Meeting Notes: May 2017

The GHG had another fine meeting last night, covering a diverse set of topics. During the 1940s and 1950s, oil heating was marketed across Canada, became a popular alternative, and many people had oil storage tanks buried in their yards. These days, the old tanks are considered a hazard and are generally removed, especially when … Continue reading Meeting Notes: May 2017 →

Postwar Housing Bubble

A month ago, I posted about the housing and land value collapse during the Depression and the lead up to World War Two. Thanks to the contunued diligent work of my colleague Donato Calogero, we now have a second set of data from property tax registers. This one illustrates the rapid increase in land and … Continue reading Postwar Housing Bubble →

Heritage and the Provincial Election

Many of our readers will have views on the political interface between heritage needs and the Provincial government. Those folks will want to know about the joint All-Candidates' Meeting for Vancouver-Mount Pleasant and Vancouver-Hastings, Monday May 1st in Gym D at Britannia from 6:30pm. Quoting from the release: All ten candidates running in Vancouver-Mount Pleasant and Vancouver-Hastings have said … Continue reading Heritage and the Provincial Election →

A Connection To Nanaimo, V.I.

In June 1902, the Vancouver City authorities published a long list of the lots on which property taxes had not been paid (see, for example, "Vancouver Daily World," June 11, p.18). This list included the names of the last-known owner of each lot, making it a highly useful set of dta for the GV Database. … Continue reading A Connection To Nanaimo, V.I. →

Michael Kluckner Exhibition

GHG’s own Michael Kluckner, watercolorist, author, and heritage expert, is having his first exhibition in Vancouver since 2006. The exhibition will include watercolours, oils, and drawings “mainly about Vancouver”. The show is at the VanDusen Gallery Gallery on Oak Street, between April 29th and May 27th. Admission is free. An opening reception will be on Saturday … Continue reading Michael Kluckner Exhibition →

When A Housing Market Crashes

There is much talk in Vancouver these days about how the "housing bubble" may have burst, that the astonishing rise of house prices over the last couple of years is coming to an end and that, perhaps, prices may actually fall. Given this background, I was interested to have access this week to a few … Continue reading When A Housing Market Crashes →

On The Value Of Local History

The British historical journal History Workshop has recently published an interesting piece on the value (and lack of use) of local histories. "Local history takes in a broad range of historical inquiry that can cut across other disciplines and sources including oral traditions, social and cultural practices, ephemera, objects, sites and more. Local history is a powerful … Continue reading On The Value Of Local History →

Meeting Notes: March 2017

Another good turn out for our March meeting, and another good session of heritage and history talk. Heritage Renvation Issues: We were joined by Cynthia who owns a heritage house on Semlin. More than a decade ago, she built a sunroom on her deck and made some changes to the old cottage at the foot … Continue reading Meeting Notes: March 2017 →

Ruining The Streets in 1910

In September 1910, Mayor Louis D. Taylor and Aldermen Stevens and Enright toured the city "to see just what the [public] work was going on." They began in Cedar Cove and then moved into Grandview. The following report, which gives a good description of some parts of Grandview at that time, is from the Vancouver … Continue reading Ruining The Streets in 1910 →

What Lakewood Drive Might Have Been

Lakewood Drive is a thoroughly lovely residential street today. But that is not how some residents wanted it to be. "A petition signed by a large number of property-owners on Lakewood Drive is being presented to the B.C.E.R. [the streetcar company] for a carline on that thoroughfare, to parallel the Park [Commercial] Drive line and … Continue reading What Lakewood Drive Might Have Been →

Meeting Notes from February

We had another well-attended and packed-with-news meeting on Thursday evening. Character House Review Javier Campos, president of Heritage Vancouver, gave a short presentation and initiated a dialogue about the City's new Character House Review process. Javier is opposed to what he considers "extreme" heritage preservation rules which, he believes, is forcing the city to push … Continue reading Meeting Notes from February →

Meeting Notes: January 2017

We had another great turnout for our first meeting of the year last night, and we managed to cover a great deal of ground. Eric began with his regular What's Happening in the Neighbourhood review The Cultch's Green House on Venables appears to be occupied now after an excellent program of renovation and restoration; The … Continue reading Meeting Notes: January 2017 →

Our Racist Past

Ninety-eight years ago today, the Grandview Chamber of Commerce, supported by the Grandview Ratepayers Association, held "an enthusiastic gathering of merchants and prominent men of the district, gathered to unite their efforts to drive out of the district of Grandview the Oriental … Speakers said they did not want Grandview to be overrun with Orientals, and … Continue reading Our Racist Past →

Happy Christmas!

Townsend & Townsend

Here is an interesting post from Scout magazine about the architects Townsend & Townsend and the "diapering" design they became known for during the golden age of Vancouver building before the First World War. Although they are not mentioned in the article, the Drive has three Townsend & Townsend buildings, none of which have the … Continue reading Townsend & Townsend →

Character House Review

To assist with some important work between now and the next GHG meeting, why not join Caroline Adderson in studying the City's proposals for "character houses." Here is what Caroline has to say: I just want to make sure you all know about the Character Home Rezoning review open houses which are winding up next … Continue reading Character House Review →

Soundscapes

This morning I received the following email from BC Studies: The British Columbian Quarterly regarding a call for soundscapes and associated materials. I thought it would be of interest to some readers: "BC Studies: The British Columbian Quarterly is seeking sound clips, soundscapes, or other types of audio accompanied by a written component (article, essay, … Continue reading Soundscapes →

Meeting Notes: November

Another good gathering last Thursday, and more fascinating discussions. We looked at various property assemblies being created in the south end of the neighbourhood; we also noted the falling state of the RE market; and then we were still surprised to find 1976 still priced at less than $1 million; There was a fine discussion … Continue reading Meeting Notes: November →

What Might Have Been

Anyone who knows Commercial Drive knows Joe's Cafe on the corner of William Street. It is an unprepossessing single-storey flat-roofed structure, not unlike many other similar buildings along the Drive. This one has been that way since Harry Evans had it built in 1910: Building Permit issued 9th November 1910 Owner: Harry Evans Architect: Townshend … Continue reading What Might Have Been →

Meeting Notes: October

We had another fine gathering this evening. There was a short agenda but we managed to fill the time with interesting discussions. Eric presented his latest Neighbouthood Update. Land assembly is going on around Broadway and Garden in preparation for the changes allowed under the new Community Plan Work is continuing on the Green House … Continue reading Meeting Notes: October →