April/May 2006 HERITAGE
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Volume 15 Number 2 April/May 2006 www.heritagevancouver.org HERITAGE Vanco N e w s l e tu t ev r er OUT ON A LIMB FOR HERITAGE by Emma Hall and Clint Robertson rees — living documents that reflect the natural and then appointed a Committee to manage this park and future cultural record of our tastes and values over time. acquisitions such as Hastings Park, acquired in 1888 from the Blessed with a mild climate and long growing season, provincial government. By 1890, the Park Board had become TVancouver boasts an enviably diverse and healthy urban forest an autonomous and separately elected body with a mandate to of nearly half a million trees. This priceless resource, con- care for Vancouver’s park and recreation resources. In 1896, sisting of several hundred different species and cultivars, Council passed its first bylaw relating to the planting of street includes native west coast woodlands, regal park specimens trees; in 1916, responsibility for street planting passed to the and boulevard trees. The oldest street trees are the big leaf Board of Parks and Recreation. In 1926, the newly established maples (Acer macrophyllum) planted in 1897 on Pender Street Vancouver Town Planning Commission authorized a com- next to Victory Square; the largest street tree, a giant sequoia prehensive town plan from American consultants Harland on the Cambie Street median near King Edward Avenue, has a Bartholomew and Associates. While Council never formally trunk circumference of over 18 feet. adopted the Bartholomew Plan, its recommendations shaped From the beginning, City Council led the charge to protect city planning, particularly the construction of wide tree-lined Vancouver’s arboreal richness. The very first decision of the boulevards such as Cambie Street south of King Edward, King first (1886) City Council was to save the 1,000-acre (404 Edward/West 25th and Boundary Road with its median of 100 hectare) peninsula, now known as Stanley Park, from further Canadian maples. logging. Instead, the City leased the land from the federal government for use as a park and recreation area. Council continued on page 2 Trees 1. 1300 Block Barclay - 2. Caucasian Wing Nut at 2020 Comox, both photos: Clint Robertson - 3. Salsbury Garden, Butternut tree, photo: Penny Street continued from cover Trees How do we conserve our living heri- MUST SEE HERITAGE TREES City residents enthusiastically tage? Sometimes, public awareness followed the lead of their Council. and action can save special trees — • 6 English elms (Ulmus procera), English Bay Salsbury Garden, one of our 2006 Top such was the case of two Soulange south end, once sheltered Joe Fortes’ cottage Ten endangered sites, illustrates this Magnolias (Magnolia x soulangiana). Planted in 1912 outside the then newly • English oak (Quercus robur) in Queen clearly: Charles Reid, first owner of Elizabeth Park was planted in 1951 by the Napier/Salsbury property, deliber- built Court House (now the VAG) they Queen Elizabeth II ately planned his property to include were slated for disposal in 1966 to a substantial corner garden. Arthur make room for the new provincial gov- • a Cedar of Lebanon (Cedrus libani) in Queen Elizabeth Park Greenius, the next owner, commit- ernment fountain. The Public outcry ted himself to fulfilling Reid’s garden was such that landscape contractor K. • A Garry oak (Quercus garryana) at 3545 vision and planted many unusual trees Johnsen could not destroy the trees and Dunbar Street – more often seen in such as a giant butternut tree and a instead transported them to his own southern Vancouver Island. property. In 1968 the Vancouver Park California spicebush. On private prop- • Western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla), erty on 12th Avenue east of Cambie Board acquired the trees and moved at corner of Willow and 14th Avenue, is Street, we find collections of Monkey them to their present home, flank- an example of one of BC’s most impor- Puzzle trees (Araucaria araucana) that ing the ramp entrances to the H.R. tant coastal commercial timber conifers MacMillan Planetarium. were brought to Vancouver via the • a pair of Nootka cypress (Chamaecyparis Panama Canal. In many instances, trees We look to our municipal leadership nootkatensis ‘pendula’) and a Madrona stand as ‘silent witnesses’ or informal to continue its strong tradition of civic (Arbutus menziesii) in McCleery transition markers for legal boundar- pride and protection of our trees, both Park at 49th Avenue and West Marine Crescent ies — one example is the Douglas Fir public and private. We must be aware (Pseudotsuga menziesii) located at that only through the foresight of suc- • the rare Pacific dogwood (Cornus nuttal the rear of 1781 East 15th Avenue, cession planting can trees retain their lii) outside the historic Hastings Mill believed to be planted near a ‘line’ strong presence in our