Tuesday, November 16, 2010
The Reverend's House

The house at 2895 Edgemont Boulevard is in the Capilano Highlands area of North Vancouver District.  It was built in 1950 for $10,500 by the Reverend J. G. Greig.  By 1955 the Venerable H. J. Greig (Note spelling and initials.) and his wife Caroline J. Greig owned the house.  The Venerable H. J. Greig was the Archdeacon and pastor of the newly established St. Catherine's Anglican Church.  The Reverend H. J. Greig served the St. Catherine's Anglican Church from 1951 to 1956. (See Reference and photo below.)

Reverend H. J. Greig

The house just a block from the Edgemont Village town center was typical for that area.  It included an underground garage, indicated by the driveway on the left leading to it.  As can be seen in the house photo that the garage was filled in to extend the living space.  This was also a typical conversion.

The 1960 owners of the house at 2895 Edgemont Blvd. were Chase H. and Flora Gowe.  Chase Gowe worked as a weighman at the Board of Grain.  In 1971 the owner was Mrs. M. L. Browne.

By 1980 Edward and Beryle Knight were the owners.  Edward Knight was a sales representative for Evergreen Press.  They continued to own the house at least until the publication of the 1995/1996 City Directory.  In 1991 and 1995/1996 Edward Knight reported that he was the sales representative for Ronald's.

The 2010 real estate ad (See Link.) describes the house of 2,400 square feet on a 8,050 square foot lot as having 4 bedrooms and 2 full bathrooms.  It was advertised for sale for $849,000, and that was a reduced price.

Reference: Journey of a Family, St. Catherine's (Capilano), North Vancouver,
                      A Parish History.
Demolition: Permit applied for in November 2010.
Photos: Of house taken in November 2010 by SW.
                Of Reverend H. J. Greig, see Reference.

Link: http://www.mikegiesbrecht.com/Properties.php/Details/205

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Glenora in the Capilano Highlands

This white single storey home at 925 Glenora Avenue is in the Capilano Highlands area of the District of North Vancouver. Glenora Avenue is a short street that crosses Highland Blvd. but both to the east and west soon terminates, in Vale Court and Dudley Rd. The house was originally built in 1949 for $6000 by M. Anderson.

By the next year, 1950, the owners were J.H. and Mildred Garner.  In 1955 the Garners built a $350 addition to their house and a $250 carport. They continued to live there in 1960 during which time J. Garner worked as the B.C. representative for Wallaceburg Brass.

In 1971 the resident was Brian J. Woodward who was employed as a mortgage accountant at Montreal Trust. In 1980, 1991, and 1995/1996 City Directories lists Brian J. and Patricia Woodward  as the owners of 925 Glenora Avenue. During these years Brian Woodward was employed as a trust officer at Montreal Trust. Brian Woodward is also listed at the 925 Glenora Avenue address in the 2008/2010 North and West Vancouver Phone Directory. So that means that Woodward's  lived in the house for almost 40 years.

The three bedroom ranch style house is 1,400 sq. ft. with 3 bedrooms, 1 bathroom, and a fireplace. It sits on a 8050 sq. ft. lot. For interior photos see the Link below.

Demolition Permit: Applied for August 2010.

Photo: Taken in August 2010 by SW.

Link: http://www.teamclarke.com/925glenora.html

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

A Week of Black and White

Capilano Highland's Stucco

The house at 910 Beaumont Drive in the Capilano Highland's area of the District of North Vancouver was a typical 1950's stucco home. It was built for $9000 in 1951 by D.S. Stoddard. The series of small square windows next to the front door set is apart from its neighbors.

In 1955 the owners of the house were William A. and Alix Smedman. William worked as a clerk for Daly and Morin. Mrs. Alex Smedman was employed as a stenographer by N. Jefferson. In 1960 the owners were Harry W. and Ada Tisdall. Harry Tisdall worked as a claims clerk for the PGE. The Pacific Great Eastern Railroad was the original name of B. C. Rail. (See Link.) In 1971 the owners were John M. and Margarete E. Slauenwhite. John Slauenwhite was a trust officer at Royal Trust.

