February/March 2007 HERITAGE
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Volume 16 Number 1 February/March 2007 www.heritagevancouver.org HERITAGE Vanco N e w s l eu t t ev r er 2007 TOP TEN ENDANGERED SITES his is the seventh annual Heritage Vancouver Top 1. Burrard Bridge Ten Endangered Sites, now recognized as the Completed in 1932 to provide a high-level crossing to the authoritative list of Vancouver’s threatened heritage western neighbourhoods, Burrard Bridge is a triumph of resources. It is, as always, difficult to keep the list civic architecture and a key gateway structure. Architects Tto ten. Back this year in the No.1 spot is Burrard Bridge, now Sharp & Thompson, conscious of the bridge’s ceremonial even closer to desecration by the City’s current disregard. Also function, embellished the utilitarian steel superstructure back are Malkin Bowl, the Vogue Theatre, St. Paul’s Hospital, with imposing concrete towers, art deco sculptural details, the iconic 2400 Motel on Kingsway, and our endangered and torch-like entrance pylons that are a silent war memorial. schools. And, while we were so pleased to strike several sites Heavy concrete railings, originally topped by decorative — Evergreen, Kogawa House and Firehall No. 15 — off the street lamps, unify the parts. list as saved, a host of new sites rushed into the vacant spots, Since the 1990s, the Engineering Department has brought including the apartments of South Granville, the 100 block of forward repeated schemes — despite ferocious public opposi- West Hastings, the 900-1000 block of Main Street, and old tion — to increase the capacity of the bridge. Over 15 years Japantown. Underlying the entire list is a significant theme later, the pot still boils: in late 2006, the current Council voted — endangered districts and neighbourhoods. Continued on page 2 Top Ten Please visit our website for more information and additional visuals of our Top Ten list. The website will be updated monthly to indicate any and all progress made in saving these sites. www.heritagevancouver.org And see the information about our third annual Top Ten tour on page 8. Cover photos: Burrard Bridge by Richard Keating, The 2400 Motel by Mike Wong the rest by Patrick Gunn. 2 continued from cover Top Ten and the VSB for this comprehensive evaluation, this study in itself will not save any buildings. Dickens School, which has been featured in several HV Top Ten lists, is just the thin edge of the wedge. Currently at risk are – hold your breath – Kitsilano, Strathcona, Secord, Carleton, Gordon, Kitchener, Nelson, Queen Mary and Begbie. To 2. Vancouver Schools quote the VSB: “Almost all of these schools will likely have partial or full Dozens of Vancouver’s historic schools replacement as part of their seismic could be demolished under current upgrading.” Why? There is insufficient plans to institute the provincial seismic funding for the significant costs of to kill a proposed lane re-allocation mitigation program. Gearing up for structurally upgrading existing schools. trial to test an alternate solution. the 2005 election, Premier Campbell This raises bluntly the questions of our Instead this Council seems hell-bent promised $1.5 billion, over 15 years, commitment to heritage: do we value on intrusive, expensive schemes for seismic upgrades of the province’s our public heritage buildings? and how favouring the single-occupancy car. schools. The Vancouver School Board much are we willing to invest to save Yet another consultant team is pres- (VSB) quickly requested about $365 them for future generations? It is now million to fast track the upgrades for ently doing a detailed design of abundantly clear that, unless provincial completion in ten years. Although we sidewalk expansion of this iconic Art contributions are increased or the welcome life-safety initiatives and Deco landmark. program modified, only a small percent- especially seismic upgrading of heri- The ill-conceived plans to widen age of our historic schools will make tage buildings, this program wields a the bridge’s sidewalks require — for the cut — so get ready for the wrecking double-edged sword. While promoting support — massive cantilevered out- ball in your neighbourhood. seismic safety, it doesn’t distinguish rigger structures that would radically between heritage and non-heritage alter the bridge’s appearance by add- buildings. Also the School Board is ing bulky appendages slicing hori- zontally across the bridge’s architec- tural features. The existing railings would be demolished to make way for new railings pushed out to the edges of the new sidewalks. Without its original railings, the bridge would lose its strong edges, and its defining architectural features would be isolated in a broad expanse of pavement. For HV, the issues remain the same: how to accommodate 3. increased numbers of cyclists and throwing into the mix costs unrelated pedestrians without compromising to seismic