Heritage Watch

This section documents examples of North Shore heritage buildings threatened by demolition or development. For suggestions or additions, please email info@northshoreheritage.org.

 Burrard Dry Dock
In early 2008, the City of North Vancouver Council made a controversial decision to rescind the heritage protection of three of the remaining shipyard buildings at the Burrard Dry Dock, to allow their demolition and removal, as part of a drive to reduce costs for the proposed National Maritime Centre. Council rejected a proposed amendment to save one of the buildings -- the Blacksmith's Shop, considered the most important of the three -- for incorporation into the centre. The decision was made despite overwhelming support for preservation of the site at a public hearing. The buildings were demolished in March 2008 (see photo). The buildings were part of one of the North Shore's most important heritage sites. How much would it have cost to have saved the heritage buildings? About $1.5-$2 million each, within a project with a price tag of about $80 million. Other buildings and artifacts will still be retained for the maritime centre, subject to funding from the federal and provincial governments.

 116 West 23rd Street, City of North Vancouver
The Green-Armytage House, a 1909 building that's one of the oldest houses in the northern Lonsdale corridor, will be restored and protected as part of a residential development on its 18,800 square foot site. The house, known recently as the United Lodge, was used as a care home until closure a couple of years ago. The large and impressive house in the Tudor Revival style represents one of a limited number of surviving houses designed by local architects Honeyman and Curtis. The exterior of the house is in good condition with many original elements remaining, such as stonework, trim and siding. There was an unattractive front addition to add more beds, but this would be removed in the project, with the original porch reconstructed. Under plans approved by council in February 2007, the developer is moving the heritage house to the prominent southwest corner of the lot, restoring the exterior and converting the interior to apartments. New apartments will be built on the rest of the site.

The house was home to local businessman Geoffrey Green-Armytage and was sold to the McDougall family in 1938. Mickey McDougall served as principal of North Vancouver High School for 25 years from 1936-61. His wife, Jessie, was well known for her community work, while their daughter Anne MacDonald founded the North Vancouver Community Arts Council and Presentation House. Anne helped save the 1899 St. Johns Anglican Church in North Vancouver, which is now sited next to Presentation House and known as Anne MacDonald Hall. 1945 photo courtesy of North Vancouver Museum and Archives.

    

 Gleneagles Golf Course Clubhouse, West Vancouver
West Vancouver's Western Residents Association (WRA) successfully campaigned to save the 1950s Gleneagles Golf Course Clubhouse, overlooked in development plans by West Vancouver municipality. The golf course at the western end of Marine Drive was first used in 1927, with the current clubhouse (a Pan-Abode BC log building) erected in 1952/53. Since 1992, the building has been left to deteriorate. The WRA argued that the clubhouse, while not a striking building, represents an important part of the district's social history. West Vancouver Council in March 2007 assigned a $1 million budget to restoration, in addition to similar funds for new facilities -- the desired combination of old and new. The decision was confirmed in March 2008.

Ridgeway Elementary School: 420 East 8th, City of North Vancouver
As part of the province's seismic upgrading program, North Vancouver School District is studying options for Ridgeway Elementary, including demolition and replacement. The school is a Primary building on the City's Heritage Register, which describes it as "a richly detailed essay in the Second Renaissance Revival style" with "a strongly articulated facade." It was built in 1911, with the north and south wings added in 1926. For details on the campaign to save Ridgeway School, click here.

     

The City of North Vancouver is working with the School District on proposals to allow density transfers, with a view to freeing up funding to allow restoration of the original buildings. The proposal could also provide funds for work on Wueen Mary Community School, another landmark building. 

The old Lynn Valley Elementary has been converted into the new North Vancouver Archives. 

Lonsdale Elementary School: 2151 Lonsdale Avenue, City of North Vancouver
The fate of Lonsdale Elementary School -- a 1910 stone and brick-clad building in the City of North Vancouver -- is up in the air. The North Vancouver School District is proposing to build a new administrative centre on the east side of the now-closed school site, selling the west part of the site -- which includes the historic school building -- for development, to raise cash for the project.

The North Shore Heritage Preservation Society argued that any plans must take into account the school building's heritage value, either by incorporating it into the School District project or by ensuring that it is preserved sympathetically in any site development.

Lonsdale School is notable for its size, prominence and striking façade. This includes a projecting central bay with the school name on a large plaque. It is a cornerstone for the community of North Vancouver and a rare surviving testimony to the rapid economic and social development of the early years of the twentieth century. The architects, Hope and Barker, were renowned builders of schools and other institutions in Vancouver.  

Ottawa Gardens, City of North Vancouver
The City of North Vancouver has prepared development and design guidelines for the Ottawa Gardens heritage area, in the 200 blocks of West 6th, West 5th and West Keith (see below). After concerns by residents that new construction was damaging the character, the City Council in mid-2004 imposed a moratorium on the demolition of houses and construction of triplexes (duplexes were still allowed). Council in February 2006 overturned the moratorium on West 5th and West Keith, while pledging to move ahead with development and design guidelines. The moratorium remains in place for West 6th, home to most of that area's heritage buildings. The new proposal involves creating a Heritage Conservation Area to cover the 200 and 300 blocks of West 6th, upgrading its existing status as a Heritage Character Area and extending that area to the west to include St. Edmund's Church, Rectory and Catholic School; and instituting block-by-block rules on building heights and rear yard houses.

The Spencer House: 2089 Westdean Crescent, West Vancouver
West Vancouver Council on Sep. 18, 2006 , agreed to move ahead with its first Heritage Revitalization Agreement, for the Spencer House. However, council later decided to suspend the action after receiving objections from local residents, concerning the proposed lot size and neighbourhood impact. Some expressed doubts about the property's heritage value. The applicant decided to meet with local residents and resubmit a revised concept. 

