All "Ten of Vancouver's Oldest Buildings" listed by Ron Meyer in the 1976 Vancouver Book are still standing. Three remain unprotected despite Meyer's caveat that they "could be destroyed without warning". Surprise demolition could happen back then (and demolition by neglect still does), but not now, as those buildings--indeed all heritage buildings--have been evaluated and listed on the Vancouver Heritage Register. (The Register was known until 1994 as the Vancouver Heritage Inventory, which was compiled and adopted by Council in 1986). While being listed doesn't assure protection, it does afford the first "warning" of pending demolition.

As we learn more about our past--and as there is a growing interest in preserving it--we have a more complete picture of the earliest buildings in the City. It is estimated that there are at least 19 buildings dating from the pre 1980 period, 9 more than were known in 1976. There are about 59 buildings which were built by the end of 1895 and are still standing a century later. Of these, 26 (or 44%) have wood framing and cladding, a surprising testament to what is often considered an impermanent material.

Designated buildings and sites are just a part of the overall picture of heritage in Vancouver. Of the over 2200 heritage buildings in the city listed on the Vancouver Heritage Register--having been evaluated for their architectural, historical or contextual value--about 17% are protected through designation. There are 360 buildings on the First Shaughnessy Heritage Inventory (of which 76 are also on the Register), lots of character buildings throughout the city's neighborhoods, heritage parks, landscapes, monuments and archaeological sites. Then there are 100 Recent Landmarks, the legacy of our important post-1940 period and historic interiors will soon be getting much needed attention. Yet more previously unknown or overlooked buildings come to light every year through the Public Nomination process and are considered for heritage listing.

The topic of heritage in Vancouver would be a book in itself, but this article will focus on the protected--that is designated--places in the city.

What is heritage in Vancouver? Each city has its own heritage--that is everything left to us from the past. Vancouver's past is of booms and busts, wealth from natural resources of the province and transporting it by rail and sea. There are century old wooden houses in Strathcona, the West End and even a cottage dating from 1888--making it one the oldest houses still standing in the city--in Mt. Pleasant. We've got a good stock of buildings from the Edwardian period of the early 20th century, lots of Craftsman bungalows and some excellent buildings, like the Marine Building, from the Art Deco period of the '20s and '30s. There is also an impressive collection of buildings from the 1950s and '60s when Vancouver led the country in modern architecture with a West Coast regional twist. There are many trees and landscapes, monuments and bridges--like the Burrard Bridge--of outstanding heritage value. Varied in style, historic period and setting, they all contribute to the collective legacy of Vancouver's heritage.

How is heritage managed? Taking care of this range of resources, mostly in private ownership, is done in many ways. The City of Vancouver's Heritage Management Plan was established in 1986, the Centennial year, as the blueprint for looking after the identification, public awareness, conservation and protection of Vancouver's heritage. The Plan is administered by the four staff of the Heritage Conservation Program in the Planning Department. Council seeks advise on heritage matters through the Vancouver Heritage Commission, an appointed body of 11 citizens with a range of expertise and interest in heritage.

The Vancouver Heritage Register is the bible--for staff and the public alike--for keeping track of where there are buildings of heritage value in the city. This is the list of buildings which are graded into A, B or C categories depending on their architectural, historical, contextual value. Noting that being "listed" doesn't mean "protected", heritage staff makes use of the various heritage incentives to encourage owners to retain and rehabilitate important buildings in the City. These incentives include the ability to relax regulations of the Zoning and Development by-law (which can mean allowing more building area for an addition, easing up on yard requirements or reducing the amount of required parking) all in an effort to make retaining the heritage building an attractive option to demolition. Other incentives include "Green Door" priority processing of heritage development applications, density bonuses and, in the downtown area, the ability to transfer density (or air rights) from a heritage site to a new development site in certain instances. In exchange for these incentives, the owner consents to the building's protection through designation.

How do we protect heritage? The 20-year period since the first Vancouver Book was published has seen the maturing of the heritage movement. It has also seen the legislation affecting heritage conservation change twice, first in 1977 and then in 1994. Designation remains the primary way that heritage sites are protected. This can be done by the Province through provincial designation or by City Council through municipal designation. Gastown and Chinatown were created as heritage areas by provincial designation in 1972 (at the time the city did not have the ability to designate sites itself). There are 133 buildings which continue to be protected by this designation (out of a total of 332 sites in the two historic areas). With the exception of the Roundhouse and Engine 374, the rest of the protected property and buildings in Vancouver are municipally designated.

