Wednesday, March 17, 2010

To Demo or Not to Demo

"To demo or not to demo that is the question." This Tudor style house at 2790 Edgemont Boulevard is for sale and the blue tarp indicates it is certainly in need of major repairs. So the new owners will have to answer the question. As yet there has been no application for a demolition permit, so as of today the question remains unanswered.

The large house with the front stone retaining wall was built for $10,000 in 1951 by S. Lamb. In 1957 he spent $1000 on a house addition and then he soon moved on. For in 1960 the home owners were Gail F. and Patricia M. Mc Cance. And this is where the Shakespeare paraphrase comes in. Gail worked as a technician for the Vancouver Civic Theater Society. He continued to work in that position in 1980. Meanwhile Patricia in 1971 was employed as an assistant control clerk at the Bank of Montreal. Gail at this time was listed as a consultant. In 1995/95 to another McCance family member is listed as living at 2790 Edgemont Blvd., Sandra. Patricia at this time was a student. The year 2000 and 2008/10 phone books indicate the McCance family continued to live at this address until recently when the house was put up for sale.

Edgemont Boulevard defines the Village of Edgemont in the area of the District of North Vancouver known as the Capilano Highlands. The Boulevard extends from Capilano Road, through the commercial area of the Village of Edgemont, south across the Upper Levels Highway, and down the hill to West 21st Street where it becomes Fell Avenue. 2790 Edgemont Boulevard is in the area just south of the Village.

McCance is a Scottish name that basically means son of Angus. (See Link.)

Photo: Taken in February 2010 by SW.

Link: http://www.houseofnames.com/xq/asp.fc/qx/mccance-family-crest.htm

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Lorraine on Loraine

The cream colored house waving flags for the 2010 Olympic Winter games is at 3890 Loraine Avenue in the District of North Vancouver. The house was built in 1954 For $10,000 by R. G. Newman. In 1960 William Y. Stewart and his wife H. Lorraine were living in the house. William worked as an installer at B.C. Tel. H. Lorraine was the first of two Lorraines to be an owner of the house. By 1971 Sharon and Douglas Alderson had bought 3890. Douglas was a chiropractor with an office at 1372 Marine Dr. in North Vancouver. In 1980 Ishigura Shun and his wife Florence moved into the house. Ishigura was the manager of the Fisheries Association of B.C. Ishigura is listed as the last name in the 1980 City Directory. However, since Shun can also be used as a last name there is some confusion as to which last name was correct for the husband of Florence. In 1991 the second Lorraine moved into the house at 3890. This time it was Lorraine McBride and her husband D. McBride. Her husband is listed as being retired in 1995/96 and the only occupant in the house.

So the house at 3890 Loraine Avenue was the house of two Lorraines. The name Lorraine is originally taken from the French Province of Lorraine. This is where Joan of Arc was from. It was also the name of a family of French Royalty. Loraine and Lorraine are only two of the variations in the spelling of this name. Others are: Laraine, Larayne, Laurraine, Leraine, Lerayne, Lorain, Loraina, Lorayne, Lori, Lorine, Lorraina, Lorrayne, and possibly Laura. (See Link.)

Photo: Taken in February 2010 by SW.

Link: http://www.thinkbabynames.com/meaning/0/Lorraine

 

Monday, March 15, 2010

Y2K Project

409 East 1st Street 

 

Linda and her Mother

The photo of 409 East 1st Street was taken by Suzanne Wilson as part of her
Year 2000 Photography Project, Your House/Our Home.  2000 photos of homes in the City of North Vancouver were photographed.  Approximately 800 of these were accompanied by some history from the present or previous home owner sometimes including personal photographs.  This was true in the case of 409 East 1st Street.


In the month of June 2007 Suzanne Wilson celebrated the City of North Vancouver's 100 birthday by distributing to their home owners copies of 1000 photos taken for the Y2K Project.  At this time it was discovered that the home photographed at 409 East 1st Street had been demolished and a new multifamily unit had been built.


Photo: Taken in the year 2000 by SW.
Reference: The Year 2000 project was donated by Suzanne and Alan Wilson to the North Vancouver Archives and is available for viewing.