The North Shore Heritage Preservation Society wrote to council acknowledging the concerns of neighbours and extensive reconstruction work in the 1990s, but stressing that the property does have heritage value for reasons of style, setting and historical continuity. The property is important for its origins as an early West Vancouver cottage, and there remains significant archival material. The building includes reconstructed original features and is of architectural merit.

The house was built on an estate of 13.65 acres, stretching from Mathers to Queens . This was subdivided into 33 lots in 1955, leaving the existing large plot. The existing house is essentially a replica of the 1913 original, which was rebuilt as a modern house in the mid-1990s. However, it maintained many original exterior features and won a municipal heritage award. It was originally summer home to Thomas Arthur Spencer, son of department store owner David Spencer. The house featured in a 1918 promotional brochure for the district. It's believed to have been designed by Samuel MacLure, a leading BC architect. 

 219 West Keith, City of North Vancouver
Demolished April 2006. This old character house in the City of North Vancouver, opposite Queen Mary School, was sold in 2003. The developer originally proposed restoring the house as a registered heritage property, in return for permission to build both a secondary suite and a duplex at the back. This was opposed by local residents due to density concerns. A revised proposal was submitted to demolish the house and build a single set of duplexes. This complied with zoning and was approved in mid-2005. After two years of neglect, the house was looking worse for wear -- but retained much of its character. Before and after photos follow:

  

On the Move: 1500 Grand Boulevard, City of North Vancouver
In these photos, the 1927 Humphreys Residence was being moved to its new corner lot. For background on the property, see below. 

               

 

 2148 Argyle, West Vancouver
This 1920s cottage was one of the last remaining original buildings in a high-rise zoned area. It is being demolished along with a fairly new, large duplex to allow construction of a luxury high-rise by Quigg. The new building stirred up controversy as it will be taller than the buildings behind it, specifically The Crescent, a 1960s building on West Vancouver's Survey of Significant Architecture.

  

The Humphreys Residence: 1500 Grand Boulevard, City of North Vancouver
This 1927 property was built for Sydney Humphreys, proprietor of London Fish. It is in the Dutch Colonial Style, unusual for North Vancouver, with a side gambrel roof and shed dormers at front and back. Like many corner lots on Grand Boulevard, it straddled two lots. Developer Noort Homes in October 2005 applied for a building permit to move the heritage house to the internal, northern lot, and build a new house on the corner lot. The City of North Vancouver Council implemented 60-day protection of the property, and Noort in December 2005 agreed to amend its plans. The heritage home now remains on the prominent corner lot, and is legally protected against future demolition or exterior alteration by covenant. A large beech tree on the southwest corner and a traditional stacked rock wall is also protected. The new house was built on the inside lot.

     

 3290 St. Georges Avenue, District of North Vancouver
A Craftsman bungalow from the 1920s, this house is on the District Heritage Inventory's Supplemental list. It was demolished in 2006. 

 The Hodgson House: 2355 Marine Drive, West Vancouver
Local architect Hugh Astley Hodgson built his family home in 1913. Although simple in design, it was classical Craftsman style, and included features such as a generous front porch and clinker brick chimney. The property remained owned by the original family, with daughter Beatrice living there until her death in 2004. The house was purchased by a family in Ladysmith and moved to Vancouver Island, with the site redeveloped as duplexes. The house sale fell through, and a campaign was launched to return it to West Vancouver for restoration as a public facility dedicated to the evolution of local architecture. That effort failed when the house was sold to another buyer on Vancouver Island for renovation. For the full report on the proposed restoration of Hodgson House, including photos, please click here.

 BC Rail Station: 1311 West 1st, District of North Vancouver
BC Rail is planning to sell its lands in Lower Capilano, with TransLink among those interested. Any redevelopment will likely lead to demolition of the BC Rail Passenger Station, a Primary building in the District's Modern Heritage Inventory. Built in 1956, it was designed by Hale & Harrison architects, with the inventory referring to its "simple articulation," "geometric purity" and "spectacular views." The outside is not obviously attractive these days, especially with the added canopies, although the inside is striking.

  

 219 West 6th, Ottawa Gardens, City of North Vancouver
This old but unlisted house was located in one of the City of North Vancouver's three Heritage Character Areas. It was demolished by developer Noort Homes in October 2005, to make way for a set of new heritage-style duplexes. 

    

 750 Sutherland Avenue, District of North Vancouver
This cottage on the Secondary list of the District's Heritage Inventory was demolished by Noort Homes in 2003. The inventory described it as a "modest house," and "an unappreciated gem of a building," which "must look very much like it did when it was constructed." The house was built around 1912 by Frank Morgan Bressey, company secretary and treasurer for North Vancouver Coal and Supply. Born in 1881, Frank Bressey moved to North Vancouver in 1911 at the age of 30. He lived in the Palace Hotel in 1911 and Melville House in 1912, then moved to the house described in records only as being "on the corner of Keith and Sutherland." Frank Bressey's family was present on the North Shore from 1905, setting up one of the first realtors, Bressey Peers & Boult.

The Knight House: 251 East 10th, City of North Vancouver
This 1911 house was built by DC McKinnon, and bought on completion by OH Knight. It is one of a number of houses built on East 10th on a speculative basis. It was on the Secondary list of the City of North Vancouver's Heritage Inventory, which described it as "an intact example of the typical design features of the Edwardian style. It was demolished by Noort Homes in late 2002. The area is one of the City's three designated Heritage Character Areas. For an article from the North Shore News, click here.