Thursday, July 15, 2010
Big Changes On Bewicke-4

The house at 1436 Bewicke Avenue peeks from behind the layers of leaves on its front yard trees. But what can be seen shows that the original stucco and cedar clapboard exterior has been replace by white clapboard siding. This fourth house on the 1400 block of Bewicke Avenue was owned by E. G. and Margaret E. Martin in 1955. The City Directories report them as the in the 1995/1996 issue as well. That is at least 40 years that they lived in the 1400 block of Bewicke Avenue. This wasn't unusual for that block since their neighbors Jean E. and Alfred H. Richardson at 1404 Bewicke Avenue lived there even longer, 45 years. (See Blog Post July 12, 2010.)

The only job that Edwin Martin reported during the 40 years that they lived at 1436 Bewicke Avenue was as an employee of Eaton's Department Store. From at least 1955 to 1971 he was a window cleaner for Eaton's. In 1980 he reported that his job was as a maintenance man for Eaton's. In the 1991 and 1995/1996 Edward and Mary Martin were listed as retired.

Demolition: Permit applied for in March 2010.

Photo: Digital colored above taken in June 2010 by SW.
Reference 1: See Blog Post June 12, 2010 for more information on Bewicke Avenue.
Reference 2: See Blog Post July 13, for more information about the homes in the 1400 block of Bewicke Avenue.

Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Big Changes On Bewicke-3

The third house on the 1400 block is at 1428 Bewicke Avenue. This house also has the typical features of all the houses in the block: rock retaining wall, cement front steps with a wrought iron railing, large windows on either side of the single front door, and stucco and cedar clapboard exterior walls. It also has a large cherry tree on the south side of the front yard, a row of day lilies hugging the front wall of the house, and gay yellow dandelions and buttercups scattered through the grass.

Again there is no listing of this house in either the Building Permit Book or the 1952 City Directory. But in 1955 and 1960 Alfred N. and Barbara J. Pickering were the owners of 1428 Bewicke Avenue. In both of those years Alfred Pickering was employed as a longshoreman.

In 1971 the owners were Edwin F. and Jenny E. Baumley. Edwin Baumley worked as a handyman at Burrard Dry Dock. "Burrard(Dry Dock had) built over 450 ships, including many warships ... for the Royal Navy and Royal Canadian Navy in World War II."(See Link.)


There was "no return" to inquiries by the City Directory in 1980. In 1991 the resident, but not owner, was Deidre Carrigan. And in the 1995/1996 City Directory the address is not even listed.


Demolition: Permit applied for in 2009.

Photo: Digital colored above taken in 2010 by SW. A black and white negative and photo on a contact sheet taken in July 2009 as part of the Demolition and Construction Project 2001-2010 is on file at the North Vancouver Archives.
Reference 1: See Blog Posts July 12, 13, 15, and 16 for more information about Bewicke Avenue.

Link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burrard_Dry_Dock

Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Big Changes on Bewicke-2

The neighbors to the north of 1404 Bewicke Avenue are at 1416 Bewicke Avenue. Again there are no records of any house being at this site until the mid 1950's. In 1955 and 1960 William M. and Lillian D. Speers were the owners. William M. Speers was of Speers Bros., C. A. and W. M. Speers a bulldozing company at 864 West 16th Street with a warehouse at 212 Fell Avenue, both in North Vancouver. In 1960 William Melville Speers reported that he was secretary of Speers Brothers Bulldozing and C. A. Speers was president. In 1961 Mrs. Lillian D. Speers was listed as a the widow of W. M. She was employed as a clerk at B. C. Hydro.

New owners of 1416 Bewicke Avenue are listed by 1980, Irene R. and Peter Lingbanan, a welder at Vancouver Shipyards. By 1991 the owners were  James M. and Karen Hughes. James Hughes was a student and Karen Hughes worked with Brenda Knight at Karen-Karita Boutique at 1755 Marine Dr. in West Vancouver. In the 1995/1996 City Directory James and Karen reported that they had lived at 1416 Bewicke Avenue for over 9 years. So they must have bought the house by 1986.

