We spend a night in the slammer. Well, not quite. Last week we (along with a group of other local writers and bloggers) were fortunate enough to be invited on a mini tour of the Vancouver Police Museum courtesy of museum Executive Director Chris Mathieson and the good folks at Sumac Ridge wineries. What’s one got to do with the other you ask? Everything, as Chris pointed out. Vancouver’s a city built on a hard-drinkin’, hard-livin’ logging town that was, to put it mildly, heavily involved with Johnny Law from the get go and its history is inextricably linked to booze. Housed in what was once the old city morgue and crime lab, this best kept Vancouver secret shouldn’t be. This is the kind of gritty history everyone digs, and they’ve got it here in spades - from collections of real gangster-era Tommy guns and a plethora of other confiscated weaponry to historical crime scene photos, actual evidence and gobs of police gear from every era. Hell, they still have the old cadaver drawers and autopsy room in place! Gruesome? Depends on your point of view. We’d say more morbidly fascinating. The prohibition-era history as you might guess is right up our (dark) alley. Chris’ informative little tour completed, Sumac’s founder Harry McWatters gave us the lowdown on his winery’s story (which is pretty much a history lesson on the BC wine industry in general) and best of all (no offense, Harry) treated us to a sabering demo and a tasting of their “Tribute” sparkling wine made in honour of Canadian Olympic athletes. And all in the tiled comfort of the old autopsy theatre. Now we don’t claim to be wine experts, but “Tribute” is a nice one - dry and crisp - kinda like Harry’s humour. Plus $1.25 from the sale of each bottle goes to the Canadian Olympic team. Imagine, drinking to support people - what a concept… Folks, we implore you to visit this great little museum. It is, in our opinion, the best in Vancouver. And it’s completely self-funded. No government grants or even funding from the very city it honours. So make a plan to check it out, it’d be a bargain at three times the admission. Thanks again to Chris Mathieson and Harry McWatters. Vancouver Police Museum - Details Here Sumac Ridge Estate Winery - More Here

We spend a night in the slammer.

Well, not quite. Last week we (along with a group of other local writers and bloggers) were fortunate enough to be invited on a mini tour of the Vancouver Police Museum courtesy of museum Executive Director Chris Mathieson and the good folks at Sumac Ridge wineries. What’s one got to do with the other you ask? Everything, as Chris pointed out. Vancouver’s a city built on a hard-drinkin’, hard-livin’ logging town that was, to put it mildly, heavily involved with Johnny Law from the get go and its history is inextricably linked to booze.

Housed in what was once the old city morgue and crime lab, this best kept Vancouver secret shouldn’t be. This is the kind of gritty history everyone digs, and they’ve got it here in spades - from collections of real gangster-era Tommy guns and a plethora of other confiscated weaponry to historical crime scene photos, actual evidence and gobs of police gear from every era. Hell, they still have the old cadaver drawers and autopsy room in place! Gruesome? Depends on your point of view. We’d say more morbidly fascinating. The prohibition-era history as you might guess is right up our (dark) alley.

Chris’ informative little tour completed, Sumac’s founder Harry McWatters gave us the lowdown on his winery’s story (which is pretty much a history lesson on the BC wine industry in general) and best of all (no offense, Harry) treated us to a sabering demo and a tasting of their “Tribute” sparkling wine made in honour of Canadian Olympic athletes. And all in the tiled comfort of the old autopsy theatre. Now we don’t claim to be wine experts, but “Tribute” is a nice one - dry and crisp - kinda like Harry’s humour. Plus $1.25 from the sale of each bottle goes to the Canadian Olympic team. Imagine, drinking to support people - what a concept…

Folks, we implore you to visit this great little museum. It is, in our opinion, the best in Vancouver. And it’s completely self-funded. No government grants or even funding from the very city it honours. So make a plan to check it out, it’d be a bargain at three times the admission.

Thanks again to Chris Mathieson and Harry McWatters.

Vancouver Police Museum - Details Here

Sumac Ridge Estate Winery - More Here

Posted at 9:33 PM (2 years ago) | Permalink