Hang on. Maybe you're thinking of the former city works yard located on the south side of Yates Street between Blanshard and Quadra Streets?
Daily Colonist
April 2, 1949Sales of city-owned lots approved yesterday by city council totaled $21,552.50Included in the latter four was the former city works yard located on the south side of Yates Street between Blanshard and Quadra Streets.
FYI: the resistance to selling those Northern Junk traffic islands is indefensible. Back in the day property changed hands like crazy, back and forth between private ownership and government ownership. It was never anything unusual or exceptional. Countless transactions. And it continues today in the form of the motel acquisitions, etc.
But we're supposed to believe it was some sort of heroic stand to resist selling off that otherwise useless bit of property for Northern Junk.