Saturday Travel Feature

B.C. Parliament Buildings

Victoria, B.C.

"The British Columbia Parliament Buildings are located in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada and serve as the seat of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia...

"The Neo-baroque buildings face north on Belleville street facing the Inner Harbour and diagonally across from The Empress Hotel. A large statue of Queen Victoria stands on the front lawn as well a statue of a soldier to commemorate the province's World War I, World War II and Korean War dead. Atop the central dome is a gold-covered statue of Captain George Vancouver. Free guided tours of the facility are offered year- round...

"From 1856 to 1860 the Legislature of the Colony of Vancouver Island sat at Bachelor's Hall at Fort Victoria.^[1] From 1860 to 1898 it was housed in the first permanent building at Legislative Hall or Birdcages (burned down 1957)...^2]

"The main block of the Parliament Buildings combines Baroque details with Romanesque Revival rustiction. 

Construction of a nw Parliament Building was first authorized by an act of the provincial legilature in 1893, the Parliament Buildings Construction Act.
"...the original budget was $500,000 the final amount was $923,000—the British Columbia Parliament Buildings were officially opened in 1898^[4]. The grand scale of its 500-ft (152-m) long andesite façade^[5], central dome and two end pavilions, the richness of its white marble, and combination of Baroque rigorous symmetry, use of domes and sculptural massing with the rusticated surfaces of the currently popular Romanesque Revival style contributed to its being an innovative and impressive monument for the young province. Its success garnered Rattenbury many more commissions in Victoria and other parts of the province, including the Legislative Library 1913-1915, the design of The Empress Hotel, the Crystal Gardens indoor swimming pool nearby, and the Vancouver Court House (now the Vancouver Art Gallery). The andesite of the British Columbia Parliament Buildings is from Haddington Island in the Alert Bay Volcanic Belt.^[6] The granite used to build the buildings came from Nelson Island, at the mouth of Jervis Inlet, on the Sunshine Coast." (See Link 1.)

Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Window

in the B.C. Parliament Buildings, Victoria, B.C.

The Golden Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II was the international celebration marking the 50th anniversary of the accession of Queen Elizabeth II to the thrones of seven countries, upon the death of her father, King George VI, on 6 February 1952, and was intended by the Queen to be both a commemoration of her 50 years as monarch and an opportunity for her to officially and personally thank her people for their loyalty. (See Link 3.)

"The Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal (French: Médaille du jubilé de la Reine Elizabeth II) was a commemorative medal created in 2002 to mark the 50th anniversary of the accession to the throne of Queen Elizabeth II. The medal was physically identical in all realms where it was awarded, save for Canada, where it contained unique elements; as an internationally distributed award, the Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal holds a different place in each country's order of precedence for honours.

"The medal was administered by the Chancellery of Honours at Rideau Hall and was awarded to Canadians who made a significant contribution to their fellow citizens, their community or to Canada over the previous fifty years.^[2] Various organizations were invited to propose the names of candidates for the medal; this included all levels of Canadian government, educational and cultural organizations, the Canadian Forces, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, veterans' groups, sports associations, and philanthropic and charitable bodies.^{[1]"  (See Link  2.)}

Note: Suzanne Wilson received a Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal for her Year 2000 Project, Your House/Our Home, donated to and on view at the North Vancouver Museum and Archives. 

Demolished: First Legislative Hall burned down in 1957.Photos: Taken in 2003 by SW.

Link 1: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Columbia_Parliament_Buildings

Link 2: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queen_Elizabeth_II_Golden_Jubilee_Medal

Link 3: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Jubilee_of_Elizabeth_II

245 East 3rd Street-West end of building

Friday, December 3, 2010

ANAVETS On East Third

This ANAVET sponsored building is one of three identical buildings for veterans, their spouses and seniors, just two blocks from Lonsdale Avenue in the Lower Lonsdale shopping area of North Vancouver.  It proudly displays the ANAVET logo at the west entrance on the front of the building.  There are 29 apartments in the 245 East 3rd Street building.  It is the building farthest to the east and the only one of the three buildings presently slated for demolition.  The other two buildings are 235 East 3rd Street and 225 East 3rd Street located on the corner of East 3rd and St. Georges Avenue.

