HERITAGE Heritage Vancouver VANCOUVER P.O. Box 3336, MPO Vancouver B.C. V6B 3Y3 Web page: http://home.istar.ca/-glenchan/hvsintro.shtml NEWSLETTER This month ys newsletter is prepared by JANUARY 1998 Dominique Pilon andJoScott-B VOLUME 7 NUMBER 1 PRESIDENT'S COLUMN SPEAKERS PROGRAM *When Duncan Wilson changed the date of his meeting with HV from November to January (because of conflicting engagements), I was unaware the demolition permit application for the Food 21 JANUARY - Commissioner Building, submitted on November 12 by the Park DUNCAN WILSON, Chair of the Board, would have been due to be issued by early Vancouver Park Board, during the Business January. However, the demolition is not yet a done Section of this meeting at 7.30 pm, to discuss the deal THIS IS ON THE PARK BOARD th Pure Food Building on the Hastings Park she. AGENDA Monday January 19 at 7 pm. At 8 30 pm, TAMMIE TUPECHKA of the Information of this fact reached me via another Institute for Humanities at SFU will speak about interested group - neither the Vancouver Heritage the project Stories of Our Own Backyard, which Commission chair, nor Heritage Vancouver received is recording and mapping the Grandview notice. Why not? Especially given that Woodlands area. There will be copies of the book Commissioner and Chair Duncan Wilson has been for sale. scheduled to be at the Heritage Vancouver meeting to discuss this subject since November 1997. (Please note that contrary to previous scheduling, JoScott-B Robert Watt, Chief Herald of Canada, is unable to attend the January meeting due to a conflict. He will be speaking later in the year.) 18 FEBRUARY The Lions Gate Bridge will be discussed during the Business Section at 7.30 pm. The Lions Bridge Project Office will bring their display panels. At 8.30 pm, SHANE O'DAE from Heritage Canada visits Vancouver. We are delighted to welcome this speaker, who lives in Retreat Cottage in Newfoundland, to entertain us with his special brand of humour and heritage Upcoming events Monday, January 12,1998,2:00 pm - As a follow- August 1998. 50tt anniversary of the start of up to the October Community Column, John trolley bus services in Vancouver. The Museum Oliphant informs us that the Banfield - a three storey of Transportation and BC Transit are planning Art Deco apartment block - will be reviewed by the events with the 1947 and 1948 trolley buses. Stay Development Permit Board of the City of Vancouver. tuned. Speakers can register at City Hall or call John Oliphant: 732-5600 or Chris MUward: 738-4436 . October 1-3,1998. Heritage in the Big City. Wednesday, January 28,7:30 pm Heritage conference co-hosted by Heritage The Vancouver Historical Society Canada, Heritage Society of British Columbia and John Cherrington speaking on his recent book: the City of Vancouver. Vancouver at the Dawn: A Turn-of-the Century Portrait^ a compelling account of daily life in Vancouver, circa 1900. Vancouver Historical Society meetings are held in the Whittick Lounge, Vancouver Museum, 1100 Chestnut St. Admission is free. Monday, February 16,1998,6:00 pm - City of Vancouver Heritage Awards at the Hotel Vancouver. Michael Kluckner will be the keynote speaker The Community Column This space is reserved for members of the community who wish to express concerns or viewpoints regarding heritage. This month, we reprint excerpts of the speech given to Vancouver City Council on December 9, 1997 by Lauren Prentice, Executive Director of the Vancouver Heritage Conservation Foundation when she introduced the new Board of Directors. '"We are here today to celebrate transition - specifically, a transition in leadership for the Foundation. The Vancouver Heritage Conservation Foundation was created by the City of Vancouver in 1992 as a registered non-profit society, and was granted charitable status in 1993. Since that time, Vancouver City Council has presided over the organization as its Board of Directors, with the Mayor as Chair. Today, a new Board sits before you in these Chambers, to be welcomed by you, and ready to carry on this important work. The Foundation, under your leadership, has been involved in many heritage conservation efforts in Vancouver. These have included the sponsorship of walking tours, educational workshops, an independent film production on neon in Vancouver, the refurbishment of the Birks Clock, a Heritage Interiors Inventory for the City's Planning Department, and the documentation of a community effort to rebuild porches on heritage houses in Strathcona. From these projects, we have gained knowledge and experience. This journey of knowledge and experience led us, this year, to a refinement of the vision for the organization. In a way, we came to a crossroads, where choosing the path ahead demanded some adjustment in thought and in