WEST END HISTORIC CONTEXT STATEMENT July 28, 2013 Revised April 2015 Birmingham & Wood • Denise Cook Design • John Atkin • Elana Zysblat • Kamala Todd 1 2 West End Historical Context Report April 2015 City of Vancouver WEST END HISTORIC CONTEXT STATEMENT July 28, 2013 Revised April 2015 Birmingham & Wood • Denise Cook Design • John Atkin • Elana Zysblat • Kamala Todd 3 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. INTRODUCTION Brief description of the area . 5 Purpose of the report . 5 2. CHRONOLOGY . 7 Timeline with important events 3. HISTORIC CONTEXT STATEMENT . 19 A description of West End’s formation and evolution 4. THEMES . 35 What are theme? Thematic Framework for the West End 5. HERITAGE VALUE STATEMENT BY THEME A Hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ Speaking Peoples . 37 B Making the Desirable Suburb . 43 C Apartment and Tower Living . 47 D Diverse Culture . 50 E Regional Icon . 53 6. HERITAGE FEATURES What are Heritage Features? . 50 Heritage Features listed by Theme . 51 7. PHOTO CREDITS . 94 8. REFERENCES . 99 4 West End Historical Context Report April 2015 City of Vancouver INTRODUCTION BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE AREA The West End is the area of present-day Vancouver bounded to the south by English Bay, to the north by West Georgia Street, to the east and west by Burrard Street and Stanley Park respectively. PURPOSE Of THE REPORT The purpose of this report is to provide a brief history of the formation and evolution of the West End, in order to understand where heritage values lie, and to identify examples of features in the West End that would best illustrate the full range of those values. The CHRONOLOGY makes clear that the history of the settlement of the place began many thousands of years ago with the settlement of the hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓-speaking people, long before the European settlement of the area. The HISTORIC CONTEXT STATEMENT draws out the overlay of periods of settlement, helping reveal the history of the place, which has been dynamically changing since European settlement. Because of its key location next to the sea, it has been a choice spot for residential development and habitation: the Musqueam use of the area, and major village sites in the neighbouring Stanley Park; the early bungalow and apartment development of Victorian and Edwardian suburb, and later apartment development in both low-rise and high-rise forms. The THEMES section of the report seeks to give a sense of proportion to the formative forces that made the West End. Importantly, the themes insert the culture of the hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓-speaking people to the heritage of the place for their historic and current culture. It stresses the uniqueness of the prevalence of the apartment form in the area. The themes section also highlights the very important dual nature of the West End, being both a sustaining local community and a popular regional and global destination. The HERITAGE VALUE STATEMENT section draws out the values of the West End, which give it a unique character. The Statement conveys the community’s valuing of the legacy of affordability of the area’s residential accommodation and local shopping areas, and value placed on the community by all Vancouverites for its exciting culture and natural amenities. The HERITAGE FEATURES section of the report outlines the sort of places found in the West End that illustrate the history and character of the neighbourhood, as identified in the Heritage Value Statement. The Heritage Features section can be used as a tool to help identify which major stories of the West End’s development are under-represented in the Heritage Register, and also displays what stories will need interpretation for their telling due to a lack of physical evidence. Birmingham & Wood • Denise Cook Design • John Atkin • Elana Zysblat • Kamala Todd 5 6 West End Historical Context Report April 2015 City of Vancouver CHRONOLOGY The following chronology notes important dates by year, the event, and the impact of the event on the forma- tion of present day West End. Year Event Change c 10,000 BC The last glaciers retreat from the North Shore the Henqiminum-speaking Musqueam and Tsleil-Waututh mountains, leaving the glacial deposits that became the peoples’ use and occupy their traditional territory Vancouver area, including Marpole. c 4000 BC Indigenous Coast Salish live and travel throughout the Coast Salish cultural practices shape the land area now known as the West End, with several village and home sites, including several in the Stanley Park area. c 1776 Spanish navigators introduce smallpox disease to the Profound effect on the aboriginal culture and land and native population killing a significant percentage of the waters aboriginal community 1792 Captain George Vancouver writes about his arrival into Example of the welcoming tradition of the aboriginal the waters of what is today Stanley Park, and being people. greeted by about 50 aboriginal people, who were very civil, and who presented him with several fish 1860s Existing landscapes were cleared away with the logging Early logging activity disrupts Musqueam cultural practices of the huge trees, and clearing of the land to make way that have shaped the land for pre-emption 1862 District Lot 185 is pre-empted by John Morton, William First non-native interevention in the area apart from Hailstone and Samuel Brighouse logging activities in Stanley Park 1860s - 1880s Existing landscapes were cleared away with logging Without reserve status, most homes and villages were activity destroyed, and Musqueam people were placed on reserves in the Southern part of the city. The Tsleil- Waututh people were placed on a reserve on the North Shore. 