neighbourhoods. Store in Pioneer Park One of the first rules of current conser- shack to delineate the edge of one of • a Carolina Allspice (Calycanthus Vancouver’s original cattle ranches. vation theory is that we must protect, floridus) in the 140 block of East 22nd For the 1986 BC Centennial, the maintain and rehabilitate our cultural Avenue. BC Society of Landscape Architects resources. With the construction boom in Vancouver, many trees are at risk. • the row of Cappadocian maples (Acer compiled Vancouver’s first official cappdocicum) in the 1300 block of registry of 100 heritage trees deemed If protection and retention mecha- Barclay Street particularly significant owing to size nisms have been exhausted (possibly and/or age, rarity and/or connection due to life span), then replacement • the Caucasian Wing Nut (Pterocarya frax ini folia) located at 2020 Comox Street to a historical event. Highlights, owing in kind is the best solution. In a best- to their immense size, include: the Tree case scenario, this entails perpetuating • the Tulip Tree (Liridondren tulipfera) in of Heaven (Ailanthus altissima) within vegetation though propagation by con- the 1200 block of Harwood Street the grass triangle at 15th Avenue, serving seed collections and genetic stock cuttings from existing material • the Dove Tree (Davidia involucrata) at Kingsway and Fraser Street; an incense the southeast corner of Southwest cedar (Calocedrus decurrens) at 4687 to retain the genetic pool — perhaps Marine Drive and West 49th Avenue; Marguerite Street; and a horse chestnut this option could be explored through best seen in spring (Aesculus hippocastanum) outside of the UBC Department of Botany or VanDusen Gardens. If propagation is • Silk tree (Albizia julibrissin) 3390 The Crescent — all tower 65+ at 1735 Collingwood Street. feet above street level. not a possibility, then the replacement Unfortunately, in 2006, few mecha- should match the old tree in terms of nisms protect these old friends. Only character, form and shape. The best QUIZ TIME: DO YOU KNOW???? a few trees presently enjoy specific method for this is one of inter-plant- 1. How many trees line Vancouver streets? by-law protection — a Copper Beech ing, a strategy to maintain the canopy 2. How many varieties of trees are there on (80 cm trunk diameter) and 2 Douglas and appearance of an area so that the Vancouver streets? juvenile specimen can get established 3. How many flowering street trees does Firs (50 and 90 cm trunk diameter) on Vancouver have? the property adjacent to the corner of and the mature tree can remain for as 4. How many street trees are planted Wales Street and East 44th Avenue. long as possible. annually? Then, although the Vancouver Heritage Vancouver ranks at the top of the list 5. How many ladybugs does the City release of livable cities and trees work hard annually to contribute to Vancouver’s Register does include some trees, the greenness? list is very short — only 30 are cur- to keep us there, providing shade, 6. How many full-time arboricultural staff rently listed. All entries are trees on promoting air quality, reducing soil does Vancouver employ? public property and thus trees in pri- erosion and providing vital habitat for the city’s fauna. Long may they For the answers, go to vate gardens such as Salsbury Garden http://www.city.vancouver.bc.ca/Parks/ remain vulnerable. bloom and flourish! trees/factsnfigures.htm or see page 4. ADVOCACY UPDATE “Black Swan Records” (if approved) will be a residential conver- threat of redevelopment for condo towers Commercial Kits Building sion with added floors, or primarily an — an accelerating process that is eroding (circa 1922) 2936 West 4th Avenue office building with townhouse infill along the integrity and built form of the area as a As all redevelopment permits have been Cordova Street. whole. One developer — Polygon Homes issued for a new building, City staff are Ltd. — has been aggressively buying up making a last-ditch effort to relocate the Gastown properties in the area, the most recent existing building to a site a couple of miles We are monitoring with concern the being in the vicinity of 11th and Birch. In southwest of its present location. The final current process regarding the proposed 2005, Polygon bought a site in the 1400 outcome will depend on whether some Whitecaps Stadium to be built on a block West 14th Avenue that is now being tricky legal issues can be overcome. platform above the CP rail tracks north redeveloped. We fear this is just the Otherwise, the building will be demolished of Gastown. The 15-30,000 seat open sta- beginning, and believe the area should by April or May. dium would be built on a massive 4-storey be comprehensively evaluated, with concrete platform, with the upper stands recommendations for additions to the Brockton Point Lighthouse towering 6-8 storeys over Gastown Register and possible zoning changes to Jericho Marginal Wharf between Seymour and Cambie.