"New ANAVETS Seniors’ Housing (is) proposed. Army, Navy and Air Force Veterans formed the Senior Citizens’ Housing Society in 1967 with a mandate to provide safe, clean, and affordable housing to army veterans, their spouses, and seniors on a fixed income. That same year ANAVETS opened its first project at 225 East 3rd in North Van, adding two adjacent low-rise buildings at 235 and 245, in 1968...

245 East 3rd Street-East end of building

"The aging, wood frame structures are also not up to fire code regulations... Over the past decade ANAVETS has been working with the City of North Vancouver to come up with a plan for the site. They have since partnered with local developer Intracorp and now have a formal proposal that will be presented to council next week.

"The plans call for the construction of an $11-million, 76-unit seniors’ rental building to replace the three existing buildings. ANAVETS will retain ownership of the land on which the seniors’ housing will be built, and then sell the rest of the site to Intracorp, thereby funding approximately 75 per cent of the project...

"The rents are not subsidized at the North Van ANAVETS buildings, with residents paying $412 a month for a 325- square-foot bachelor suite. A new building, however, would allow residents to qualify for the provincial government’s Shelter Aid For Elderly Residents program.

"Intracorp is also proposing to build a 104-unit, market-value condominium project on the western portion of the site. An amendment to the city’s Official Community Plan would need to be made before the five-storey building can be approved.

"The entire project would be implemented in two stages, starting with the residents of 245 East 3rd St. being moved into vacant suites in the other two buildings. The 245 building would then be demolished and construction would start on the seniors’ housing.

"Once that project is completed and the seniors have moved in, the two remaining buildings will be demolished and replaced with the new market-value building." (See Link.)

Demolition: Permit for demolition of only 245 East 3rd Street applied for in
                 November 2010.
Photos: Taken in November 2010 by SW.
Link:http://www.bclocalnews.com/greater_vancouver/northshoreoutlook/news/103542354.html

Thursday, December 2, 2010

Wartime Home on 4th Street  

The house at 549 East 4th Street was one of the many homes built in 1941 as Wartime Housing.  "February 28, 1941, Wartime Housing Limited (WHL) was incorporated. It will build rental units across Canada for war industry workers. On the north shore 750 single family homes will be built, as well as barracks-type apartments for single workers, Westview School, a recreation centre, and a fire hall. (The houses were supposed to have been removed at the end of the War, but 135 units survive, some into the 1990s.)" (See Link 1.)  The original homes were on one floor and had a living room, two bedrooms, and a kitchen.  The Wartime House at 549 East 4th Street had additional rooms but  survived until 2010.

In 1945 the City Directory lists the residents as R. J. and Alice E. Miller.  Roy Miller was employed at NVSH.  In 1950 the owners were Hugh R. and Mildred A. Gwynn.  Hugh Gwynn was an engineer at C H Cates.    In 1960 Mrs. Beda J. Jacobson, widow of F. Jacobson was the owner. 

In 1971  Ronald G. and Gayle Y. Assaf were the owners.  Ronald Assaf was an electrician at S. Glover Electric.  Mrs. Gaye Y. Assaf was a secretary at Kariboo Industries.  In 1980 the owners were Stan and Marguerite Patykewich.  Stan Patykewich worked as a floor covering salesman.

About 1987 Mike N. Edel became the owner.  He lived there until at least 1995/1996 and worked as a technician at Chubb Alarms.  In 1995/1996 Lyndi Ainsworth was also a resident at 549 East 4th Street.  She was the accounts manager at AD Team Marketing 1986 Inc.

A new home will be built by Blake Developments.  (See Link 2.)

Reference:  To see photos of other Wartime Housing see City of North Vancouver Heritage Inventory 1994.

Demolition: Permit applied for in November 2010.

Photo: Taken in November 2010 by SW.