Simply put, municipal designation is a by-law which City Council enacts to afford protection from alteration or demolition without their approval. There are two categories of designation, Schedule A and Schedule B (the Schedules form part of Heritage By-law 4837), depending on the extent of the designation. Schedule A buildings have the entire building exterior protected while Schedule B buildings have only a specific part protected. For example, all of City Hall (built in 1936) is protected by being in Schedule A, while just the upper two floors of the facade of the Palms Hotel on Granville St. are protected by being on Schedule B. Since 1977 most buildings have become voluntarily designated as acceptance for the previously mentioned incentives. Once designated, the city provides the bronze Heritage Plaque to identify the building as protected property and as an important part of Vancouver's heritage.

In October 1994, the province enacted new heritage legislation which revamped the procedures for heritage designation and introduced a new kind of protection: the Heritage Revitalization Agreement. Overall, the new legislation shifted the powers of heritage protection to the local level by creating extensive new Heritage Conservation sections in the Vancouver Charter and the Municipal Act (for the rest of BC). This makes conservation tools and legislation more readily used at the local level. The new legislation makes clearer the circumstances where compensation for designation is required, mandates designation proceedings to happen at a public hearing and allows for the protection of interior fixtures and features and landscape elements. Since the new legislation has been in effect, Vancouver has designated 16 heritage buildings.

The Heritage Revitalization Agreement is a new legal tool, which enables the City and a property owner to agree on certain variances to the prevailing zoning regulations to assist in the property's revitalization. Its protection, similar to designation is assured.

What Are Some of the City's Designated Buildings and Sites? Oldest (and first) designated building Hastings Mill Store 1865 • moved 1930 Oldest Designated building: original site: Brynes Block 1887 • 2 Water Street Youngest designated building: Gardner House 1958 • 3152 West 49th First (and only) designated landscape: Cambie Boulevard Designated artifact: Engine 374 Designated sign Woodward's "W" Designated heritage areas: Gastown, Chinatown Interiors: None Who are Some of the People Behind the Buildings? Michael Lambert has been a proud custodian of the impressive Hotel Vancouver (1939). He helped fund the design fees which got the Heritage Plaque program off the ground. The magnificent Adamesque Pacific Ballroom has been the venue for the annual Heritage Awards, held in February on Heritage Day. The Marine Building (1929) is in the capable hands of Princeton's general manager Marjo McDouglall. The careful restoration of the brick and terra cotta exterior has been done under her direction all of which upholds this building's distinction as one of the City's most loved heritage designated building.

The city's first designated landscape is largely due to the efforts of Ethel Karmel and the Citizens to Save the Cambie Boulevard. From King Edward Boulevard to Marine Drive the central median of the Cambie Boulevard is an important piece of urban planning, envisioned by planner Harland Bartholomew in 1946. It was protected in 1993 and the plaque is located in the central median at 33rd Ave. opposite Queen Elizabeth Park.

Novam Development's president Paolo Pela has a fondness for historic buildings. He also sees the commercial value in their rehabilitation. New life has been given to the majestic Bank of Commerce (1906-08) by Paolo's vision of creating Birks Place. The Birks Clock has been relocated right across the street from its original location on Hastings St.

"Glen Brae" (1910) is one of the city's landmark houses and one of three designated buildings in First Shaughnessy. Through the generosity of the late Elizabeth Wlosinski the house was willed to the city and was the impetus for the creation of the Vancouver Heritage Conservation Foundation. The building is being lovingly restored on the exterior and brought up to date for its new use as Canuck Place Children's Hospice.

The University Women's Club has owned Hycroft (1909), another of Shaughnessy's premier buildings, since 1962. They continue to keep it in shape from bottom to top--including the recently restored green tile roof. Inside and out, it is one of the most beautiful buildings in the city.

Since the late 1970's when plans to demolish a stand of historic building in the West End were proposed, Janet Bingham has worked tirelessly to save them, starting with the Roedde House (1893). With the help of the Community Arts Council and many others, she was influential in achieving the creation of the city's only historic house museum and the unique heritage park, Barclay Heritage Square.

John Atkin lives in one of the tiniest designated buildings in the city, one of the four houses on Hawks Ave (1899-1900). He spearheaded their restoration and continues to be active in heritage, be it the Strathcona Porch Project, Heritage Vancouver or as an award-winning author (Strathcona--Vancouver's First Neighbourhood).

The Weeks House (1895) has sat empty for years. Now, the last of the heritage houses at Barclay Heritage Square is coming to life as a home away from home for the Friends for Life, under the direction of Lorne Mayencourt.

Historically it's the Randall Building (1929), but since being completely rehabilitated in 1991, its known as the Cavelti Building. Jeweller Toni Cavelti has succeeded in upgrading a dignified building to a modern code and functional needs and added something modern to cap it all off --a splendid modernist roof top addition.

The first designated building from the modern era is the Electra, formerly the B.C. Hydro Building (1955-57). Unquestionably a distinctive building on the city's skyline, then and now, the building has been guided by developer Terry Partington into a new era as a residential building, preserving its landmark qualities throughout.

