CORPORATION OF DELTA STATEMENTS OF SIGNIFICANCE, 2009 TABLE OF CONTENTS Delta Memorial Park Cenotaph, 501747 Avenue 2 Deas Island Cannery Site 4 Ladner United Church, 496048 Avenue 7 Nelson Residence, 10379 Main Street 9 Woods Farm, 267564 Street 11 Ladner's Landzng 14 Delta Waterworks 16 Vancouver Wireless Community 18 Ladner Harbour 20 Ladner Harbour Park and the Swenson Trail 22 DONALD LUXTON & ASSOCIATES INC.: NOVEMBER 2009 - 1- CORPORATION OF DELTA STATEMENTS OF SIGNIFICANCE, 2009 DELTA CENOTAPH, MEMORIAL PARK 501747 AVENUE Current Name: Delta Cenotaph Date of Construction: 1921 Description of Historic Place Located in the north end of Memorial Park in Village of Ladner, the Delta Cenotaph is comprised of a tapered granite obelisk atop a bell-shaped base, set on a large circular concrete base. The Cenotaph is adorned with plaques and the names of locals whose lives were lost in the First World War, Second World War, and the Korean War. Heritage Value ofthe Historic Place Erected in 1921, the Delta Cenotaph is valued as a symbol of Canada's military endeavours and is a local landmark that honours the citizens of Delta who gave their lives in wartime. The Cenotaph was erected by public subscription on land set aside by pioneer William H. Ladner's estate for a Memorial Park. It is prominently located at the north DONALD LUXTON & ASSOCIATES INC.: NOVEMBER 2009 -2- CORPORATION OF DELTA STATEMENTS OF SIGNIFICANCE, 2009 end of the park, which was established in 1919. Compriscd of a granite obelisk with engraved and applicd inscriptions, the Delta Cenotaph follows a tradition of memorial architecture typical across Canada at this time. It was unveiled on Sunday, May 21, 1921 by local resident Harry Nelson Rich, who lost his only son, Sidney Norris Rich during the war; Sidney's name can be found among several those inscribed on the base of the obelisk. The Delta Cenotaph is additionally valued for its evolution over time as a memorial that commemorates Canada's involvement in the Second World War and the Korean War. The thirty-eight names that are inscribed on the Cenotaph are an enduring reminder of the effects of war on the local community. Located in a prominent location, the Delta Cenotaph stands as a symbol of freedom for local citizens who utilize the park for leisure and recreation, and acts as a focus for commemorative activities including Remembrance Day ceremonies. Character-Defining Elements Key elements of that define the heritage character of the Delta Cenotaph include its: - location at the north end of Memorial Park, in Ladner Village - continuous commemorative use over time - form, scale and massing including a tall tapered granite obclisk, bell-shaped base and square base blocks, set on a large circular concrete base with bollards - construction materials including granite and a concrete base - inscribed names and painted metal plaques that commemorate thirty-eight local citizens; twenty-scven from thc First World War and eleven from the Second World War - the inscription reading "THEIR NAME LIVETH FOR EVERMORE" - thc dates in applied metal reading "1914-1919" and "1939-1945" - the applied bronze plaques reading "KOREA 1950-1953" on two sides of the obelisk - associated landscape features such as mature trees and other plantings surrounding the Cenotaph in a circular pattern DONALD LUXTON & ASSOCIATES INC.; NOVEMBER 2009 - 3 - CORPORATION OF DELTA STATEMENTS OF SIGNIFICANCE, 2009 DEAS ISLAND CANNERY SITE Description of the Historic Place Located on Deas Island Regional Park, the Deas Island Cannery site is situated on the southern bank of the south arm of the Fraser River. The caunery ceased operations in the early 1900s and was subsequently demolished. The site consists of a modern viewing tower, a historic boiler on a concrete base, and archaeological remains including tin sheets from which cans were stamped. Heritage Value of the Historic Place The Deas Island Cannery site is a representation of the importance of the West Coast fishing industry, and the development and success of the fish processing industry in Delta aud other Lower Mainland communities. In July of 1872, John Sullivan Deas, a pioneer black tinsmith from South Carolina, moved to the area and leased the Cooperville fishery operation. By 1873, Deas had pre-empted 160 acres of land and built a cannery on an island located downstream from Cooperville in a more accessible location. This newly created cannery operated in tandem with one of the most abundant salmon runs on the Fraser River. The cannery complex on Deas Island included a two-storey canning building, a warehouse, residences, a bunkhouse and a wharf. By 1883, there were thirteen canning companies along the Fraser River, and by 1890 one-third of fish canning production in British Columbia originated from the Delta area. The success of the fishing industry attracted workers from all over the world and led to