Link 1: http://www.vancouverhistory.ca/chronology1941.htm

Link 2: http://blakedevelopments.ca/Blakedevelopments.ca/Welcome.html



Happy 43rd Wedding Anniversary Alan and Suzanne

First Methodist Church of Hollywood,

Hollywood, California

The First Methodist Church of Hollywood (now called Hollywood United Methodist Church)  at 6817 Franklin Ave. is just north of Hollywood Boulevard and Grauman's Chinese Theater. It is also on the corner with North Highland Boulevard which was in the opening scene of "The Godfather". To the west of the main church (the door entrance can be seen on the left end of the photo above) is a smaller Chapel and parlor.  Between the two is a patio lined with 10 foot high poinsettia plants that have been donated over the years.  The formal Chapel and large parlor has many Spanish architectural features and much heavy dark wood.

"The vision for Hollywood United Methodist Church as "a sanctuary of hope" began back in 1909 when the first congregants started to organize. Eventually with an ever-expanding business community and a growing congregation, a bold step was undertaken to purchase a lot on the corner of Highland and Franklin Avenues at the base of the Hollywood Hills, and to build a new home.

"Construction began in 1927, with the Recreational Building built first to house the congregation's worship services, after which the Sanctuary and Education Building would be constructed. A series of set backs challenged the congregation during construction, including the discovery of soft, unstable ground on the site for the Sanctuary. Monstrous holes were dug by workers who labored 65-feet below ground. To stabilize the footing and foundation, massive pits and wells were filled with enough concrete to equal 15 railroad freight cars.

"The congregation's faith and perseverance was finally rewarded on March 16, 1930. The majestic building was unveiled to enthusiastic acclaim, launching its distinguished reign as a Hollywood landmark. An historic postcard describes the church building as "...one of the most famous churches on the Pacific coast," with an atmosphere of "...reverence in symbolic beauty and compelling stillness."In December 1981 the church was declared Historic-Cultural Monument #248 by the City of Los Angeles."(See Link 1.)

 The Vancouver Sun

      Saturday, February 9, 2008

      Arts and Life, Section E

      Weekend Mix

       ‘Wedding Plans and Memories’

Suzanne Wilson

My husband of 40 years and I were eating breakfast and reading the weekend Sun and National Post  at The 80’s Restaurant in North Vancouver when the phrase “caught the bride’s bouquet” “caught” my eye. 

Yes, “I still remember when ‘we’ got married like it was yesterday”.  I especially remember throwing my bouquet.  And I most certainly remember “who caught it”.



Alan and I were married in the chapel of the First Methodist Church of Hollywood December 1, 1967.  The reception followed in the church parlor across the hall.  When it was time to throw the bouquet I climbed the beautiful Spanish tile staircase.  I turned around and I threw the flowers over my head. The bouquet flew. I looked to see who would catch it. My friend’s faces turned upward, arms raised in anticipation, and then they stopped. There was the bouquet, “caught” by the six sided chandelier that lit up the hall. 



A pole to open high church windows was fetched and the bouquet tumbled from the chandelier and was “caught” by a good friend and neighbor.  It did its magic.  She was married the following summer at Knott’s Berry Farms.  She threw her bouquet from a staircase on a fake exterior facade.  There was no chandelier, only a young girl to “catch” it.

Photo: Top photo of First Methodist Church of  Hollywood, thank you to cardcow.com

Link: http://www.hollywoodumc.org/History-Hollywood-United-Methodist-Church.aspx

END OF MONTH INDEX
NOVEMBER  2010

CANADA

British Columbia

City of North Vancouver

426/428 East 1st Street, "High on the Hill", Friday, November 12, 2010.
362 East 12th Street, "Pumpkin on the Porch", Monday, November 29, 2010.

252/254 East 19th Street, "Tire Swing", Monday, November 1, 2010.

303 East 26th Street, "Red Maple Leaves", Monday,  November 7, 2010.
83 Chesterfield Avenue, "1904 Gross House", Wednesday, November 24, 2010.
788 Copping Street, "No Demolition Necessary", Friday, November 26, 2010.

Foot of Lonsdale Ave., "Burrard Dry Dock #4 and #10", November 5, 2010.

1849 Larson Road, "Two Streets for One", Tuesday, November 2, 2010.

430/432 West 6th Street, "Doors of Green and Brown", Wed., Nov. 10, 2010.
735 West 15th Street, "Certiwood", Monday, November 15, 2010.