action. We came to realize that successful conservation of this City's built heritage depends on a web of interconnections, as well as on a complex set of needs and requirements which local government can not - and should not - be expected to carry alone. When we speak of the need for heritage conservation, we echo and support a fundamental value in our society for all conservation efforts. This value in many ways is a response spawned by recent trends of perpetual change, built-in obsolescence and rapid technological development. As a society we have begun to look, more and more, for that which lasts and has meaning over time. We have, for example, attempted to counter a throwaway mentality by developing conservation principles reflected by three "r" words: reduce, reuse and recycle. And so it is obvious that the restoration, rehabilitation and reuse of old buildings is abundantly "green" activity. But it is also apparent that heritage conservation efforts, as do all conservation efforts, require a bunch of other "r" words to really be successful. Heritage conservation, additionally, demands RESPECT: respect for our communities and our neighborhoods, respect for local history, and respect for the legacy of what others have built before us. Heritage conservation also demands RECOGNITION: recognition of what is important to us, at this time and in this place, recognition and codification of what is valuable, and recognition of what we need to do today to ensure its viability and existence in the future. Heritage conservation, especially at this time and in this place, absolutely depends on REALISM. By realism I mean finding an approach to heritage conservation characterized by cooperation instead of conflict. In the face of escalating land values, incessant development pressures, and the declining ability of government to be the savior of every conservation effort; inspired, creative and collaborative realism is an imperative. Conservation of our built environment also depends on adequate RESOURCES, both financial and human. Marshalling these resources is the primary aim of this Foundation, and the reason for its creation. I'd like to emphasize this point: marshalling financial and human resources in support of heritage conservation is the primary aim of this Foundation, and the reason for its creation. And finally, successful heritage conservation depends on accepting appropriate RESPONSIBILITY. The responsibility for conservation of Vancouver's built heritage rests not only with civic government and the municipal heritage planning department. It also rests with the communities that benefit from the historical context and quality of life provided by intact neighborhoods. It rests with property owners who assume stewardship over the life and death of these precious resources. And - in addition and very importantly - it rests with the individuals and industries that benefit economically from conservation and restoration activity. These include architects, developers, contractors, renovators, realtors, consultants, manufacturers, retailers and tourism and hospitality operators, to name just a few. So it is no surprise that we are here today to embark on a new path, given all we have learned. It makes sense to assemble a Board of Directors which reflects and will champion the respect, recognition, realism, resources and responsibility we need to build our foundation for the future." PANEL DISCUSSION LIONS GATE BRIDGE: rusty relic or civic symbol? Thursday February 26th - 7 pm to 8.30 pm SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY AT HARBOUR CENTRE 515 WEST HASTINGS, VANCOUVER Panel includes Pat Boname, Mayor West Vancouver; Arthur Erikson, & Don Luxton Admission is free. Seating is limited so please call to reserve. Heritage Vancouver is a non-profit advocacy society whose mandate is to: * Encourage the study and understanding of heritage preservation with a local and regional perspective * Support the conservation of the heritage that we have inherited * Promote public awareness of heritage preservation through lectures, publications tours & newsletters * Collect document and preserve records of heritage structures landscapes and urban design The officers of the Society are: Jo Scott-B. (President) Sherry McKay John Atkin (Past-President) David Monteyne Paul Bennett Peter Vaisbord Lynne Bryson Susan Walker Stephanie Clarke Susanna Houwen (Vice-President) Mary MacDonald (Archivist) Don Luxton TIME TO JOIN HERITAGE VANCOUVER OR RENEW YOUR MEMBERSHIP (Charitable donation # 1073758-52. Membership fees are not tax deductible.) Name: Address:. City: Postal Code: Telephone:. • Individual: $ 20 D Supporting (no newsletters) $5 • Family: $ 25 D Corporate: $ 50 • Donation: $ D Patrons: $100 Annual membership runs from October 1st