction support services, but it may be a step in the right direction. You can sign up for the program here.

FOND FAREWELLS
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Two beloved West End personalities passed in October, their lives and contributions to our community remember with fondness and gratitude.

Dr. Marko Yurkovich.

Dr. Marko Yurkovich, a devoted family physician who served the West End community with compassion and care, passed away on October 4t at the age of 39.. His dedication to his patients and the community will be remembered by many.

The many tributes to Dr. Yurkovich included: “As one of Vancouver’s most respected family physicians, admired for his compassion, intellect, and leadership, he built his career on helping people take control of their health and believe in their ability to change. He led with heart and insight, caring deeply for his patients, his students, and his colleagues, while constantly pushing the boundaries of what medicine could do.

”When Marko was diagnosed with Stage 4 colorectal cancer in 2022, he faced it head-on. He fought with relentless courage, undergoing experimental treatments, surgeries, and clinical trials that extended his life far beyond expectations. Without his repeated insistence and tenacity, it is unlikely that he would have survived past the first year. More than that, he turned his fight into purpose.”

You’ll find the Instagram tributes here.

Thomas hamilton. (Tallulah photo)

Thomas Hamilton, aka Tom and Tommy, died peacefully at Mr. St. Joseph’s Hosptial on the afternoon of Tuesday, October 7, aged 80-something (he was always a bit vague about that).

Born in Crosshouse, Scotland, Hamilton moved to Vancouver in 1964 and began a 30-year career in sales with Eaton’s department store. He then went on to own the Brigadoon Bed & Breakfast in Steveston, and wound up his working life as the concierge for a West End condominium.

In addition to his passion for socializing — he was a beloved regular at Delaney’s on Denman until increasing frailty prompted him to change hangouts to the closer to home Breka — Hamilton was a collector of anything to do with the British Royal Family. His mother had been an attendant to the Queen Mother Elizabeth and he spent much of his childhood exploring her family home at Glams Castle. Until her own passing he received annual birthday greetings from the Queen Mum’s office.

In 2013 Vancouver is Awesome ran a profile of Hamilton by Vancouver photographer Tallulah, which you can find here.

Word on the Street

A TASTE OF ITALY …

Pizza night in the West End got an upgrade last month when Napoletana Pizza opened at 1210 Robson, bringing authentic recipes and wood-fired flavours from Naples to Vancouver.

Napoletana Pizza has been a family-run restaurant on Main Street, focused on authentic Neapolitan tradition. Their website tells us “Our goal is simple: serve honest Italian food, made with quality ingredients, and treat every guest like family.”

Get ready to grab a slice of Italy! …

COMING SOON …

Jin Mi Korean is no more, and word on the street (and on the front window) is that a new Asian restaurant, The Cozy Wok, will be opening on Denman later this winter.

the Cozy Wok is opening soon.

While they have both a Facebook page and an Instagram account, there’s not much information available so far. Check it out to follow for updates.

Cozy Wok will be between True Confections, at Denman and Haro, and another storefront that hasn’t been occupied in several years. The last banner in that window announced “Get ready for a slice of joy” in anticipation of a new pizza parlour which never materialized, before that there were a couple of years preparation for a travel agency that likewise never opened, and real old-timers (like our editor) will remember it as a dollar store.

If Cozy Wok thrives as True Confections has, perhaps that block’s retail luck will turn around and new and exciting will fill out the row. Here’s wishing Cozy Wok good fortune!

CHIPOTLE IS COMING TO DAVIE VILLAGE

Work begins on the new davie village location for chipotle mexican grill.

Burrito fans will be delighted to know that the continent-wide Chipotle Mexican Grill is opening a branch on Davie Street. When they open (no date announced yet), this will be their third downtown Vancouver location.

The new restaurant will take over the former Abasa Optical right across the small courtyard from The Basic. Fortunately for longtime loyal customers, Abasa was able to relocate right across the street.

Chipotle, which started in the U.S., has built a reputation for simple, responsibly sourced ingredients. They were one of the first national restaurant chains to commit to local and organic produce and only use meat raised under high animal welfare standards.

Welcome to the Village, amigos!

Sign in the window of the former starbucks.

PET NEEDS GROOMING?

The closure of the Starbucks on Denman at Robson and its next-door neighbours Penguin Pickup and LAH Hairhas left a strategic West End anchor corner vacant, but hopefully not for long.

The property’s landlord, Times Square Suite Hotel, is optimistic that a new business will take on the corner location soon, and in the meantime is pleased to announce that the LAH Beauty venue will soon reopen as “a new pet grooming concept.”

We, and West End furry friends, await further news.

West End Moments

West End Street & Lane Names

West End street names were established when Lauchlan Hamilton laid out the street grid in the late 1800s, and — while some are contemporarily contentious — they have remained. In 2017 the City started naming eight of the lane ways that run east and west through the West End.

Baron Thurlow.

THURLOW STREET

As is the case with many West End street names, surveyor Hamilton borrowed a place name from the B.C. coast, in this case the Thurlow Islands, located off the north coast of Vancouver Island.

In turn, Captain Vancouver had named the islands in 1792 for Edward, first Baron Thurlow (1731 - 1806), a Lord Chancellor of England.

You can read more about the life and times of Baron Thurlow here.

The street itself is somewhat infamous as the location of a riot in 1994 following that year’s loss by the Canucks’ in the Stanley Cup Finals.

Hidden Treasure Hunt

Do you recognize this hidden treasure? (Dianne Maguire Photo)

IDENTIFY THIS PHOTO …
And Win A $50 Coffee Shop Gift Card

The first reader to contact editor@thewestendjournal.ca and correctly identify the location of this image will win a $50 gift card to their choice of Blenz, Delaney’s, Melriche’s, Waves, J.J. Bean, or Greenhorn Cafe.

So if you recognize this unique piece of art write in now! Only the winning response will be notified.

The answer, and the clue to the next contest, will appear in our December issue.

The photos and the information in the answers were originally published in TWEJ several years ago as part of our “Hidden Treasures” series by Vancouver author Dianne Maguire.

West End - Coal Harbour In The News

SUPPORT YOUR WEST END - COAL HARBOUR COMMUNITY MEDIA

The West End Journal, including “The Talk of The Town”, is made possible by local advertising and monthly contributions from our Faithful Readers Circle. If you would like to support your community media, please visit our fundraising site here to contribute any amount from $5 a month up.

If you have a business in the West End / Coal Harbour neighbourhood, check out our advertising rates and information page here.

Thank you!
Kevin Dale McKeown
Editor & Publisher
editor@thewestendjournal.ca