415 West 16th Street, "The Spence House", Tuesday, November 9, 2010.

North Vancouver District

527 North Dollarton Highway, "Naas Family-40 Years", Monday, Nov. 22, 2010.

2895 Edgemont Blvd., "The Reverend's House", Tuesday, November 16, 2010.

3945 Lynn Valley Road, "One Block From Lynn Canyon Park", Wed., 11/3/ 2010. 1101 Prospect Avenue, "An Independent Woman", Thursday, Nov. 4, 2010.

3601 Mount Seymour Parkway, "Triumvirate on Mount Seymour Blvd.",

              Wednesday, November 17, 2010.

3515 Mount Seymour Parkway, "The House in the Middle",

             Thurs., Nov. 18/2010.
3633 Mount Seymour Parkway, "Watt on the Corner", Friday, Nov. 19, 2010.
1340 Sunnyside Drive, "That's Jack London's Place", Tuesday, Nov. 23, 2010.

UNITED STATES
California

California, Saturday Travel Feature, "The Getty Center", Brentwood,

                 Los Angeles, California.

Washington

127 Twelfth Avenue, Sunday Church Feature, St. John's Episcopal Cathedral,

                     Spokane, Washington.

418 Evans Street, Sunday Travel Feature, "Community United Methodist      

                     Church", Leavenworth, Washington, Sunday, November 14, 2010.
514 Jefferson Street, Thanksgiving, "Celebrating With Jefferson," Spokane,
                    Washington, Thursday, November 25, 2010.

Front Street, Saturday Travel Feature, "The Gazebo", Leavenworth,

                     Washington, Saturday, November 5, 2010.

East End of Front Street, Saturday Travel Feature, "Festhalle", Leavenworth,

                     Washington, Saturday, November 13, 2010.

South of Front Street, Sunday Travel Feature, "St. Joseph Catholic Church",

                     Leavenworth, Washington, Sunday, November 6, 2010.

England

Thames River, Saturday Travel Feature, "Henley-on-Thames",  

                  Saturday, November 20, 2010.

France

Paris, Sunday Church Feature, "Notre-Dame Cathedral", Sunday,

                  November 21, 2010.

Saturday Travel Features

California, Saturday Travel Feature, "The Getty Center", Brentwood,

                 Los Angeles, California.

England, Thames River, Saturday Travel Feature, "Henley-on-Thames",  

                 Saturday, November 20, 2010.

Washington, Front Street, Saturday Travel Feature, "The Gazebo",
                Leavenworth, Washington, Saturday, November 5, 2010.

Washington, East End of Front Street, Saturday Travel Feature, "Festhalle",
                     Leavenworth,  Washington, Saturday, November 12, 2010.

Sunday Church Features

Washington, Below Front Street, "St. Joseph Catholic Church",Leavenworth,
                     Washington, Sunday, November 7, 2010.Washington, 127 Twelfth Avenue, Sunday Church Feature, "St. John's

                     Episcopal  Cathedral", Spokane, Washington, Sunday,
                     November 28, 2010.
Paris, Sunday Church Feature, "Notre-Dame Cathedral", Sunday,

                  November 21, 2010.

Washington, 418 Evans Street, Sunday Church Feature, "Community United
                     Methodist  Church", Leavenworth, Washington, Sunday,
                     November 14, 2010.

Special Feature

Remembrance Day, "The Wall", Thursday, November 11, 2010.
Thanksgiving, "Celebrating With Jefferson," Spokane, Washington, Thursday,
                    November 25, 2010.

Photo: "Engagement Rings" taken in Stanley Park Christmas 2006 by SW.

Link: http://vancouver.ca/parks/arts/sculpture_biennale.htm

Monday, November 29, 2010

Pumpkin on the Porch

The house on the corner of East 12th Street and Ridgeway Avenue had a pumpkin standing guard on the corner of its porch.  This grey stucco house at 362 East 12th Street is not listed in the Building Permit Book or the 1950 City Directory at the North Vancouver Archives. However, it was listed in the 1960 City Directory.  The owners were William F. and Margaret H. Cocks.  William Cocks worked as a ticket agent for the Black Ball Ferries.  In 2009 the Black Ball Ferries celebrated their 50th anniversary.