Delta's ethnic diversity - allowing for the success of minority businessmen like John Sullivan Deas. Prior to the First World War, the canning industry in Delta provided employment for First Nations people, as well as families from China, Japan, Norway, Greece, and Croatia - husband and wife teams often worked together to pull in and harvest the large fish. A disastrous slide at Hell's Gate on the Fraser River, the advent of the First World War and a DONALD LUXTON & ASSOCIATES INC.: NOVEMBER 2009 -4- CORPORATION OF DELTA STATEMENTS OF SIGNIFICANCE, 2009 downtum in the economy led to the decline of the fishing industry along the west coast of Canada. The site of the Deas Island Cannery remains as a tribute to the hard work of entrepreneurs like John Sullivan Deas and the success of the early west coast salmon fishing industry and its role in the development of the greater Delta community. The site is now situated within Deas Island Regional Park, a place of recreation and leisure within the Delta community. The Deas Island Cannery is additionally valued for its association with early black pioneer and free slave John Sullivan Deas, who opened the cannery in 1873. Deas was born in South Carolina in 1838, and by 1856 was advertising himself as a tinsmith - a trade he practiced throughout California, Vancouver Island, and the Lower Mainland as he followed the Gold Rush north. By 1870, Captain James Cooper had pre-empted land and established a fish saltery in an area known as Coopcrville, upstream from what is now Deas Island. In 1871, Deas began his career in the fishing industry by making tin cans for a cannery owned by Captain Edward Stamp, a precise task that required the hand crafting of each tin vessel. Following Stamp's dcath, Deas seized the oppOItunity to open his own cannery at the location of Cooper's fish saltery, and soon after moved his operation to Deas Island. First opened in 1873, and known as 'The Deas & Loggie Company Calmery', the Deas Island Cmmery had a short life span; a change of ownership occurred in 1878 and production ceased at the time of the First World War. However, business was initially so prosperous that between 1872 and 1875, Deas produced the biggest salmon packs of any fishery along the Fraser River. In 1875, Deas took over whole ownership of the cannery, operating the business until 1878 when increased competition had significantly reduced the Deas cannery production. John Sullivan Deas, affectionately known as 'Billy', died in 1880 at the age of forty-two after a lifetime of tinsmithing had compromised his health. Deas is remembered as being the first to champion the cause of preserving and regulating the salmon fishing industry; through his efforts the salmon were not entirely depleted during the salmon craze of the late 1800s and early 19008. Deas is also important as one of the first black men to establish a business of his own in the Lower Mainland and as one of the first pioneers of the salmon fishing industry on the west coast of Canada. Deas Island was named after him in 1874. Character-Defining Elements Key elements of that define the heritage character of the Deas Island Cannery site include its: - location on Deas Island along the south arm of the Fraser River - the adaptive reuse of the cannery site as an interpretive site, which includes a viewing platform of the original salmon run location, walking trails and a public park - the cannery equipment at the base of the viewing platform including a concrete base supporting a canning boiler - archaeological remains of the cmmery operation DONALD LUXTON & ASSOCIATES INC.: NOVEMBER 2009 - 5 - CORPORATION OF DELTA STATEMENTS OF SIGNIFICANCE, 2009 touc~es~ or Be A.-<hivu ool1~otio... M £~ll IIutIber: r~61591 IlON w",".bo."hlv... ~ou,bo.". <~" " ""'~'"@"""'O<'''<h'oos.""v.k.c. CourtellY of Be Archives collections - Call NUltber: I-68290 lI"u: "",,,.b,,,,.-.::hl'-"'5.>;tOv.bc.<:& EOr,.i I: ~<::~~ss@"""".t:>c",,,ch,ve.~.<;tcv.b~.ca (C, - FnlVi,kd foe Rde"rr.h P'J!'r>OS~" Ord" - O~t'<ir 'J~" R<''l'.''c~~ P~t'r'''''','':;'' CI)Uf'te"lJ of Be Rr-chiv"" collections ~ Call Hunber: D-05348 W~b, www.bca~~h.v~~.90.-..be ...<tE:m«;I.~ce~$ .. @... " ... bcarcMjw... g.oy.be. c-a (0 p""",<l~<J fm' ;>,'o"'~"Qh P'-'~PG"~'S" (jnl" ~ Oth~" 1)5" i>equ,rE hr""g~":·n Idand Fishel'!! On the Frq"er RilleI' DONALD LUXTON & ASSOCIATES INC.: NOVEMBER 2009 - 6- CORPORA nON OF DELTA STATEMENTS OF SIGNIFICANCE, 2009 LADNER UNITED CHURCH, 4960 48 AVENUE Current Name: Ladner United Church Historic Name: St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church Architect: George W. Grant Builder: John B. Elliott Date of Construction: 1891-93 Description of Historic Place Ladner United Church, located at the corner of 48 Avenue and Ladner Street in the Village of Ladner, is a wood-frame Gothic Revival-style structure with a cross-gabled roof, Gothic pointed-arch windows and a corner bell tower.