Heritage 麻豆传媒映画Society鈥檚 executive director Bill Yuen says Mount Pleasant鈥檚 distinct character is at risk, which is why 鈥楾he Heart of Mount Pleasant鈥� tops the organization鈥檚 2019 watch list. Photo Dan Toulgoet
The old Mount Pleasant village at Main Street between Sixth and 12th avenues, combined with the triangle block formed by Main, Broadway and Kingsway, form what Heritage 麻豆传媒映画Society refers to as 鈥淭he Heart of Mount Pleasant,鈥� which has acted as the 鈥渉ub鈥� of the neighbourhood since it began to develop in the 1880s.
Its ongoing value lies in the older buildings, diversity of longtime businesses, affordable artist spaces and the diverse demographics, according to Bill Yuen, the organization鈥檚 executive director.
Like many, Yuen appreciates the quirky mix of what鈥檚 offered.
鈥淵ou have the book store, which I really enjoy going to 鈥� Pulpfiction books. It鈥檚 great that people walk in there and they all know the owner or the people working there. It鈥檚 almost familial,鈥� he said.
鈥淚 quite enjoy the triangle building. It鈥檚 rather important. Obviously, there鈥檚 a lot of history in the building, but upstairs there鈥檚 a lot of artist studios that are affordable for artists. Downstairs, there鈥檚 Gene鈥檚 [caf茅], of course, which is quite a beloved space. It鈥檚 a wonderful corner that people can use. People sit outside 鈥� there鈥檚 a lot of activity outside. It鈥檚 quite a wonderful building.鈥�
What the area will look and feel like in the future remains uncertain, however. That concern, along with its importance to a lot of people, is why Heritage 麻豆传媒映画Society (HVS) ranked听听on its 2019 Top 10 watch list. The list 鈥� the organization鈥檚 19th 鈥斕�.
2019 TOP 10 WATCH LIST
- The Heart of Mount Pleasant
- Broadway Neighbourhoods
- Maritime Museum
- Dunbar Theatre
- Punjabi Market
- 525 Great Northern Way
- Fairmont Building
- Legacy of Expo 86
- Japantown
- Protecting Vancouver鈥檚 Heritage
Uncertainty around how the Broadway Plan, which is underway, will unfold was a key factor in the decision, and also why听 position.
鈥淭he heart of Mount Pleasant and the other Broadway Neighbourhoods are key areas that are distinct and beloved,鈥� the watch list states.
鈥淭he combinations of small local businesses, streetscapes, public gathering spaces, demographics, more affordable spaces and older buildings make them significant for the benefit of the public.鈥�
But advocates worry about what could be lost if heritage concerns, including the idea of 鈥渓iving neighbourhoods,鈥� aren鈥檛 given due consideration during the city鈥檚 planning processes, Yuen said.
, the Broadway Plan, which will take two years to complete, covers the Broadway corridor from Clark Drive to Vine Street between West First and 16th avenues, traversing four neighbourhoods 鈥� False Creek Flats, Fairview, Mount Pleasant and a corner of Kitsilano. It will address subjects such as housing, job space, and social and cultural amenities around听the future subway route听鈥� an extension of the Millennium Line from VCC-Clark Station to Arbutus Street. Six stations are planned 鈥� five on Broadway, potentially at Main, Cambie, Oak, Granville and Arbutus. Conservationists fear the stations could intensify development pressure.
The Broadway Plan is not the only large-scale planning program underway that will impact neighbourhoods.听听is also in the works. Council directed staff to start developing it last November.
鈥淲e鈥檙e talking about big impacts on neighbourhoods 鈥� on what constitutes a neighbourhood. We鈥檙e not just talking about historic buildings that people care about. This is much bigger,鈥� Yuen said.
鈥淲ith Mount Pleasant, we鈥檙e talking about the nature of the small businesses and the type of commercial identity that鈥檚 there. We鈥檙e talking about the demographic mix that is already there, there鈥檚 income mix and businesses that serve those different demographics. There鈥檚 artists, there鈥檚 affordable spaces. All those things come up when you think, 鈥極K, is everything going to be demolished to make way for bigger buildings around the station area?鈥� This is really important for, not just people who are interested in local history or historic architecture, but for people who care about that neighbourhood and use that neighbourhood.鈥�
HEART UNDER THREAT
Important historic buildings in the heart of Mount Pleasant include:
- the Ashnola apartments at 2152 Main St.
- the Royal Bank/Goh Ballet building at 2345 Main St.
- the Lee Building at Broadway and Main
- the Bank of Montreal at 2490 Main St.
- Belvedere Court at 2539 Main St.
- Wenonah Apartments at 2703 Main St.
- the Vernon Block at 225 to 245 East Broadway
- Williams Block at 154 East Seventh
- Western Front at 303 East Eighth
- Quebec Manor at 101 East Seventh
- the building at Eighth and Main
- and two brewery buildings at Scotia at Sixth and Seventh.
The 13 buildings are on the Heritage Register, but only four have an official legal designation.