"In 1959, Black Ball Transport, Inc. built an auto and passenger ferry, naming it the M.V. Coho, after the magnificent silver salmon found in Puget Sound and adjacent waters. Philip F. Spaulding and Associates of Seattle designed the vessel, and her keel was laid January 12, 1959 at the Puget Sound Bridge & Dry Dock in Seattle. She made her first commercial sailing to Victoria, B.C. on December 29, 1959. Initially, the M.V. Coho not only serviced the Port Angeles to Victoria vehicle and passenger route, but also carried freight trucks between Seattle, Port Angeles, Port Townsend and Victoria for Black Ball Freight Service. In 1973, Black Ball Freight Service was sold to ROCOR International, but Black Ball Transport, Inc. has continued to operate the M.V. Coho on the Port Angeles to Victoria vehicle and passenger route to this day. " (See Link 2.)

By 1971 Eugene B. and Carol L. Terrillon were the owners of 362 East 12th Street.  The Terrillon family continued to be listed as the owner of the house at least until the 1995/1996 City Directory.   In 1980, 1991 and 1995/1996 the owners were Eugene and Gloria Terrilon. (Note Spelling.) In 1971, 1980, and 1991,  EugeneTerrillon/Terrilon  was employed as a bridgeman at B.C. Government Highways

Public notice of a public hearing on November 15, 2010  considered the amendment to Zoning Bylaw 1995 #6700 to reclassify the property from "One-Unit Residential 1" to "Comprehensive Development 596". ( NSNews  10/10/2010)  This  will allow the existing corner lot to be divided into two equal lots with a single family house on each.  The house closest to the corner will also have an accessory secondary suite. (See Link 1.)

Photo: Taken in November 2010 by SW.

Link 1: http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:6aK4mjoeGfgJ:www.cnv.org/c//DATA/1/155/2010%252004%252014.DOC+362+East+12th+Street,+NOrth+Vancouver&cd=3&hl=en

Link 2: http://cohoferry.com/main/?history

Sunday Church Feature
St. John's Episcopal Cathedral
Spokane, Washington

St. John's Episcopal Cathedral at 127 Twelfth Avenue commands the escartment south of the downtown area of Spokane.  Its spires and carillon bells are  beacons to the Christian community throughout the city.

"Notice the large rose window over the west entrance as it changes colors with the varying light of day."(See photo above.) (Reference.)

West entrance

"Often called the finest cathedral in the North west because of its beauty and authenticity, this Gothic-style cathedral was constructed between the years 1926 and 1954. Architect Harold C. Whitehouse adhered strictly to the principles of Gothic design in construction in this "labor of love".  Mr. Whitehouse worshipped here every Sunday until his death.  The solid masonry tower, which houses a carillon, stands 166 feet above the cathedral floor.  The interior is well worth a  tour." (Reference.)

Sanctuary

"The Cathedral organ is an instrument of generous size and genuine majesty representative of the finest period of cathedral organ design in America. It consists of three divisions and pedals plus a gallery division, over 4,000 pipes. It is installed in two chambers high above the entrance from the crossing to the chancel, with four ranks and the state trumpets mounted above the balcony at the west end of the Cathedral. The organ was designed, built and installed by the Aeolian-Skinner Organ Company of Boston, builders of the most notable pipe organs in America. In 2000, the console underwent major renovation and received new keyboards, drawknobs, digital combination action and digital control for all the pipework, performed by Marceau and Associates Pipe Organ Builders of Portland, Oregon.

"It is rare indeed for a city the size of Spokane to have a carillon at all, much less one as fine as this. The carillon in the tower of Washington National Cathedral, also cast and installed by Taylor and Sons, has only four more bells, 53 instead of 49." (See Link.)

One of a pair of front doors

Reference: Spokane's Historic Architecture, 1977.

Photos: Taken in October 2010 by SW.

Link: http://www.stjohns-cathedral.org/about/about_index.php