And by 1980 the owners were Walter R. and Vicki Voros. Walter R. worked as a production manager for Teleflex Canada Ltd. It is interesting to note that by 1980 the listing of the wife's name was no longer listed in the City Directory  in parentheses (Vicki). It is now simply listed as "and Vicki". In the earliest City Directories the wife's name was not listed at all. This seems true in the 1925 and 1931 publications. By 1940 the wife's name was listed in the parentheses form (Vicki).

In 1991 and 1995 the owner of the house at 910 Beaumont Dr. was Brenda J. Brown. She reported in 1995 that she had lived there more than 9 years, so probably moved in around 1985. In 1991 Brenda Brown was employed as a barrister at Boughton Peterson Yang Anderson. And in 1995 Brenda Brown was a lawyer at Davis and Company.

By 2010 a new large single family home had been built on the property at 910 Beaumont Drive.

A Week of Black and White

The Black and White photos of all the homes this week were taken in July of 2007 as part of the Demolition and Construction North Vancouver Archives Project by Suzanne Wilson. On notification of City and District applications for Demolition Permits the photos were taken and documented. Negatives and contact prints were filed at the North Vancouver Archives as part of their permanent photo collection. The project ran from 2001 to 2010.

Demolition Permit: Applied for in 2007.
Photos: The black and white photo Demolition and Construction Project photo Roll # 85 Negative 5 on file at the North Vancouver Archives. (The photo above was taken of the contact sheet with a digital camera.)
Link:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pacific_Great_Eastern_Railway

Monday, August 16, 2010
1949  Post and Beam

The 1949 post and beam construction house at 3636 Glenview Crescent is 983 sq. ft. with two bedrooms and one bathroom. It sits on a 11,200 square foot lot in the Capilano Highlands area of the District of North Vancouver. The lot backs up to Mosquito Creek Park.

The house was recently listed for sale for $848,000 by Sutton Rassmusen Group Realtors. It sold and a new 4,575 sq. ft. four bedroom house by Kombi Homes is proposed to be built on the lot after the present house is demolished. (See Link.)

The 1955 owners of 3636 Glenview Crescent were Michael and E. Caroline Smith. Michael M. Smith was an architect at Polson and Siddall. In 1960 the owners were Francis J. S. and Edith L. Sanderson. Francis Sanderson was a manager at the Canadian Division of United Petroleum Gas. The 1980 owners were Dirk and Diana Piket. Dirk Piket worked as a carpenter.

In the 1991 and 1996/1996 City Directories, R. A. Reid was reported as the owner. However in these publications the street is listed as Glenview Drive; no Glenview Crescent is noted. In the year 2008/2010 North and West Vancouver Phone Directory R. A. Reid is listed as living at 3636 Glenview Crescent. In both 1991 and 1995 R. A. Reid's occupation is recorded as a real estate salesman for Bell Realty. He reported in the 1995 edition that he had lived at 3636 Glenview Crescent for over 9 years. So as of now, he has probably lived there for about 25 years.

Demolition Permit: Applied for in July 2010.
Photo: Taken in July 2010 by SW.
Link 1: http://www.rasmussenbros.com/Blog.php/528

Friday, August 13, 2010
Turquoise Trim

This split level stucco and cedar sided house at 3476 Wellington Crescent was built in 1954 for $8,700 by R. Turcotte. Ray E. and Susan Turcotte also owned the house in 1955. Ray Turcotte worked as a salesman at Woodward's Department Store.

In 1960 Robert L. and Theresa M. Firus were the owners. Robert Firus was a chartered accountant for Price and Waterhouse. In 1971 and 1980 Howard E. and Marion A. Reeve were the owners. In 1971 Marion Reeve was an electric designer at W. T. Haggert and Co. Howard Reeve was a vice principal for the Vancouver School Board. In 1980 Howard Reeve is listed as a teacher for the Vancouver School Board. Around 1987 Roger Oatman bought the house and continued to be the owner at least until 1995. In 1995 Michel Nurse also lived in the house. During this time Roger Oatman worked as a stock broker. Michel Nurse worked as a travel agent.

Wellington Crescent is in the Capilano Highlands area of the District of North Vancouver. This Crescent branches off Emerald Dr. just north of the intersection of Edgemont Boulevard and Ridgeway Avenue in Edgemont Village. The house at 3476 is around the curve from St. Catherines Anglican Church. (See Link.)