Yaletown is undergoing a transformation and Ron Dick's rehabilitation of the former Stewart and Comrie Warehouse at 1140-1150 Hamilton Street is showing how well it can be done. The previously disfigured facades have been returned to their original character. In exchange for using most of the floor area for residential use, the building was designated and protected.

The Sylvia Hotel (1911-12) is one of the grand dames of the West End. The accomplished and witty adjacent residential tower (1987) in high post-modern design by Richard Henriquez shows how new and old can live side by side.

Vancouver's Municipally Designated Heritage Buildings Designated December 1974 (schedule A) 1. Hastings Mill Store, 1865 • 1575 Alma 2. Christ Church Cathedral, 1889-95 • 690 Burrard 3. St. James Church, 1935-37 • 303 East Cordova 4. CPR Station, 1912-14 • 601 West Cordova 5. Gabriola, 1901 • 1531 Davie 6. National Harbours Board, 1905 • 50 Dunlevy 7. Court House, 1906-13 • 800 West Georgia 8. Orpheum Theatre, 1927 • 884 Granville 9. Shannon, 1912-13 • 7255 Granville 10. Bank of Commerce, 1906-08 • 640-698 West Hastings 11. Old Post Office Building, 1905-10 • 757 West Hastings 12. Credit Foncier Building, 1913-14 • 850 West Hastings 13. Hycroft, 1909 • 1489 McRae 14. Heritage Hall, 1914 • 3102 Main 15. Glen Brae, 1910 • 1690 Matthews 16. St. Andrew's Wesley Church, 1931-33 • 1012 Nelson 17. Sun Tower, 1912 • 100 West Pender 18. Holy Rosary Cathedral, 1899-1900 • 646 Richards 19. Aberthau, 1909 • 4397 West 2nd 20. Hudson Bay Co. Store, 1913 & 1926 • 640 Granville

Designated March 1976 (schedule A) 21. Beatty Street Drill Hall, 1899-1901 • 620 Beatty 22. James England House, 1907 • 2300 Birch 23. Marine Building, 1920-30 • 355 Burrard 24. Hotel Vancouver, 1929-39 • 900 West Georgia 25. Sylvia Hotel, 1911-12 • 1154 Gilford 26. Vancouver Block, 1912 • 736 Granville 27. Winch Building, 1909 • 757 West Hastings 28. BC Permanent Loan, 1907 • 330 West Pender 29. Canada Permanent, 1911 • 432 Richards 30. Hodson Manor, 1894 & 1903 • 1254 West 7th 31. Steamboat House, 1890 • 1151 West 8th 32. Davis House, 1891 • 166 West 10th 33. City Hall, 1936 • 453 West 12th

Designated December 1976 (schedule A) 34. Alexandra Park Bandstand, 1915 • Beach Avenue at Burnaby 35. St. Paul's Church, 1911 • 969 Burrard 36. First Baptist Church, 1911 • 969 Burrard 37-40 Strathcona School, Nos. 2, 3, 4, & 5, 1897 • 594 East Pender 41. Roedde House, 1893 • 1415 Barclay 42. Vancouver Club, 1912-14 • 1415 Barclay 43. Ukrainian Orthodox Church, 1950 • 154 East 10th 44. Hirshfield House, 1910 • 1963 Comox

Designated December 1976 (schedule B) 45. Chalmers Church, 1912 • 2801 Hemlock 46. Douglas Lodge, 1907 • 2799 Granville 47. St. Luke's Home, 1924 • 309 East Cordova 48. Palms Hotel, 1890s & 1913 • 869 Granville 49. Bank of Commerce, 1929 • 817-819 Granville 50. Hudson's Bay Insurance Co., 1911 • 900 West Hastings

Designated July 1978 (schedule A) 51. Brock House, 1911 • 3875 Point Grey

Designated October 1978 (schedule A) 52. Stanley Park Pavilion, 1911 • Stanley Park

Designated April 1980 (schedule A) 53. CN Station and Rooftop Neon Sign, 1917-19 • 1150 Station

Designated July 1980 (schedule A) 54. Coroner's Court, 1932 • 238-240 East Cordova 55. Firehall No. 2, 1907 • 270 East Cordova

Designated July 1986 (schedule A) 56. Dick Building, 1929 • 1482-90 West Broadway 57. Model School, 1905 • 555 West 12th 58. Normal School, 1909 • 555 West 12th