1872-3 Second smallpox epidemic among Musqueam wiping Musqueam presence severely impacted out 90% of 100,000 population 1888 Henry Mole builds a house on Comox Street Early settlement and development 1888 Stanley Park is dedicated and opened Draws people to the area. Two park entrances are created, one on Beach Avenue 1889 Logging contractors log the area Early economic activity and change 1889 Water service for Vancouver Prompts development in the northeast corner of the neighbourhood between Burrard and Bute Street south to Davie Street 1889 The West End School opens at Barclay and Burrard Gives the neighbourhood its name Birmingham & Wood • Denise Cook Design • John Atkin • Elana Zysblat • Kamala Todd 7 8 West End Historical Context Report April 2015 City of Vancouver Year Event Change 1890 Red Cross Brewery established on a creek near Early waterfront industry and use of local resources, the Thurlow Street on Burrard Inlet brewery dammed Tyndall Creek to provide water 1890s Settlement continues in the north east corner at Burrard Growth of the community Street and along the bluff above Coal Harbour, and begins along Sunset Beach. Prompted in part by the industrialization of Burrard Inlet and False Creek. Since the prevailing winds are from the south west, the West End became a popular place to live since the winds pushed the smoke and smells farther eastward. 1894-1900’s Beach camping at English Bay is popular Camps were the set up on the beach in the summer to get away from the city. A small patch of sand at the food of Denman served as the swimming beach. 1890s Sand pumped up on the rocks to enlarge the beach from The begining of English Bay as a destination for English Bay Vancouverites. Helps define the image of Vancouver. 1890s Street leveling programs Reshaping the landscape for transportation leaves some properties high above the street, creates a landscape of large stone walls. 1891 The West End takes its name from the school at Barclay Sense of place and Burrard Streets 1895 1898 St Paul’s Anglican moved from Yaletown and Moving away from the industrialization of Yaletown rebuilt in the West End 1895 the streetcar line is extended along Robson Street, to This helped to open up the neighbourhood to development Stanley Park and Davie Street to English Bay and prompted apartment and rooming house construction. The English Bay line became a popular tourist desination and the sightseeing street car began at Denman and Davie Streets. 1898 streetcar loop completed with the construction of the line Promotes real estate development onDenman 1898 Vancouver Lawn and Tennis Club relocates to Denman Social and recreational at Barclay 1900s West of Denman Street to Stanley Park becomes the Sense of place for the well to do home for many very prominent residents of the city 1900 Joe Fortes officially hired as the life guard at English Social history Bay 1901 Gabriola built for BT Rogers at Davie and Nicola Streets Last remaining mansion and grounds 1901 The first concrete sidewalks are laid A growing suburb modernizing quickly. The earliest surviving sidewalk in the city is 1906 at Robson and Jervis Streets. 1903 Houses and bush While there is growth and development much of the area is still scrub and bush with many unpaved streets. 1905 An enlarged St Paul’s Anglican opens Expansion of services Birmingham & Wood • Denise Cook Design • John Atkin • Elana Zysblat • Kamala Todd 9 10 West End Historical Context Report April 2015 City of Vancouver Year Event Change 1907 The earliest apartment buildings in Vancouver. The Streetcar influenced development, which would change construction of the Manhattan on Robson Street begun. the face of the neighbourhood 1907 Fire Hall No. 6 built First fire hall purposely built for motorized equipment 1907 Imperial Roller Rink on the triangle (now a park) English Bay as a destination for the rest of the City bounded by Denman, Morton and Beach 1907 Lord Roberts School opens Growth of the neighbourhood 1907 - 1937 English Bay pier at the end of Gilford Street is English Bay, a place for all Vancouverites developed including The Prom, a glassed-in pavilion where local dance bands played 1908 Apartments and houses being built at the same time Evolution of the neighbourhood 1909 The opening of the Shaughnessy Heights subdivision Prompted a number of residents to move across False Creek, though the exodus took a number of years, and many of the original owners stayed put.