Demolition Permit: Applied for in July 2010.
Photo: Taken in August 2010 by SW. The house was vacant and behind a blue construction fence.
Link: http://saint-catherines.org/HTML/News.html

Friday, August 6, 2010
West Side of Beaumont Dr.

The white single storey house at 957 Beaumont Dr. was built by 1950 when the owners are listed as Jas D. and Berna J. McMaster. However, there is no listing in the Building Permit Book at the North Vancouver Archives as to the exact date it was built. And in the 1945 City Directory the street of Beaumont Dr. is not even mentioned. In contrast to 944 Beaumont Dr., featured in yesterday's post, the house sits on the west side of Highland Boulevard in the Capilano Highlands area of the District of North Vancouver.

In 1950 Jas McMaster was working as the head clerk at Standard Oil. Jas and Berna also owned the house in 1960 and in that year Jas was an analytical supervisor for Standard Oil. In 1971, John M. and Elizabeth E. Hamilton owned  the house. John Hamilton was employed as a geophysicist at Cominco.

In 1980 Thomas F. and Marilyn E. Oldfield were the owners of 957 Beaumont Dr. They were also the owners in the 1991, and 1995 City Directories and Thomas Oldfield is listed in the 2008/2010 North and West Vancouver Phone Directory. So they probably lived at the 957 Beaumont Dr. address for 30 years. In 1980, 1991 and 1995 Thomas Oldfield was listed in the City Directories as being employed as a draftsman at Chapman and Chapman.

For more information on the area see Blog Post August 5, "East Side of Beaumont Dr."

Demolition Permit: Applied for in July 2010.
Photo: Taken in July 2010 by SW.

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Thursday, August 5, 2010
East Side of Beaumont Dr.

The house with the decorative cement block entryway screen at 944 Beaumont Dr. was built for $6,500 in 1947 by A. Wilson. The 1950 City Directory lists only "ns New House" to acknowledge its presence. It sits on the east side of Highland Boulevard in the Capilano Highlands area of the District of North Vancouver.

In the 1955 City Directory Tom and Daisy V. Smitton are listed as owners. Tom Smitton worked as a salesman for Eskin and Company. In 1960 Tom and Daisy Smitton are listed as owning the house and being retired. In 1971 the owners were Wallace V. and Mina Tapp, also listed as being retired. In 1980, 1991, and 1995 the owner was Lorne T. Tracy. He was employed as a fireman in North Vancouver District in 1980 and the captain in 1991 and 1995. Lorne Tracy is also listed in the year 2000 North and West Vancouver Phone Directory as living at 944 Beaumont Dr.

The one storey home has some of the features of a prefabricated Panabode Home built at this time. The triple front window on the east side of the front is typical in this type of a house. (See Link.)

See Blog Post August 6 "West Side of Beaumont Dr." for more information on this street.

Demolition Permit: Applied for in July 2010.
Photo: Taken in July 2010 by SW.
Link: http://www.panabodeloghomes.com/contact.htm
Note: Suzanne Wilson lived in a Panabode Home on Long Beach on the west coast of Vancouver Island and is familiar with its architecture.

Thursday, May 27, 2010
Fifty-five Years in the Capilano Highlands

This $7,500 1947 home was built in the heart of Capilano Highlands in the District of North Vancouver. 913 Belmont Avenue was the address and H. M. Fisher was the owner. Only three years later in 1950 Don F. and Joan K. Corbett owned the house. Don Corbett was the manager at Perfex Ltd., manufacturers of sodium hypo-chlorite bleach and disinfectants at 3460 Commercial Drive in Vancouver.

By 1955 the Rudd family owned the house. They are listed at this address in the City Directories and the North Vancouver phone books through the 2008/2010 issues. That is a total of 55 years in the home at 913 Belmont Avenue for the Rudd family.  In 1955 Wilfred V. and Margaret M. Rudd are listed as the owners. Wilfred was employed as an engineer at H. A. Simons Ltd. In 1960 Wilfred was working as a civic design supervisor at International Power and Engineering Consultants at 570 Dunsmuir in Vancouver. By 1971 Wilfred was an assistant project manager of construction for B.C. Hydro. In 1980 and 1991 only M. M. Rudd was reported as the owner of 913 Belmont Avenue. In 1995 along with M. M. Rudd, Jerrfrey M. Rudd, a physicist at SFU was listed at living at that address as well. The listings in the year 2000 and 2008/2010 phone books is under W. V. Rudd.

