Wednesday, November 3, 2010
One Block From Lynn Canyon Park

The corner house at 3945 Lynn Valley Road was built in 1949 for $4,500 by owner R. D. Lee.  In 1950 Robert Lee also applied for a Building Permit for a $300 garage. In 1950 Phyllis E. Lee, a student,  also lived at 3945 Lynn Valley Road.

In 1960 the residents of the house  were Herbert E. and Louise E. Bowley.  Herbert Bowley was a printer at Pacific Press.  The 1971 owners were David R. and Marion G. Matthews.  David Matthews was a letter carrier for the Post Office.  In 1980 the residents were Barry and Jill Urquhart.

In 1991 the owners were Stephen J. and Lydia B. Thomas.  Stephen Thomas worked as a sprinkler fitter at National Installation.  Lydia Thomas was employed as a stenographer clerk in ticket reservations for Yugoslavian Airlines.  In the 1995/1996 City Directory the owner was reported as Audrey J. Shippard, an Xray technician at Holy Family Hospital.  She bought the house in 1991.

This one storey home on the corner of Lynn Valley Road and Kilmer Road was set in a yard of ferns and tall trees.  A stone path rambled through the front side yard that led to Kilmer Road. Tall trees stood in the front yard like soldiers protecting the cosy home.



The three bedroom, one bathroom home at 3945 Lynn Valley was listed for sale on the Web at $630,000. "Hiking and biking at your door step."

Demolition:Permit applied for in October 2010.
Photo: Take in October 2010 by SW.

Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Two Streets for One

The lot of the house at 1849 Larson Road straddles two North Vancouver City Streets: West 19th Street and Larson Road-the street that angles from West 23 Street down to Fell Avenue.  It can be accessed by both but actually faces neither; the front door is facing west.  The original house was built before 1911 because 1911 when when a  $100 "house addition" was built by H. Lambert. 

In 1947 a new house was built by M. L. Eames for $4,000.  In 1950 and 1960 Alex N. and Margaret L. Eames owned the house. They reported that they were retired.

In 1971 and 1980 Lewis E. and Audrey B. Adams were the owners.  In 1971 Lewis Adams worked as a station engineer for Canadian Park and Tilford.  In 1980 Lewis and Audrey Adams reported that they were retired.  Audrey Adams continued to own the house at 1849 Larson Road at least until 1995.

A Public Hearing to change the zoning bylaw will allow for the lot to be divided "into two lots and the construction of two storey single family dwellings with accessory secondary suite on each lot."(Sign above.)



Demolition: Permit applied for from the City of North Vancouver in Oct., 2010.
Photos: Taken in October 2010 by SW.

Monday, November 1, 2010
Tire Swing

There is no listing in the Building Permit Book at the North Vancouver Archives of the duplex at 252/254 East 19th Street.  The first record of this one storey L shaped duplex seemed to be in the 1955 City Directory and only for the 252 East 19th Street address.  The 254 East 19th Street address was reported as "Vacant".  The residents in 1955 were the Rev. John C. and Joan Bothwell.  Rev. Bothwell was the assistant at Christ Church Cathedral in Vancouver.

By 1960 both sides of the duplex were occupied.  The residents at 252 were William J. and Gloria J. Trembath.  William Trembath worked as an engineer at Metro Construction.  The residents at 254 were Nicholas J. and Corry Krook.  Nicholas Krook was a watchmaker at Kris' Watch Shop. Corry Krook was a clerk at Cunninhams.

In 1971 the owners lived at 252.  They were Leslie S. and Sharie Merrifield.  Leslie Marrifield was an engineer at CZ Canada. The 254 residents were Ralph and Pamela Heerens.  Ralph Heerans was employed as a salesman.

In 1980, the City Directory listed "No Return" for both 252 and 254.

In 1991 there were "new neighbors" on both sides of the duplex.  At 252 the new neighbors were Tim and Kim Banman.  At 254 the new neighbor was J. Paul.
Soon after new residents again moved into both sides of the duplex since in the 1995/1996 City Directory both reported being there for 4 years.  At 252 it was John E. Kornafel, a printer, and Lori Schultz, a student.  At 254 it was Murray Gordon and Michelle Sparrow. 

Rough stone fireplace hearth and room divider in 252.

None of the 1995/1996 residents were living in the duplex at 252/254 East 19th Street in the year 2000 nor were they  listed in the Phone Directory of year 2000.  However, in the year 2010 a rough stone fireplace hearth and room divider was still between the living room and kitchen in the 252 unit.  And the tire swing was hanging from the tree on the east side of the front lawn.