Ashnola apartments. Photo: Dan Toulgoet
Alyssa Myshok, co-founder of Mount Pleasant Heritage Group, is as concerned as Heritage 麻豆传媒映画about the buildings, how they contribute to the neighbourhood and the area鈥檚 future. The group helped the society put together the position paper on 鈥淭he Heart of Mount Pleasant.鈥�
Position papers for the Top 10 list outline why particular entries were chosen 鈥� the threat against them, their significance, HVS鈥檚 position and actions the public can take.
For Myshok, the heart of Mount Pleasant鈥檚 鈥渉uman-scale鈥� buildings and long history combine to produce its character.
鈥淭here鈥檚 such a story contained in all those buildings about how Mount Pleasant came together. It was built around the streetcar so it鈥檚 almost like the first suburb built around public transit,鈥� she said.
While the neighbourhood鈥檚 2010 community plan emphasizes the importance of its character, Myshok maintains nothing鈥檚 been put in place to protect it.
鈥淭he heart really is under threat. Development has been really taking off in Mount Pleasant, of course, because it鈥檚 been more accessible for developers鈥� It is heartbreaking that here is a really treasured part of not only Mount Pleasant, but of the city, [and] that the city hasn鈥檛 stood up to recognize [it],鈥� she said.
鈥淣ow we鈥檙e going into the Broadway corridor plan. So far, nothing that the city has put forth has really said [that] this is a critical part of what Mount Pleasant means in the community, it鈥檚 important to the city, and we need to ensure it remains as such 鈥� at scale, with a community feel, [and] retains that character.鈥�
Aside from getting involved with the Mount Pleasant Heritage Group, both Heritage 麻豆传媒映画and Myshok encourage residents to take part in the Broadway planning process to share what aspects they think are important and should be preserved.
鈥淪how up, attend the [Broadway Plan meetings], participate in them, and tell the city what is valuable about that area and what they feel should be kept,鈥� Yuen said.
鈥淚 want to emphasize, even though this is Heritage Vancouver鈥檚 Top 10, this goes way beyond the historic buildings. It could be that the older buildings allow for more affordable rents 鈥� [it鈥檚] anything that you value on that street. If you go to yoga, if you buy ice cream, if you sit and have a beer, if you have coffee 鈥� that local mom-and-pop business, they might get pushed out.鈥�
REGARDS TO BROADWAY
鈥淏roadway Neighbourhoods,鈥� earned the No. 2 position on the watch list since numerous blocks along that route between Clark and Vine are subject to the Broadway planning process.
Heritage 麻豆传媒映画says it supports 鈥渁 progressive, performance-based planning process that truly listens to residents and does not have any preconceived notions of how transit-oriented neighbourhoods should look and feel.鈥�
Yuen said residents鈥� participation in public consultation is key to ensure critical features are preserved.
鈥淭here鈥檚 a responsibility for residents to communicate properly what is important, aside from saying there鈥檚 a specific architectural look, which is important too, but that鈥檚 not the only thing,鈥� he听said.
鈥淥n the West Side, we hear that the neighbourhood is hollowing out, there鈥檚 less people there and [fewer] kids going to school, so how do you bring back what makes up that neighbourhood? What is really important in terms of neighbourhood character?鈥�
Unique elements in the Broadway neighbourhoods, according to Heritage Vancouver, include the groceries in Kitsilano鈥檚 Greektown, the 鈥減leasant鈥� walkability of mixed-use Fairview slopes, Main Street鈥檚 鈥渢rendy鈥� retail and casual street life, and the 鈥渄ense leafy character of Mount Pleasant.鈥�
The organization also calls attention to 鈥淔irst Nations鈥� activity on the slopes long before 1890 when the first road was built and became a major colonial thoroughfare.鈥�
鈥淭his rich history has left numerous unusual architectural and place-making assets, along with many intangible patterns of daily use,鈥� states the organization, highlighting the BowMac sign, the Main Street Triangle, the collection of outdoor stores around the old MEC site,
鈥淒ingbat鈥� apartments 鈥� low-rise stucco walk-up apartments, often with parking underneath at the main level 鈥� at Granville Street, and one of Vancouver鈥檚 first low-energy townhomes at Vine Street.
鈥淸They] all represent important times and movements that deserve attention and protection. These are just a handful of examples in a long list of important sites. Few of these areas, buildings, signs and stores are protected in any legal or policy sense.鈥�
Heritage 麻豆传媒映画insists it鈥檚 not against change, it鈥檚 not opposed to the rapid transit line and it鈥檚 not against the Broadway planning process. Rather, it argues, it鈥檚 important to retain and enhance neighbourhood character, while allowing growth to occur.
鈥淲e鈥檙e not saying you need to keep everything, but we need to identify what鈥檚 important to keep,鈥� Yuen said.
For the society, 鈥渁 successful Broadway area plan that respects existing neighbourhoods may require careful control of land use and block by black negotiation in order to retain important concentrations of intangible patterns.鈥�
Heritage Vancouver鈥檚 overall watch list, meanwhile, varies from specific sites to particular parts of the city to how heritage, in general, can be protected.