Sunday Church Feature
St. Aloysius at Gonzaga

Gonzaga University in Spokane Washington sits on the bank of the Spokane River just north of the downtown area. Gonzaga University was started by the Jesuits in  1887 on a 320 acre of land purchased in 1881 for $936 by Fr. Joseph Cataldo. "It was named Gonzaga College after Italian Aloysius Gonzaga, the patron saint of youth." (Link 2) When the building was completed it was the largest building in Spokane except for the County Courthouse.  The tuition and board for the 20 students at that time was $250 for the ten month term.  A second building was added in 1892. Today 5,000 students attend Gonzaga University. "The campus now includes 94 buildings on 131 acres...Gonzaga employs over 1,200 people " (Link 2)  making it one of the major employers in Spokane.  The university is not only known for its academic excellence, but for its basketball team, the Bulldogs and affectionately called the Zaggs, and for one of its alumni, Bing Crosby.  Bing Crosby grew up in the area and at age 13 served as an altar boy.

St. Aloysius Catholic Church is at 330 Boone Ave. and is the eastern anchor of Gonzaga University.  A framed church was originally built in 1881.  It could accommodate a congregation of a few hundred people.  The church and the University recreation hall were moved in 1899. And in 1911 a new St. Aloysius Church was dedicated. 

"The present St. Aloysius church was dedicated October 12, 1911.  It has the largest seating capacity among Catholic churches in Spokane, able to accommodate 1,100 worshippers.  The church, which replaced an original wooden structure, was designed by the architectural firm of Preusse & Zittle of Spokane.  An adapted Romanesque style, its many rounded arches and graceful circular features help to soften construction lines.  The church, begun in 1909, took almost exactly two years to build at a cost of $176,125.

" Interior features of St. Aloysius church include oak woodwork, altars and ambo of matching Italian marble, and a true pipe organ with 37 ranks of keys.  The Stations of the Cross, in three-dimensional plaster, were made by the Mayers’ Studio of Germany.  This firm was also responsible for the magnificent stained glass windows (25 by 12 feet) flanking the nave, the great rose windows surmounting the east and west balconies, and the smaller niche windows, depicting Jesuit saints and the life of St. Aloysius Gonzaga, positioned around the apse.  In recent years, four new windows have been added depicting  St. Jude, St. Francis Xavier Cabrini, Mother Teresa of Calcutta and Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha.

The church is open for visitors and for private prayer during daylight hours throughout the year.  Brochures providing a self-guided tour are available in the narthex near the main doors and near the Visitors' Guestbook, and guided tours are scheduled at intervals after the Sunday Masses.   Docents can be available for group tours throughout the year by appointment; call 313-7006 to schedule.

"The distinctive twin spires, housing the great bell Catherina, rise high above the surrounding area and are visible from vantage points throughout the city."(Link 1.)

Photo: Taken in 2006 by SW.
Link 1: http://www.stalschurch.org/aboutus/index.htm
Link 2: http://www.gonzaga.edu/Academics/Libraries/Foley-Library/Departments/Special-Collections
/exhibitions/GonzagaHistory1887.asp
Link 3: http://www.gonzaga.edu/Academics/Libraries/Foley-Library/Departments/Special-Collections/Collections/Bing-Crosby-Collection/CrosbyandGonzaga.asp

Saturday Special Travel Feature
Sooke Markham House

The small town of Sooke, B.C. is on the southern tip of Vancouver Island in the province of British Columbia. It sits on Sooke Basin, a natural harbor off the Juan de Fuca Strait. Juan de Fuca Strait was discovered and claimed by the Spanish in 1790. It was soon traded to the British and named Sooke established in reference to the local Native People, the T'Soke. That name, Sooke is also the name of the Road that is the main street of the town for the 11,000 residents. Where fishing was once the prominent industry, hospitality has now taken its place. Since Sooke is only a 45 minute drive past British Columbia's Capital, Victoria,  it as a favorite destination for bed and breakfast visitors. One of homes offering bread and breakfast is the Sooke Markham House.

The home of Lyall and Sally Markham is in the Tudor style. Being in an area where the history dates back to 1790 you might think that it was a remnant from that era. However, the house at 1775 Connie Road was built as recently as 1971 and wasn't named Markham at all. The builder was Mr. Gunlesesson, a craftsman originally from Norway. He built the house for himself, by himself with lumber from the trees on his 10 acres of property. The use of 6 nails where two would have done the trick are evidence of his thoroughness. The house remained a single family home until Lyall and Sally bought it in 1994 and opened it as Markham House Bed and Breakfast.