Designated April 1987 (schedule A) 59-62. 504, 508, 512, 516 Hawks, 1899-1900

Designated May 1987 (schedule B) 63. Tudor Manor, 1927-28 • 1311 Beach

Designated September 1987 (schedule A) 64-65. 2202,2220 Cypress, 1914

Designated October 1987 (schedule A) 66. 1096 West 10th, 1922

Designated February 1988 (schedule A) 67. 883 Broughton, 1903 68. 889 Broughton, 1903 69. 891 Broughton, 1903 70. 1416 Haro, 1909 71. 1430-32 Haro, 1902 72. 1436 Haro, 1907 73. Barclay Manor, 1890 • 1447 Barclay 74. Weeks House, 1985 • 1459 Barclay 75. Terminal City Lawn Bowling Club, 1935 • 1650 West 14th 76. Connaught Park Fieldhouse, 1925 • 2390 West 10th 77. Memorial Park South Fieldhouse, 1930 • 5950 Prince Albert 78. Vancouver Rowing Club, 1911 • Stanley Park

Designated September 1988 (schedule B) 79. Tellier Tower, 1910-11 • 10-16 East Hastings

Designated September 1988 (schedule A) 80. Firehall No. 6, 1907 • 1001 Nicola

Designated May 1989 (schedule A) 81. Bloomfield House, 1900 • 2532 Columbia 82. 1642 Stephens, 1911

Designated August 1989, (schedule A) 83. 3846 West 10th, 1936-37

Designated August 1990 (schedule A) 84. 117 West 10th, 1895 85. 140 West 10th, 1910 86. 144 West 10th, 1894 87. 148 West 10th, 1908 88. 150 West 10th, 1907 89. 156 West 10th, 1894 90. 2953-55 Ontario, 1907 91. 989 Bute, 1899 92. 1235 Nelson, 1931

Designated August 1990 (schedule B) 93. Kennsington Place, 1912 • 1386 Nicola

Designated September 1990 (schedule A) 94. 2967 West 42nd, 1915 96. Fee House, 1905 • 1119 Broughton

Designated January 1991 (schedule A) 96. 2055 West 14th, 1910

Designated March 1991 (schedule A) 97. Randall Building, 1929 • 535-565 West Georgia

Designated September 1991 (schedule A) 98. 8264 Hudson, 1912 99. 835-39 Cambie, 1929 100. 1037 Matthews, 1913 101. Haigler House, 1925 • 3537 West 30th 102-5 849, 853, 863, 867 Hamilton, 1895-1900

Designated May 1992 (schedule A) 106. 2740 Yukon, 1913

Designated July 1992 (schedule A) 107. 1865 West 16th, 1912

Designated September 1992 (schedule A) 108. 280 East 6th, 1908 109. 2675 Oak, 1929

Designated January 1993 (schedule B) 110. St. George's School, 1911-12 • 3851 West 29th

Designated January 1993 (schedule A) 111. Taylor Manor, 1913 • 951 Boundary Road

Designated April 1993 (schedule A) 112. Evangelistic Tabernacle, 1909-10 • 85 East 10th

Designated April 1993 (schedule B) 113. 5709 Wales, 1912

Designated July 1993 (schedule A) 114. 3358 Southeast Marine Drive, 1911 115. 3010 West 5th, 1921

Designated July 1993 (schedule A) 116. St. Mary's Church Kerrisdale • 2498 West 37th Avenue - church building, 1913 117. St. Mary's Church Kerrisdale • 2498 West 37th Avenue - parish hall, 1923

Designated September 1993 (schedule A) 118. Central Median of Cambie Street Boulevard, 1940

Designated September 1993 (schedule B) 119. Jones Tent and Awning, 1919 • 2034 West 11th Avenue

Designated October 1993 (schedule A) 120. Toronto Dominion Bank, 1920 • 560-580 West Hastings Street 121. 330 West 15th Avenue, 1912

Designated November 1993 (schedule A) 122. BC Hydro Building, 1955-57 • 970 Burrard Street

Designated February 1994 (schedule B) 123. Gardner House, 1958 • 3152 West 49th Avenue

Designated June 1994 (schedule B) 124. Stewart and Comrie Warehouse, 1911 • 1140-1150 Hamilton Street

Designated September 1994 (schedule A) 125. 177-179 East Hastings Street, 1912

Designated December 1994 (schedule A) 126. 2990 West 5th Avenue, 1920 127. 2216-2218 St. George Street, 1911 128. 518 Beatty Street, 1911 129. 1050 Nicola Street, 1909 130. Vancouver Public Library, 1957 • 750 Burrard Street

Designated March 1995 (schedule A) 131. 6120 Macdonald Street, 1921

Designated March 1995 (schedule B) 132. Japanese Hall and Japanese School, 1927-28 • 475 Alexander Street

Designated May 1995 (schedule A) 133. 967 West 8th Avenue, 1905 134. 1178 Hamilton Street, 1912 135. 901-911 Homer Street, 1910 136. 1183 West 10th, 1907

Designated June 1995 (schedule A) 137. 2830 West 1st Avenue, 1909 138. 901 West 23rd Avenue, 1912 139. 138 West 10th Avenue, 1904

Designated July 1995 (schedule A) 140. 800 Cassiar Street, 1912 141. Woodward's, 1908 various additions • 101 West Hastings Street