Yuen said the society鈥檚 overall goal with its annual list is to show the range of heritage in Vancouver, to expand the definition of heritage to beyond the buildings themselves 鈥� although they are important 鈥� to include how they support life in the city, and to underscore that there鈥檚 a lot at risk if important sites and features of the city are lost.
The complete list:
1) The Heart of Mount Pleasant
Read听more about this entry on Heritage 麻豆传媒映画Society's 2019 watch list听.
The Goh Ballet building. Photo: Dan Toulgoet
2) Broadway Neighbourhoods
Read听more about this entry on Heritage 麻豆传媒映画Society's 2019 watch list听.
The Lee building at Main and Broadway. Photo: Dan Toulgoet
3) Maritime Museum
The 麻豆传媒映画Maritime Museum, located in Hadden Park at 1905 Ogden Avenue, opened in 1959. The wood-shingled and glass A-frame building, which was designed by C.B.K. Van Norman & Associates, was added to the museum in 1966. Read听more about its significance and why Heritage 麻豆传媒映画Society is concerned听.
4) Dunbar Theatre
The Art Deco-style Dunbar Theatre was completed in 1935. Heritage 麻豆传媒映画Society says it's valued as one of the last remaining neighbourhood theatres in Vancouver. It was originally designed by Scottish-born architect David Colville. It's also associated with film producer J. Howard Boothe. Read more about its signifiance and the threat against it听.
Dunbar Theatre in 1937. Photo City of 麻豆传媒映画Archives AM1533-s2-4-:2009-005-542
5) Punjabi Market
Punjabi Market, in the Sunset neighbourhood, is the first and largest South Asian market outside of South Asia. The first South Asian shop opened in 1970 and the market will mark its 50th anniversary in 2020. In the mid-2000s, businesses started closing. Heritage 麻豆传媒映画and advocates in the community would like to see it revitalized. Read听more about this entry on Heritage 麻豆传媒映画Society's 2019 watch list听.
At its peak, Vancouver鈥檚 Punjabi market had more than 300 shops, including 24 jewelry stores, 36 clothing and fabric stores, and 20 restaurants and grocert stores, according to Heritage 麻豆传媒映画Society. Photo: Dan Toulgoet
6) 525 Great Northern Way
This buidling is the largest and most significant structure that remains from the original Finning International manufacturing complex, according to Heritage 麻豆传媒映画Society. The organization considers it a significant example of an historic industrial building. Readmore about the threat against the structure and the society's position on its future听.
Read a February 2019听Courier听story about False Creek Flats gallery spaces that will be demolished for the Broadway subway extension听.
525 Great Northern Way. Photo Dan Toulgoet
7) Fairmont Building
This 1912 building, which is listed as an "A" on the 麻豆传媒映画Heritage Register, is located on the Heather Lands, which is poised to be redeveloped by the Musqueam Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh Nations and the Canada Lands Corporation. As a measure of reconciliation, the building won't be remaining on the property due to its associations with colonialism. Attempts are being made to find a new location for it. If one isn't found, it will be demolished. Read more about this entry on Heritage 麻豆传媒映画Society's 2019 watch list听.
The听Courier听also wrote about the Fairmont Academy in a March 2018 story, which readers can find听. A story about the overall plans for the Heather Lands can be found听.
The Fairmont Academy. Photo Dan Toulgoet
8) Legacy of Expo 86
Except for some buildings and the SkyTrain Station, there's is physically not much left in 麻豆传媒映画from Expo 86, according to Heritage 麻豆传媒映画Society. "Given that Expo 86 ushered in Vancouver's era as a cosmopolitan city, efforts should be made to leave within public memory, meaningful reminders of Vancouver's over-the-top coming-out party," the organziation states. Read more about this entry on the 2019 watch list听.
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9) Japantown
The first generation of Japanese immigrants arrived in the early 1880s and settled along Powell Street. Pauera Gai 鈥� the Japanese translation of Powell Street 鈥� became the business centre for the Japanese Canadian community, and the commercial and social core of a larger residential area, according to Heritage 麻豆传媒映画Society. "Despite a growing awareness of the importance of Japantown, there is little recognition of its surviving heritage buildings, and no specific heritage area planning protection," the society says. Read听more about what the organization thinks needs to be done to address this concern听.
In November of 2018, the听Courier听wrote about the plans for the Ming Sun building at 437 Powell St.听听and听听It has associations with the Japanese and Chinese communities.
The building at 437 Powell St., which has associations with the Japanese and Chinese communities. Photo: Dan Toulgoet
10) Protecting Vancouver鈥檚 Heritage
Although the city has taken some steps towards heritage conservation, Heritage 麻豆传媒映画Society argues the threat against heritage remains significant. Read听more about the organization's concerns and what measures it thinks should be taken听.
In 2018, the听Courier听published several stories about a property at 3737 Angus St., which suffered damage from a fire. After the blaze, the roof wasn't covered to protect it from the elements. Find one of those articles听
3737 Angus Dr. in August of 2018. Photo Dan Toulgoet
