| 2006
Top Ten Endangered Sites
Top 10 2006 |
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 The
1865 Hastings Mill Store Museum, Vancouver's
oldest building, could be endangered through long-term neglect.
Sole existing survivor of the Great Fire of 1886, the building
was once the company store for Hastings Mill — located
on Burrard Inlet at the foot of Dunlevy Street. In 1930, the
store was moved by the Native Daughters of BC to its present
location in Pioneer Park at the north foot of Alma Street.
Owned by the Native Daughters but located in a City-owned
park, this historic site suffers from low public profile and
meager funding which, over the long term could have negative
consequences for maintenance and heritage conservation standards
despite the best efforts of the Daughters.
To preserve this site for future generations,
the City could play a much more active role in its stewardship
and maintenance.
On the topic of stewardship, we are glad to
see that the City is finally doing some remedial work on historic
Roedde House Museum after years of refusing
to honour its commitment to maintaining Vancouver's only house
museum. The City's neglect was starting to cause serious damage
to this historic building.
However, funding MUST now be secured immediately
for the retention and restoration of the City Hall
Windows. The main City Hall building, completed in
1936 in the Art Deco style, still has most of its original
wood sash, double-hung windows. The windows employ an unusual
system that allows both panes to pivot horizontally in addition
to moving vertically. Although the windows are an integral
part of the building's heritage value, the City has at various
times considered replacing them and has not funded the urgently
needed maintenance and rehabilitation.
The City needs to live up to its own heritage
standards and fund the required work before it’s too
late.
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| August
1932; New location on Alma Street after being
moved from the foot od Dunlevy Ave; Photo courtesy
the Vancouver Public Library |
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January
2006; Hastings Mill Museum, Alma Street; Heritage
Vancouver photo |
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| August
1932; Interior view showing display of artifacts,
after being moved to the Alma Street location; Photo
courtesy the Vancouver Public Library |
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August
1932; Interior view after being moved to the
Alma Street location; Photo courtesy the Vancouver
Public Library |
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| January
2006 ; Exterior view of Roedde House, located
in Vancouver's West End; Photo Heritage Vancouver |
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January
2006 ; Exterior view of Roedde House, located
in Vancouver's West End; Photo Heritage Vancouver |
The Hastings Mill Museum
1575 Alma Street, Vancouver, BC
Call for museum hours: 604 734-1212
Native Daughters of British Columbia
Post #1
1575 Alma Street, Vancouver, BC
604 876-9764
The Roedde House Museum
1415 Barclay Street, Vancouver, BC
Call for museum hours: 604 684-7040
www.roeddehouse.org
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