| 2004
Top Ten Endangered Sites
Top 10 2004 |
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(Lost - updated)
Yet another of Vancouver's historic schools could
bite the dust because the cost of seismic and other upgrades
apparently cost more than a new school.
>> Roll over image to the right for an original/current comparison.
Similar to other early Vancouer schools, Dickens
Elementary's brick walls, pitched roof and decorative pilasters
are emblematic of the history of our city and its neighbourhoods.
The possibility that the fate of Dickens could
well set a precedent for the loss of these landmarks across
the city raised bluntly the question of our commitment to
heritage: do we value our public heritage buildings, and how
much are we willing to invest to save them for future generations?
Rolling over the image above, reveals the original structure, and how the building currently appears. Some ornamentation has been removed, the roofline has been changed, as well as painting over the different colours of stone banding.
Updated October 29, 2008: Charles Dickens school has now been fully demolished (1912-2008). During the demoltion preparation, the stunning original stonework banding was revealed when the exterior red paint had been removed, until the wreckers ball completed it's task.
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