2010 | Annual Report vancouverheritagefoundation.org A About the Vancouver Heritage Foundation A he Vancouver Heritage Foundation is a not-for-profit, tourists and heritage buildings support the distinctiveness of registered charity dedicated to creating new life for city neighbourhoods. Retrofitting older buildings for greater old buildings through tours, courses, publications and energy efficiency and reusing them for new and modern purposes grantsT that encourage people to recycle and rehabilitate heritage keeps tons of debris from the landfill helping our region be more buildings rather than demolish them. sustainable. Older buildings are important non-renewable resources. They Through its programs and fundraising activities the Vancouver pay tribute to the people and places that built the city, and they Heritage Foundation is helping ensure there is a legacy of heritage are a wonderful complement to the spectacular natural setting buildings for future generations. By understanding the city’s past and tall slender towers for which Vancouver is world renowned. we can better plan for the future. Our unique history adds to the attractiveness of our city for A A Mission Statement DIANE SWITZER, Executive Director Vancouver Heritage Foundation The Vancouver Heritage Foundation is a registered charity supporting the conservation of heritage buildings and structures in recognition of their contribution to the city’s economy, sustainability and culture. The Foundation accomplishes its mission by: • Developing practical tools, information and incentives to help in the successful conservation of heritage buildings and structures. • Creating opportunities to access and learn about Vancouver’s heritage buildings. • Fundraising in the public and private sectors to fund VHF activities and to build an endowment that will protect our built heritage in to the future. • Promoting relationships that support heritage conservation. ~ 1 ~ A Message from the Chair A n spite of continued ups and downs in the economy, the VHF The Foundation expanded the reach of its education and granting programs ended the year in the black, while staying on track to expand our by: many innovative programs and tours. • Developing and delivering more than 30 Old School courses, and graduating the first ten program graduates IWhile organizing files to turn over to incoming Chair Marta Farevaag, I • Adding 3 new house tours – Vancouver Specials, “Get Out Of Town” Tour happened upon my first Chair’s Message in the September 2007 newsletter. In to cities such as Powell River and Victoria, and the innovative Laneway it I laid out my goals for the Foundation: House Tour • To solidify the financial base of the Foundation • Publishing new map guides to Chinatown, Japantown, the Carrall Street • To expand the reach of its education and granting programs Greenway, and re-publishing the downtown Mid-Century Modern map • And to successfully spread the word that sustainability is promoted by the • Developing Brown Bag Lunch & Learn Series for discussing important issues preservation of heritage buildings about our built environment • Establishing, in partnering with J.J. Bean Coffee Roasters and CBC, THE So what has the Foundation accomplished since 2007? WALL , an innovative art platform reflecting Vancouver’s built environment The Foundation solidified its financial base by: • Revising grant programs to broaden their scope and make them more • Establishing a Development Committee, a Finance Committee and an relevant. Investment Policy • Adding a Development Officer staff position And, as for successfully spreading the word about the strong connection • Organizing an annual fundraising event starting with Hot Dogs For Heritage between sustainability and heritage conservation: which has since evolved into this May’s Salvage Sale • In 2008 the VHF established a presence at the first Vancouver ‘Green Living • Implementing an Annual Friends of the Foundation Campaign Show’ • Increasing our Endowment Fund from $346,000 to just under $1.5 million, • In 2009 the New Life Old Buildings: A Green Guide to Heritage Conservation in spite of a huge global recession was published and 4,500 copies distributed. The guide continues to be • Launching a Save The Buildings Fund, thanks to lead donations from available online. Amacon & Yosef Wosk • And, the 2010 Heritage & Sustainability Symposium was a sold out success, • Engaging Compton Associates in December 2010 to develop a fundraising opening the door to continued partnerships for a second program in 2011 plan (cont'd) ~ 2 ~ A Message from the Chair A How did all this happen? eliminating senseless waste. Simple: A strong Board and Can it also be through broadening the market for our programs and tours to a talented and dedicated include tourism? What a powerful economic tool this could be for Vancouver staff. To me, the energy and the Province, as well as for the Foundation. In 2009 heritage and cultural and creativity coming out tourism contributed $2.4 billion to the Metro Vancouver economy – and more of this staff and Board is than