Lyall and Sally meet all your needs during your stay at their lovely home. The bedrooms are luxurious in an old country way. You are even served a snack before bedtime. Breakfast is presented in the Tudor decorated dining room with humming birds hovering at the windows. Outside is a hot tub, a pond that attracts eagles, a golf green, and the acres of gardens.

A must when visiting Sooke is the 15 miles drive north on West Coast Road/Highway 14 to Point No Point Restaurant. Here you can have lunch or tea and watch the ferries pass through the same Juan de Funca Strait that the Spanish travelled in 1790. 

Thank you: To Lyall Markham for the history of Markham House.
Reference: CAA TourBook, Western Canada and Alaska.
Photo: Taken in April 2006 by SW.
Link: http://www.markhamhouse.com/

Friday Special Feature
Olympic Special Feature
The Sails of Canada Place


Like five ballerinas in blue tutus surrounded by a twinkling corp of a thousand, the skyline of Vancouver is lit up for the 2010 Olympic Winter Games. The light show of the accompanying Cultural Olympiad is being shown on the Sails of Canada Place. The office buildings of downtown Vancouver furnish their own light show behind it. The normally white sails shine with other colors than blue as in the photo above. When you watch the YouTube Link below you will see: the green, red, yellow, blue and white colors of the Olympic Rings; scenes of the athletes and their venues in the lime green, blue and white colors of the Winter Games banners; and stars, stripes and flowers on green and blue backgrounds.

Construction on 999 Canada Place started in 1983. The sails were up by October 1984, and the Prince Charles officially opened the building as a part of Expo '86 in May of that year. Canada Place juts out into the salt water of Burrard Inlet like a magnificent sailing ship. The building houses the Cruise Ship Terminal, the original Convention and Exhibition Center, and the first Vancouver IMAX Theater. The Pan Pacific Hotel is on the land adjacent to this "ship". In 2001 a third berth was added to the Cruise Ship Terminal. The site of Canada Place is the old CPR Pier B-C. This was the western terminus of the sea to sea transcontinental Canadian Pacific Railway.

Today is the opening day of the Vancouver 2010 Paralympic Games. From March 12th to the 21st 600 athletes from more than 40 countries will be competing in Vancouver and Whistler. Their events included: Alpine Skiing, Biathlon, Cross-County Skiing, Ice Sledge Hockey, and Wheelchair Curling. This, the Xth Paralympic Winter Games will be welcomed by its own Olympic Flame.

Photo: Taken February 2010 by SW.
Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4TG6CYlFmk
Link: http://www.canadaplace.ca/Our_Story/Our_History

Thursday, March 11, 2010
The Manton Mansion

The house at 720 Edgewood Road was built in 1956 for $12,000 by T. Wesik. After that it was J. Donald and Vivienne M. Manton all the way. They had bought the house by 1960 when J. Donald was the branch manger at Manton Brothers. Manton Brothers Ltd. had their head office in Toronto, Ontario. They were a printing equipment and suppliers company. Their motto was "we can supply all classes of new and rebuilt printing equipment." In 1971 J. D. and was branch manager of a different company, this time Canadian Linotype. And in 1980 both he and Vivienne are listed as doing that job. In 1991 not only were J. D. and Vivienne retired but they had a new resident in their house, Kathryn Manton. Kathryn was a ward clerk and Lion's Gate Hospital. All three of them were still living in the house in the year 2000 and 2008/10 as indicated by the phone books of those years. That comes to probably 20 years for Kathryn and at least 54 years for the Manton's.

As can be seen in the photo above that the house at 720 Edgewood Road would be  easily converted to a convenient home for two families. This style of house in North Vancouver often has a basement, actually, downstairs suite. The configuration of the rooms both up and downstairs are about the same. You can see the large picture window that would be the living room in both of the suites.

The house at 720 is on the corner of a 1 block section of Edgewood Road between Skyline Drive and Ranger Avenue.This area of North Vancouver is known as Canyon Heights. Edgewood Road itself goes passed the south side of Handsworth Secondary School and dead ends at MacKay Creek Park.

Demolition: Permit applied for February 2010.
Photo: Taken in February 2010 by SW.
Thank you: To neighbors for the clarification of the location of the house.