The two houses in the photo above, 1404 and 1416, are typical of the six houses built on this block. They feature: stone retaining walls, cement front steps with wrought iron railings, white stucco and cedar clapboard exteriors, and a large front window on either side of a single front door. Some have had modifications over the years.

Demolition: Permit applied for in 2009.
Photo: Digital colored above taken in 2010 by SW. A black and white negative and photo on a contact sheet taken in July 2009 as part of the Demolition and Construction Project 2001-2010 is on file at the North Vancouver Archives.
Reference1: See Blog Posts July 12, 14, 15, and 16, 2010 for more information on Bewicke Avenue.

HAPPY

70TH

BIRTHDAY

ALAN

Monday, July 12, 2010

Big Changes On Bewicke-1

Many of the streets in the City of North Vancouver were named in 1891 to honor major landowners. These included: Heywood Street, Lonsdale Avenue, Fell Avenue, and Mahon Avenue. Others were chosen to recognize men of business. These included: Hendry Avenue, Moody Avenue, and Bewicke Avenue. Percival Henry Bewicke was involved with the Moodyville Lands and Sawmill Company and was a major landowner.(See Reference 1.)

Bewicke Avenue, runs north and south in the western part of the City of North Vancouver. Its southern border is on Burrard Inlet at Bewicke Park on Native Lands. It then runs north to cross the commercial intersection of Marine Drive and West Keith Road and finally ends two blocks north of Larson Road. At this point it is just west of Wagg Creek and East of Mosquito Creek. The 1400 block of Bewicke Avenue is one block north of the intersection of Marine Dr. and West Keith Road.

This 1400 block of Bewicke Avenue was bush until the mid 1950's. There is no record at the North Vancouver Archives of any home at that address in the Building Permit Book or in the 1950 or 1952 City Directories. Then in 1955 six address appear: 1404, 1416, 1428, 1436, 1444, and 1456. Now all of these homes are slated for demolition and new multifamily units will be built.

The home at 1404 Bewicke Avenue is on the north east corner of Bewicke Avenue and West 14th Street. In 1955 the owners were Alfred H. and Jean E. Richardson. According to the City Directories and phone book they continued to live there until at least the Year 2000. That is 45 years for the Richardson's at 1404 Bewicke Avenue. In 1955 Alfred Richardson was employed as a machinist at M W and D. In 1960 he was a mechanic at Cummins Diesel. And in 1971 and 1980 he was employed as a mechanic at C P Air. In the 1991 and 1995/1996 City Directories Alfred Richardson reported that he was retired.

Demolition: Permit applied for in 2009.
Photo: Digital colored photo above was taken in 2010 by SW. A black and white negative and photo on a contact sheet taken in July 2009 as part of the Demolition and Construction Project 2001-2010 is on file at the North Vancouver Archives.
Reference 1: "The Ambitious City/A History of the City of North Vancouver" by Warren Sommer.
Reference 2: See Blog Posts July 13, 14, 15, and 16 for more information about the homes in the 1400 block of Bewicke Avenue.

Sunday, July 11, 2010
Sunday Church Feature

Posthumous-Methodist Church, Lynn Valley, B.C.

The Lynn Valley Methodist church was built in 1912 at 260 Institute Road. (REF 1 and 3.) It was on the west side of Institute Road, across the lane from Lynn Valley Elementary School. In 1927 St. Clement's Anglican Church was moved to 120 Institute Road (REF 1.) It was on the east side of Institute Road and was known as "St. Clements-by-the-brook". (REF 7.) On today's maps the site of the Methodist Church would be across the street from what is now the house at 3284 Institute Road.(REF 4.)

Lynn Valley Methodist Church was originally only one floor. Then a basement was built under it to make two functioning  floors. "The bottom floor was immediately put into use as a child/daycare centre." (REF 2.) This church is seen in the photo above. "It features triangular eaves, brackets, and unusual alternating vertical and horizontal wood siding". (REF 2.) The windows along the sides and in triplicate on either side of the entrance to the upper level were and of a Gothic type. The double set of steps leading to the upper level were a stylized feature.


