The theme for heritage week this year is Always in All Ways. What a wonderfully wide-open theme! While we at North Shore Heritage tend to focus on built heritage, we also recognize the connection of built heritage to both cultural and landscape heritage. In the blog today, I’m going to start with a photo that represents a piece of my personal heritage but after a little research on my part, I realized that this photo also tells a pretty interesting story related to the history of Grouse Mountain and North Shore tourism. Let’s start with the photo…
Where do you find heritage? West Coast Modern movement
Where do you find heritage? Ottawa Gardens
Where do you find heritage? Fish Weirs on Capilano River
Where do you find heritage? Old growth trees
A heritage home comes with tradition and history
Where do you find heritage? Grand Boulevard
Where do you find heritage? Horse trough
Heritage Week 2021: Where do you find heritage?
Heritage Week
Heritage Stands the Test of Time: Roberts Residence (c. 1911)
1405 Doran, North Vancouver
Behind a surprisingly simple façade is an incredible, very pure example of how “Heritage Stands the Test of Time." Built on a large lot for English immigrants, the Tudor-style exterior and leaded glass windows must have reminded the owners of the ‘old country’. The interior contains amazingly beautiful built-in cabinets and each room is unique, cozy and still perfectly suited to modern day life. When the current owners moved in, they inherited a landscape plan for the property that included a 300-yard hole for golfers to show their stuff! Their stoop also includes the marks of a bear who tried to gain entry at some point! The owners have offered to host a summer party for our society, so stay-tuned for details!
Heritage Stands the Test of Time: West Vancouver Municipal Hall (c. 1964)
750 17th Street, West Vancouver
Designed by Toby Russell Buckwell Architects in 1964, the West Vancouver Municipal hall is a lovely example of the modernist style. In 2015, in an effort to consolidate municipal services, funding for an adjoining Police Services Building was approved. In an architecturally seamless way, construction of the new building has now been completed. It is a beautiful example of how “Heritage Stands the Test of Time” and can even be mimicked!
Heritage Stands the Test of Time: Ackerman Residence (c. 1912)
448 East 13th Street, North Vancouver
In the hands of another owner, this house, with its dated interior and rotten front porch, might have been a candidate for demolition. Purchased in 2015 by its current owners, it has since undergone an extensive front porch restoration and an interior facelift. Now once again safe and beautiful, it is proof that “Heritage Stands the Test of Time!"
Heritage Stands the Test of Time: Storybook Home (c. 1938)
1824 Inglewood, West Vancouver
This unusual “Storybook” home, was built in 1938, as part of a trend influenced by Hollywood movies. Typical of this style is its stucco siding, steeply pitched gable and inset front door. Fondly called “The Little House That Could” by its owner, it is currently being lovingly restored. It is a sight to see and proof that “Heritage Stands the Test of Time.”
Heritage Stands the Test of Time: The Mitchell House (c. 1965)
3623 Sunnycrest, North Vancouver
This unique home, also known as the Wedge house, was designed by Arthur Erickson in 1965 at the height of the West Coast modern design boom. Finding the home a bit small, the owners added a new section, with a transparent transition element, to ensure that the original home remains distinct and dominant. Through these efforts, once again, “Heritage Stands the Test of Time.”
Heritage Stands the Test of Time: Rush House (c. 1923)
1195 12th Street, West Vancouver
In an example of “Heritage Stands the Test of Time," the Rush House is a Craftsman-style home that was built in 1923. In December 2017, West Vancouver Council approved heritage bylaws that will see the legal protection of the original home and the addition of a laneway and garden cottage to the property. The construction of the new homes has not yet begun. This type of preservation is ideal for a home that sits on a larger property.
Heritage Stands the Test of Time: Cole Residence (c. 1910)
618 East 9th Street, North Vancouver
This Craftsman bungalow was last sold in 2011 and billed as a “tear down,” but the current owners fell in love with its charming style and decided to make minor changes instead. In an architecturally sympathetic way, the front porch and entry stairs were modified and the kitchen was enlarged. The result is a still-charming but slightly larger home.
It seems fitting to begin our “Heritage Stands the Test of Time” featured homes with the Cole Residence because when the owners moved into this house, they found a booklet on the built-in cabinet that contained a magnificent history of the families that had lived in this house since it was built. The most important part of the booklet was the first line: “I am not an ordinary house. I am a home with Tradition and History. I have sheltered families for over eighty years and in that course of time, only 7 families have lived under my roof. This little history is prepared for the eighth family who will dwell within my walls.”
Heritage Week 2018: Heritage Stands the Test of Time
Every year, communities nationwide celebrate heritage for one week during the month of February. The theme for the 2018 Heritage Week (February 19-25) is “Heritage Stands the Test of Time.” Throughout the week, North Shore Heritage will be featuring various North Shore homes or buildings on our blog that typify this theme (a new one each day). Despite the seemingly unending demolitions and new construction, there are plenty of examples of how heritage has indeed stood the test of time!
We value your interest and support and we encourage you to “like” or “follow” our social media pages (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram) so you can stay informed about local heritage activities and help spread the word. As well, if you have an example of how “heritage stands the test of time,” please feel free to email us with a photo or the address so that we can feature it on our blog.