Tire swing on east side of front yard of duplex

Demolition: Permit applied for from City of North Vancouver in October 2010.

Photos: Taken in October 2010 by SW.



END OF THE MONTH INDEX

OCTOBER 2010

Arranged by Subject and Address, Country

State/Province, City, Street,

East, Alphabetical, West

CANADA

BRITISH COLUMBIA

City of North Vancouver

230 East 10th Street, "More Black and White, Historic Street", Oct. 26, 2010.

238 West 28th Street, "House in the Back", October 15, 2010.

Foot of Lonsdale, "More Black and White, Number 5 Ferry/Seven Seas

          Restaurant", October 28, 2010.

East of Foot of Lonsdale, "More Black and White, The Flamborough Head

          Victory Ship", October 29, 2010.

North Vancouver District

2832 Capilano Road, "14 Town Houses", Thursday, October 7, 2010.

2840 Capilano Road, "Enter on the Side", Friday, October 8, 2010.

3065 Capilano Road, "More Black and White, Compound on Capilano",

           October 25, 2010.

2455 Dollarton Highway, "More Black and White, The Crab Shack",

           October 27, 2010.

911 Kennedy Avenue, "A Great Home to Grow Up In", Thursday,

          October 14, 2010.

2651 Lloyd Avenue, "Circa 1912 Farm House", Tuesday, October 12, 2010.

2670 Lloyd Avenue, "Lloyd Avenue Compound", Wednesday, October 13, 2010.

3380 Lonsdale Avenue, "Sunday Church Feature, The Church on the Hill", North

           Lonsdale United Church, North Vancouver, B.C., Sunday, 

           October 3, 2010.

4193 Lynn Valley Road, "Saturday Special Feature, The End of the Line",

           North Vancouver, B.C.. Saturday, October 2, 2010.

690 Mountain Highway, "Mirror Images on Mountain Highway",

           Tuesday, October, 5, 2010.

698 Mountain Highway, "On the Move", Wednesday, October 6, 2010.

2063 Parkside Lane, "Down in the Gully", Monday, October 4, 2010.

1072 Tall Tree Lane, "A Pool on Tall Tree Lane", Friday, October 1, 2010.

Vancouver

Victoria Drive and 1833 Lakewood Drive, "Happy Canadian Thanksgiving,

            The Story of Two Houses and a Tent", Vancouver and West Vancouver,

            B.C., Monday, October 11, 2010.

Vancouver Island

4778 Island Highway, "Sunday Church Special, St. Andrew's Pioneer Church",

           Courtenay, B.C., Sunday, October 10, 2010.

7480 Island Highway, " Saturday Travel Feature, FBI, Fanny Bay, B.C.", 

           Saturday, October 9, 2010.

West Vancouver

19th Street and Railway, West Vancouver, "Happy Canadian Thanksgiving,

          The Story of Two Houses and a Tent", Vancouver and West Vancouver,

          B.C., Monday, October 11, 2010.

UNITED STATES

WASHINGTON

Port Angeles, , "Saturday Travel Feature, 1914 Clallam County Courthouse",

          October 31, 2010.

Port Angeles,  "Sunday Church Feater, First Presbyterian Church",

          October 24, 2010.

Port Gambel, Washington, "Saturday Travel Feature, Best Friends Antiques",

 Saturday, Oct. 16, 2010.

Port Gambel, "Sunday Church Feature, First Prebyterian Church", 
          October 17, 2010.

OREGON

Ashland, Oregon, "Saturday Travel Feature, Shakespeare Festival",

         October 30, 2010.



SATURDAY TRAVEL FEATURES

4193 Lynn Valley Road, "Saturday Special Feature, The End of the Line",

           North Vancouver, B.C.. Saturday, October 2, 2010.

7480 Island Highway,  "Saturday Travel Feature, FBI, Fanny Bay, B.C.", 

           Saturday, October 9, 2010.

Port Angeles, " Saturday Travel Feature, 1914 Clallam County Courthouse",

          October 31, 2010.

Port Gambel, Washington, "Saturday Travel Feature, Best Friends

          Antiques", Saturday, Oct. 16, 2010.

Ashland, Oregon, "Saturday Travel Feature, Shakespeare Festival",

          October 30, 2010.

SUNDAY CHURCH FEATURES

3380 Lonsdale Avenue, "Sunday Church Feature, The Church on the Hill,
           North Lonsdale United Church", North Vancouver, B.C., October 3, 2010.
Port Gambel, "Sunday Church Feature, First Presbyterian Church",
          October 17, 2010.