In 1925 the Congregational, most Presbyterian, and the Methodist Churches in Canada united to become the United Church of Canada. At this time the Knox Presbyterian Church on Lynn Valley Road became the Lynn Valley United Church. The Lynn Valley Methodist Church congregation joined with and moved to the new Lynn Valley United Church. The Lynn Valley Methodist Church building was then used by Lynn Valley Elementary School as a gym. On the 1930 Fire Insurance Map the building is labeled as having Manual Training in the basement.

1930 Fire Insurance Map

 From 1945 to 1962 the lower floor of the old Methodist Church was the home of Lynn Valley Parent Participation Playschool. When the top part was moved across Mountain Highway, "The lower 1/2 of the building became a Metal Arts School and was eventually demolished."(REF 5.) It was used as "...the manual arts branch of Queen Mary School teaching local students carpentry and house building."(REF 2.) It was also used as a community center. (REF 3.)

In 1962, according to the October 11, 1962 Citizen newspaper, the Lynn Valley Arts Guild purchased the old Methodist Church Building from the School Board for $50. And According to Clare Lakes' "History of LVPPP" it was the top half of the building that was purchased and they "...moved it across the playing field to the west side of Mt. Highway..." The Citizen said further that "to move the top floor of the church to 3355 Mountain Highway cost about $1000." The actual move took place in the spring of 1963.

In 2004 new playground equipment was donated by Home Depot for the north east corner of the new Lynn Valley Elementary School grounds. Charis Kalesnikoff, the school principal, said that when the workers were digging to install the equipment, hunks of concrete were uncovered. She wondered if these were remnants of the old Methodist Church.

The top floor of the old Lynn Valley Methodist Church remains part of the RNB Dance and Theatre Arts building at 3355 Mountain Highway. If you look on the back of the building you can still see the outline of the original Gothic type church windows that lined the sides of the1912 church.

Demolition: Bottom half of the Lynn Valley Methodist Church, in 1963.

Available at the North Vancouver Archives

Reference 1: 1930 Fire Insurance Map.

Reference 2: 1988 District of North Vancouver Heritage Inventory.

Reference 3: 1993 District of North Vancouver Heritage Inventory.

Reference 4: #275 North Vancouver Archives Map.

Reference 5: Clare Lakes' "History of Lynn Valley Parent Participation

Preschool".

Reference 6: October 11, 1962 "Citizen" newspaper.

Reference 7: 1005 "Sacred Sites Tour Booklet," article by Kathleen Larsen.

Photo: North Vancouver Archives Photo(26-19B-1-Draycott Fons 26, taken ca. 1920.)

Opened September 20, 2008, 120 West 14th Street

(Photo 4.)

Saturday, July 10, 2010
Saturday Special Feature
New City of N V Library a Beaut!

The new City of North Vancouver Library is a beaut! Its three stories of glass command attention from its site at 120 West 14th Street.  The library serves the 44,000 residents of the City with 900 visitors a day.  The library opening on September 20, 2008 was dotted with luminaries. Meg Till of "The Big Chill" fame and now a writer was an honored guest. (See Link 2.)

Each of the three floors of the  City Library has its own computers and study spaces and also its own specialty. On the third floor it is reference materials and nonfiction. On the second floor it is fiction, "The Media Room", "The Room" for teens, and a circular magazine display. On the first floor it is the children's area with it own outdoor children's reading garden and another circular display, this time of new books. The views from the third floor of the North Shore mountains to the north and downtown Vancouver to the south are spectacular. Next door on the first floor is Braza Library Cafe with bakery treats. The whole complex is decorated with art work. The donor trees are pressed into the concrete of the front plaza. Each floor has wall sized murals: names of writers, "Welcome" repeated in many languages, a giant moose in the forest, abstract circles and splashes. Even the underground pay parking lot greets you with a carved glass mural called "My People Will Rise Up" by Marriane Nicholson. (See photo above.)

"North Vancouver's first library service began in January 1869, but it wasn't until November 12th, 1924 that a Public Library Association was officially chartered and a small fee-for-service library opened.  For many years there after, a small group of women operated the library in various  places in the Lower Lonsdale area. (Including above a butcher shop.) Members borrowed from its stock of donated books or those purchased from the proceeds of afternoon teas and card parties. Closure often threatened due to lack of funds and inadequate premises.