upgrading. This means the heritage architecture and iconic that, in virtually every case, it is more expensive to retain the heritage school status of the bridge. We are extremely South Granville disappointed that other, equally than tear it down and rebuild a new school. Under current funding for- Apartment District viable options are not being considered. mulas, the new school is likely much The 15 square-block area — located We continue to urge Council to con- smaller than the existing building and roughly between West 11th and West sider carefully the alternatives before is usually of tilt-slab construction 16th Avenues and Fir and Birch — is rushing to implement a solution that — of course it’s cheaper to demolish one of the only intact pre-WWII apart- will permanently disfigure this civic the heritage building. This is a lose- ment neighbourhoods in the city, but landmark. We continue to ask: “What lose situation. only about 15 apartment blocks are will we show the world in 2010? A Concerns from community groups listed on the City’s Heritage Register quick-fix hatchet job or a restored and HV prompted the VSB to under- — an average of only one per block. world-class gateway?” take a heritage assessment of all Yet the district is chock full of hand- schools with heritage status or poten- some brick and stucco walkups, tial. Although we have participated in designed in period revival styles popu- this process, and commend the City lar in the 1920s, including Tudor and 3 Spanish-Colonial Revivals, as well ation on the Heritage Register. Behold for several years: if Park officials and as the Moderne design of the 1930s the coming tsunami: the area must TUTS management have their way, and 40s. Many unrecognized sites are be comprehensively evaluated, addi- Malkin Bowl will be demolished and worthy of heritage recognition and pro- tions to the Register recommended, replaced by a high-tech, telescop- tection: e.g., the stately ‘Queen Mary’ and zoning changes implemented to ing, slab-mounted structure. The at 1465 W. 14th is a fine example discourage towers and high density Park Board considers Malkin Bowl a of the lost art of architectural detail development unless part of a heritage liability — its isolated location and through the creative use of brick, in preservation project. The time to act wooden construction are an open this case multiple shades of brick that is now. invitation to squatters, vandalism and form repeated verticals and arches, arson. The Board’s 2006-08 Capital saw-tooth parapets, and other decora- Plan lists the Bowl for replacement tive elements. At the corner of 16th but attaches a ‘zero’ dollar figure, and Fir is the magnificent ‘Willingdon suggesting that TUTS must raise all Lodge,’ looking as if it has just stepped funds for replacement. It had been off a plane from 1920s Los Angeles, attempting to do so until a larger replete with Mission parapets, tile financial crisis emerged: last sum- rooflets, wrought-iron balconies and mer, TUTS cancelled its season due other Spanish-Colonial details, includ- to financial difficulties, raising the ing an evocative bas-relief entrance possibility that Malkin Bowl could off 16th Avenue. In the same block is permanently lose its primary tenant. the ‘Casandra’, a small but exquisite 4. Stanley Park Without a tenant, and no heritage pro- Tudor Revival with half-timbered Stanley Park has been big news since tection, the theatre could be levelled gables, mullioned bay windows, and the catastrophic blow-down of trees summarily as having no viable use. arched terra cotta entry. In fact, the during a recent windstorm. But the - Other unprotected sites are vulner- entire 1500 block, north side of 16th vulnerability of many of Stanley Park’s able to inappropriate alteration and Avenue, reads like an essay in period cherished heritage landmarks goes loss of original materials: a recent revival architecture and should remain unremarked: only two of its heri- case is Brockton Point Lighthouse. as an intact streetscape — yet none of tage sites have legal protection and The terraced viewing areas, staircases its addresses is on the Register. It’s a the Parks Board has not shown any and walkways around the lighthouse similar story on other blocks — for willingness to protect anything else. As have undergone a major repair and example, the north side of the 1500 the winds of expediency blow over the renovation. The terraced area has block W. 14th has only one of the rich- park, what will remain of its rich cul- been altered to accommodate concession ly detailed apartments listed. Ditto the tural and architectural legacy? facilities and a ‘faux heritage’ retro- south side of the 1100 block W. 12th, Malkin Bowl, no newcomer to the fit has replaced the historic railings. occupied entirely by the conjoined Top Ten list, is one of the park’s many Similarly, as part of a ‘restoration’ of ‘Montrose’ and ‘Randolph’ apart- unlisted heritage sites.