4778 Island Highway, "Sunday Church Special, St. Andrew's Pioneer Church",

           Courtenay, B.C., Sunday, October 10, 2010.

Photo: Taken in 2002 of Lynn Creek in Bridgeman Park by SW.

HAPPPY HALLOWEEN!





Saturday Travel Feature

Shakespeare Festival
Ashland, Oregon

"The Oregon Shakespeare Festival (OSF) is a regional repertory theatre in Ashland, Oregon, United States. The festival annually produces eleven plays on three stages during a season that lasts from February to October. Approximately half of the plays produced each year are by William Shakespeare...

"The Elizabethan Stage has evolved since the founding of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. The design for the first outdoor OSF Elizabethan Theatre was sketched by Angus L. Bowmer on the back of an envelope based on his recollection of productions at the University of Washington in which he had acted as a student. Ashland, Oregon obtained WPA funds in 1935 to build it in the roofless shell of the abandoned Chautauqua theatre, the 12-foot-high (3.7 m) circular walls of which remained after the dome had been removed. Bowmer extended the walls to reduce the stage width to fifty-five feet, and painted the extensions to resemble half-timbered buildings. He designed a thrust stage—one projecting toward the audience—with a balcony. Two columns helped divide the main stage into forestage, middle stage, and inner stage areas. Fifty cent general admission seating was on benches just behind the one dollar reserved seating on folding chairs. This theatre was torn down during World War II.^[13]

"The second outdoor Elizabethan Theatre was built in 1947 from plans drawn up by University of Washington drama professor John Conway. The main stage became trapezoidal, with entries added on either side, and windows added above them flanking the balcony stage. A low railing gave a finished appearance to the forestage. Chairs arranged to improve sightlines replaced bench seating. Backstage areas were added gradually and haphazardly, until the ramshackle result was ordered torn down as a fire hazard in 1958.^[13]

"The next year saw the opening of the current outdoor Elizabethan Theatre, patterned on London's 1599 Fortune Theatre. Designed by Richard Hay, it incorporated all the stage dimensions mentioned in the Fortune contract. The trapezoidal stage was retained but the façade was extended to three stories, resulting in a forestage, middle stage, inner below, inner above (the old balcony), and a musicians' gallery. The wings were provided with second-story windows. Each provides acting areas, creating many staging possibilities. A pitched, shingled roof enhances the half-timbered façade. A windowed gable was extended from the center of the roof to cover and define the middle stage. Just before each performance, an actor opens the gable window, and in keeping with Elizabethan tradition signaling a play in progress, runs a flag up the pole to the sound of a trumpet and doffs his cap to the audience.

"The result is not an exact replica of the Fortune Theatre. The known but incomplete dimensions apply only to the stage. The original specifications sometimes say no more than "to be built like the Globe," for which there are no plans or details. The remotely operated lighting, on scaffolding on either side of the stage of course did not exist in the original and the current site rather than the original architecture determines the shape of the auditorium. Twelve hundred seats in slightly offset arcs ascend the original hillside, giving an excellent view of the stage from each seat. The old Chautauqua theatre walls, now ivy-covered, remain as the outer perimeter of the theatre.



Stage of the OSF Elizabethan Theatre



"The US$7.6 million Paul Allen Pavilion was added in 1992. It houses a control room, and audience services including infrared hearing devices, blankets, pillows and food and drink, which are allowed in the auditorium. Several hundred seats were moved to a balcony and two box seats, further improving sightlines and acoustics. Vomitoria, the traditional name for entryways for actors from under the seating area, were added and the lighting scaffolds were eliminated.^[14]

"Each year, three plays are offered in rotation Tuesdays through Sundays in the Elizabethan Theatre from late June to early October."(See Link.)

Photos: Taken of exterior of Ashland Elizabethan Theater in Ashland Oregon in year 2000 by SW. Interior photo from Link below.
Link:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oregon_Shakespeare_Festival

Friday, October 29, 2010

More Black and White

The Flamborough Head Victory Ship

"HMCS Cape Breton (ARE 100) was a RCN Cape-class escort maintenance ship. Originally built for the Royal Navy as HMS Flamborough Head in 1944 she was transferred in 1952.

