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Our Friend Joe is a brisk read about a stalwart Vancouver character. The book is sprinkled with candid photos of Joe Fortes in action, smiles being most evident — both his and those of the people around him.

Originally from the West Indies, “Seraphim” Joe Fortes in 1885 sailed into the town that became Vancouver and put down roots. A charming, burly man in a rough pioneer town, he found plenty of jobs to sustain him, some more menial than others.

His favourite pastime was swimming. While it was a coastal town, public beaches were not a priority. Fortes and his fellow swimmers had to fight their way through seaweed, barnacles, and rock.

Fortes’ passion for swimming and for the sandy enclave now known as English Bay drove him to find municipal support for a bathing pavilion. As a volunteer lifeguard, Fortes saved many people, including members of the upper class. He also made sure women and children were not bothered by men.

In spite of the racial bias of this era, his heroics endeared him to most Vancouverites, and he eventually received payment for his work as “caretaker of the beach.” Yet his employment was not always guaranteed; his perceived value waxed and waned, depending on the city council of the day.

Fortes was noted for his way with children. Not only did he teach them to swim, he was also a father figure to many, buying them ice cream or rides home even when he could ill afford it. While stingy with financial rewards during Fortes’ life, the city gave him a civic funeral of the kind usually held for high-ranking politicians. Ten thousand people lined the streets to watch the procession in 1922.

The Joe Fortes story is inspiring, illustrating how character and fortitude can shape a community. One hundred years after his arrival, Joe Fortes was named Vancouver’s “Citizen of the Century” — an apt honour if ever there was one.