half of the 4.2 million visitors to the region said that visiting historic sites contagious and stimulating. was among their top ten trip activities. I e n c o u r a g e T h e Foundation to continue to Thank you again for a fabulous four years as Board Chair! The VHF is in great think big and outside of hands with Marta Farevaag as our Incoming Chair. MARTA FAREVAAG MOLLIE MASSIE Incoming Chair Retiring Chair the box – to define a clear Board of Directors Board of Directors vision for the organization – and to broaden the scope o f o u r p r o g r a m m i n g . Widening our market and reach will not only help us raise money to fund our Retiring Chair Board of Directors programs – but it will help us become an even stronger heritage voice in this city. In closing I would like to leave you with some food for thought: How do we make historic preservation relevant in today’s world? For only by making it relevant can we increase our impact on the community and save buildings from demolition. Can it be through stressing the relevance of saving our built heritage to the larger environmental issues of our time, climate change and sustainability? Both are focused on saving valuable resources for future generations and ~ 3 ~ A Education and Public Awareness Activities A A Tours A HOUSE AND BUILDING TOURS WALKING TOURS GET OUT OF TOWN House and Building Tours bring people into Walking Tours take about 300 participants during The Get Out of Town Tour was a Samuel Maclure- unique and rarely seen places. They help visitors July and August to unlikely corners of the city inspired day trip to Victoria to hear Martin Segger, understand how older buildings can be adapted where they learn about cultural and neighbourhood author of The Buildings of Samuel Maclure, (1986), for modern living. In 2010, the Heritage House histories. In 2010 tour guide, John Atkin, took deliver a lunch-time lecture followed by a visit Tour, Mid-Century Modern Tour, Vancouver visitors to Marpole, Sunset and Oakridge inside four outstanding Maclure houses. Special Tour and Laneway House Tour opened 25 neighbourhoods. The Italian Cultural Centre and buildings to more than 3,000 visitors. the Jewish Museum and Archives led tours of Italian and Jewish Strathcona. ~ 4 ~ A Education and Public Awareness Activities A A Lectures and Workshops A OLD SCHOOL – COURSES FOR Professional Credit Providers for Old School: “The courses are educational, • Architectural Institute of B.C. BUILDING CONSERVATION interesting, inspiring and fun! The • Building Officials Association of B.C. ld School is an education program for personal & business contacts I’ve made • Appraisal Institute of Canada the interested public, design and & the resources available to Old School • Planning Institute of B.C. construction professionals to learn how participants are valuable beyond • B.C. Society of Landscape Architects Oto reuse, repair and recycle buildings. Old School measure. As an old house owner with teaches the skills and knowledge necessary for a great interest in architecture & our In 2010 Old School was supported by: making informed decisions about rehabilitating old built history, as a certified tradesperson/ • Heritage BC buildings. designer & now as a local government • Lohn Foundation building official, Old School has my very • Canada Mortgage & Housing Corporation In 2010 the first nine students graduated with highest recommendation!” • Yosef Wosk, OBC Completion Certificates in Heritage Conservation Participant, Rick Shaddock through the Old School program. “The entire day was incredible. The During the first three years of the program 693 Province of B.C. and Alberta. course is fabulous and should be students have registered in 35 courses. Registrants 9-5 for two days!” are a mix of professionals earning Professional In 2010, Old School offered Heritage 101; How to Education credits, trades people, and homeowners. Research the History of a Building; Conservation ! of Interiors; Navigating City Hall; Wood Windows 70% of Old School students live in Vancouver. and Their Conservation; and miscellaneous lectures “Incredible amount of knowledge 22% come from Metro Vancouver areas outside The on topics such as Vancouver Specials and Heritage and expertise in the room today.” City of Vancouver, and 8% come from around the and Sustainability. ~ 5 ~ A Education and Public Awareness Activities A A Lectures and Workshops A BROWN BAG LUNCH AND LEARN he VHF offered six noon time illustrated presentations by leading professionals and project proponents. The sessions focused on current topics concerning the city’s built environment such as UBC Renewal, Shaughnessy Modernism, Robson Square, Unveiling Heather TPavilion at Vancouver Hospital, and the Nichol House Restoration and Townhouse Infill at 16th & Granville. MAP GUIDES First published in 2009, the map guides to Chinatown, Japantown and the Carrall Street Greenway proved to be so popular that the first 2,500 copies of each map quickly disappeared through distribution at VHF community events, Tourism Vancouver and the Vancouver Public Library.