"Flamborough Head (pennant F88) was one of the 21 Beachy Head class repair ships.^[1] It was transferred to the Royal Canadian Navy in 1952 and served till 1975. It was used as a floating machine shop until the late 1990s. Except for a short section of the stern and her engines, which will comprise a significant portion of the Maritime Museum in North Vancouver BC, it was sunk in the waters of British Columbia in 2001 by the Artificial Reef Society of British Columbia after extensive cleaning to meet Environment Canada requirements. It now lies near Snake Island in Nanaimo harbour and is a popular scuba diving site.

HMS  Flamborough in Erection Shop 2001

"The Christening Bells Project at Canadian Forces Base Esquimalt Naval and Military Museum includes information from the ship's bell of HMCS Cape Breton (2nd) 1959 - 1993, which was used for baptism of babies onboard ship 1959 - 1971. The bell is currently held by the CFB Esquimalt Naval & Military Museum, Esquimalt, BC." (See Link.)

Number 5 Ferry and HMS Flamborough docked at foot of Lonsdale 2001



The "HMCS Cape Breton, ex HMS  Flamborough was towed home to Burrard's former Dry Dock, (BDD where it was built) in North Vancouver in April 1999..." (Reference.) Here it was docked at The Pier, between Lonsdale Avenue and St. Georges Avenue.  The stern was cut off in 2001 and moved to various places on the old BDD grounds including a stint in the Erection Shop at the water end of St. George's Avenue.  It presently sits wrapped in a white protective shell on the BDD grounds south east of the new Pinnacle Hotel. 

Reference: Launching History, Francis Mansbridge, page 85.
Demolition/Sinking: Removal of the stern in 2001.  Sinking near Snake Island off Vancouver Island in 2001.
Photos: Taken at The Pier area in North Vancouver, B.C. in 2001 as part of the Demolition and Construction Project, Roll #2 and 4 on file at the North Vancouver Museum and Archives.
Link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMCS_Cape_Breton_(ARE_100)

Thursday, October 28, 2010

More Black and White

Number 5 Ferry/Seven Seas Restaurant

"Constructed by the West Coast Salvage and Contracting Company in 1941, this was the last of the end-to-end loading ferries, and the last to be built for use on the North Shore run.  It accommodated 600  passengers and 30 vehicles, and ran until the cessation of service in 1958.  The following year, it was purchased by a private company and converted into a seafood restaurant." (Reference 1.)



The large neon sign "Seven Seas Seafoods" atop the old #5 Ferry at the foot of Lonsdale Avenue was a North Vancouver City landmark for many years.  In 1996 the City questioned the ships safety and a lengthy court battle ensued. (North Shore News, June 23, 2002.) In June of 2002, at midnight, the vessel was towed from the foot of Lonsdale to  Vancouver Pile Driving at the foot of Brooksbank Avenue.  The removal and destruction of the ship and legal bills, all paid for by the City was estimated at $600,000.(See Outlook, May 23 and June 27, 2002.) "In dry dock it proved to be quite sound, but at that point the decision had already been made to scrap it and a piece of heritage was lost." (Wikipedia.) "Then on July 2,(2002) workers using a cutting torch to remove large bolts got too close to the wooden hull, starting a fire.  North Vancouver District firefighters managed to contain the fire to a small area of what was left of the vessel.(North Shore News, July 12, 2002.)  The neon "Seven Seas" sign finally made its way to the City of North Vancouver Works Yard.

Kitchen of Seven Seas Restaurant 2002



The #5 Ferry had two wheel houses and there was no reverse gear.  To go in the opposite direction the captain would disengage the drive shaft, then go to the wheel house on the opposite end of the ferry and engage a second drive shaft.  Hence, there were two wheel houses, two drive shafts, and two propellers. There were 4 floors to the ferry: engine deck, upper engine room and car deck, passenger/restaurant deck, top deck. (A more complete description accompanies the Demolition and Construction Project Roll #14 report at the North Vancouver Archives.)

Engine of #5 Ferry

Diamond Almas was the owner of the Seven Seas Restaurant.  In 2008 he was inducted into the B.C. Restaurant Hall of Fame. (See Link 2.)

Thank you: To Sharon Proctor for information as to the storage of the removed
                         "Seven Seas" neon sign.

Demolition: Took place at Vancouver Pile Driving in 2002. (Note fire.)

Reference 1: City of North Vancouver Heritage Inventory 1994, page 169.

Photos: Taken in the year 2001 and 2002 as part of the Demolition and Construction Project  Rolls #4 and 14 and 15 by SW.
Link 1: http://www.heritagevancouver.org/pdf/hv_news_2002_05_web.pdf
Link 2: http://www.bcrhof.com/bio_DiamondAlmas_2008.php