There is only one other North Vancouver family researched for this blog that lived in their home longer than the Rudd's 55 years. That family is the Watt's whose house was at 343 Seymour River Place. The Watt's lived in that home for 57  years. (See Thursday, March 25, 2010 Blog Post.)

Building Permit: Applied for May 2010.
Photo: Taken in May 2010 by SW.

Thursday, February 11, 2010
A Mountain and a River

From the front yard of 4020 Glenview Crescent you can see the North Shore mountains. A short block away are the waters of Mosquito Creek. Glenview Crescent is an idyllic street tucked away west of Highland Blvd. in the District of North Vancouver.

In 1954 this is the area on the corner lot that is 4020 Glenview Crescent where F. Hall decided to build his house. The construction of this house with four windows and a fireplace in the living room cost him $14,500. From around 1955 to at least 1960 Alberta and Doug Jackson owned the house. Doug was the vice president of Industrial Equipment. By 1971 George and Margery Bentham had moved in. George worked as an assessment officer at the Workman's Compensation Board. In 1980 and 1991 when the City Directory representative tried to contact the residents at 4020, there was no response. There was a response in 1995, from Marc Verschueren. The year 2000 phone book lists Marc as continuing to be at that address, with a view of the mountains and a short walk to the waters of Mosquito Creek.

Demolition Permit: Applied for December 2009.
Photo: Taken in January 2010 by SW.

Tuesday, February 2, 2010
The Tall Cedars of Trenton

A row of stately Cedar trees borders the street side of the 1957 home at 3907 Trenton Place. The house on the west side of the street sits on the curve leading up from the corner with Glenview Crescent . All this is tucked away a block from Highland Blvd. and nestled along Mosquito Creek. Mosquito Creek itself originates in Lynn Headwaters Regional Park north of both Grouse Mountain and Mount Fromme. The creek flows down through North Vancouver District through the neighborhoods of Forest Hills, Delbrook and Capilano Highlands and into the City of North Vancouver. Here it empties into Burrard Inlet at Bewicke Park.


J. Kaliski built the house on the sloping lot of the mountain side for $12,000. Louise and Jacob, a notary public continued to live there at least until 1960. By 1970 J. M Cambell was the owner. And Mrs. Jeannine Campbell, a court reporter for the B. C. Government Attorney General live there in 1980 as well. Again new owners are listed in the 1991 City Directory, Jenny and Malcom McLaws.


It will be interesting to see what use of the sloping lot is made with the building of the new house, and if the tall Cedars still stand.


A Demolition Permit was applied for December 2009.
Photo: January 3, 2010.

Tuesday, January 26, 2010
The James' Residence

The house at 891 Leovista Avenue is truly the James' Residence. D. A. James built the house for $8500 in 1951.  Nine years later, in 1960, he built a $2500 addition.  For both jobs the builders were Bridgeman and Williams.  In 1955 Doug was working as an adjuster for Turner Meredith  and Co., and he and his wife Norma were living in the house.  In 1960 Doug and Norma still lived  at 891 and he was the casualty manager for Underwriters Adjustment Burrard.  Ten years later, in 1970, the D. in D. James was David and he was a student.  After another 10 years, in 1980, only Norma James was listed at the Leovista Avenue James' Residence. So, after building the house a member of the James family lived there at least for 29 years.

Leovista Avenue  continues to be a desirable place to live.  It is north of and convenient to Edgemont Village and just off Highlands Blvd, west of Mosquito Creek.  The new house being built at 891 Leovista by Noort Homes will be considerably larger than the James' Residence.  It will be 5487 square feet with four bedrooms, a den and four full bathrooms. Perhaps the new owners will enjoy the quiet and convenient location for 29 years as well. 

Link: http://www.noorthomes.com/index.cfm?method=residential.list&cityid=FB3FE305-36CC-4E4B-B486-22A7CCBDE26D
Demolition Permit: Applied for October 2009.
Photo: Taken October 24, 2009 by SW.