"For a while, the Association received small grants from the City and the province, but during the Depression of the 1930's, these fell, and finally ceased. Sheer determination kept the library going, and by 1945, a monthly circulation of approximately 600 was achieved. The City's annual grant had been renewed, and had grown to $240 per year. This relative affluence enabled the Association to employ a few paid workers. In 1949, with the help from governments at all three levels, the old Wartime Administration Building on 2nd Street (131 East 2nd Street) became the library's new home.  By 1950, circulation had topped 20,000 and City Council was asked for increasing grants each year.

1949, 131 East 2nd Street

"As part of the 1958 British Columbia Centennial celebration, the City built the North Vancouver Centennial Library on West 8th Street (135 West 12th Street).  In a December 1964 public referendum, the library became a free, tax-supported municipal library.  In 1966, a new wing and a separate children's department doubled the size of the building. 

November 1958, 135 West 12th Street

"In 1975, the library moved to a new Civic Centre on West 14th Street, (121 West 14th Street) and became the North Vancouver City Library.  Thirty-three years later a magnificent state-of-the-art 36,000 square foot new library (120 West 14th Street) opened on the plaza across from the 1975 building.

Opened March 8, 1975, 121 West 14th Street

(Photo 3.)

"After 84 years of constant effort by several generations of dedicated people, the City of North Vancouver opened a wonderful new library on September 20, 2008, reflecting the City's continued growth and aspirations." (See Link 1.)

Present Status of Old Library Buildings

In Use: 131 East 2nd Street-Occupied by Lower Lonsdale Planning Centre and Women's Resource Centre.
Demolition: 135 West 12th Street, after 1995-Condominium complex built.
Boarded Up: 121 West 14th Street-Possibly to be used for City Hall office space.

Photos

Photo 1: Taken of the 1949 City Library on East 2nd Street in 2010 by SW.

Photo 2: Copy of the 1958 City Library at 135 West 12th Street, Archives photo #13663.

Photo 3: Digital copy of North Vancouver Archives photo 9060. Cropped by SW.

Photo 4: Taken of the 2008 City Library in 2009 by SW.

Photo 5: Taken of "My People Will Rise Up" in 2009 by SW.

Photo 6: From Archives pamphlet, "A Little History of the City of North Vancouver Public Library", 1971.

Reference: "The Ambitious City" A History of the City of North Vancouver by Warren Sommer.

Link 1: http://www.cnv.org/nvcl/

Link 2: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meg_Tilly
Thank You: To James Reimer and Laura Nauman at the North Vancouver City Library for their information search.

Friday, July 9, 2010
The House Behind the Gate

The house at 417 West 15th Street is in the City of North Vancouver. The front yard is a beautiful garden with a rustic gate to the sidewalk. Although you can't see much of the dark green house from the West 15th Street sidewalk, you can't miss the house because the number 417 is on this gate. (See photo below.) The rear of the house looks like there have been additions to the original building. French doors open out to the back garden.

There is no listing of 417 West 15th Street at the North Vancouver Archives in the Building Permit Book, the 1940, or the 1950 City Directories. However in 1955 Seigfrid and Gunnel Haller were listed as the residents. Seigfrid Haller worked as a laborer at Allan and Borrie Construction Ltd. which was at 3095 Woodbine Ave. in North Vancouver. In 1960 Mrs. Edith R. Vandenbergh, a widow, was the owner.

In 1971 Mrs. Ruth Kasher lived in the house at 417 West 15th Street. Mrs. Ruth Kasher was employed in the laboratory at Lion's Gate Hospital. In the 1991 and 1995/1996 City Directories she is listed as retired and still living in the house. Mrs. Ruth Kasher is also listed at the 417 West 15th Street in the 2008/2010 Telus phone book. Mrs. Ruth Kasher seems to have lived there for about 30 years, so she must be credited with the beautiful garden.

Demolition: Application applied for in June 2010.

Photos: Taken in June 2010 by SW.