The House Built on Cavities

I couldn't resist the title of that entry. This mansion known as Gabriola was not built on a cavity in the ground but it was built for Benjamin Tingley Rogers of Rogers Sugar. I've written on Rogers before if you look back at earlier entries. He was one of the people who helped to make this city.

Architect Samuel Maclure designed this lavish home for the Sugar King, as Rogers was known, starting in 1900. On July 1, 1901 Rogers and his wife moved in and lived in Gabriola for seventeen years. (It was named Gabriola since the stones used to build it were quarried on Gabriola Island.)

While I was walking around the vacant property today I imagined what it must have been like over a hundred years ago when this extravagant home was full of life and parties and the crème de la crème  of Vancouver society. I even imagined that if I listened hard enough maybe I would hear the tinkling of glasses and the gaiety from years gone by. I didn't though.

I read that there are a series of tunnels under this Queen Anne style mansion that lead to a manor on Bidwell Street that has  been known as the Balthazar Night Club. These tunnels were used for rum running. The Balthazar has been renamed Maxine's which is a throwback to Maxine's College of Beauty Culture which existed in the 1930s and 40s and was a bordello.

Another story about those tunnels is that the Balthazar used to be a finishing school for young ladies and that when the school mistress was having financial problems she would send a few girls through the tunnels to Gabriola. Of course these are rumours but you have to admit stories like this are interesting.

The impressive stained glass windows were designed by the Bloomfield Brothers.



There are a lot of photos today of what was once known as "probably the most lavish private home ever constructed in B.C" but I really want my readers to get the true feeling of the mansion.

 I was so enthralled by this beauty of architecture that I spent more time than usual walking around it. I could see the vehicles entering the gates and smartly dressed people getting out. I could imagine the mansion lit up for one of the many parties. And I wished that I could somehow go back in time and actually see it, experience it. But alas we don't have the technology to time travel. At least not yet.

In 1918 Ben Rogers died and his wife sold Gabriola - she moved to another mansion in Shaughnessy. In 1925 this was the home of Angus Apartments but by the 1970s the once magnificent home had fallen into disrepair. Fortunately it was saved from demolition and renovated.

In 1977 Gabriola was converted to a restaurant with the interior being restored closer to its original design. (The exterior hasn't changed since it was designed by Maclure). The restaurant Romano’s Macaroni Grill called this building home for quite a while but they have now moved on. I've heard that it has been bought by those involved with the Keg Restaurant chain so we may be seeing new life at the Gabriola again.

I hope you find the beauty around you.

TAGS:Vancouver, Karen Magill, Gabriola, B.T.Rogers,Angus Apartments,Balthazar,History,

Burrard Beauties

On July 1, 1932 Mayor Louis D. Taylor took a pair of golden scissors and cut the ribbon and opened the $3 million Burrard Bridge to the public. Almost immediately vehicles and pedestrians surged across the grand white structure and helped celebrate another step in Vancouver's progression.

Later, at the Hotel Vancouver, a civic reception was held and a replica of the bridge - made totally out of sugar - was unveiled. (My teeth hurt just thinking about it!)

These huge lamps - two at each end of the bridge - were the mastermind of engineer John Grant. They are a tribute to the soldiers of World War II who were prisoners and had to huddle around open fires. The lamps we see today are 1965 replacements of the originals which had to be removed due to corrosion.

There are two concrete structures on either side of the overhead galleries. A story has circulated over the years that  people have lived in apartments in these concrete havens. But that is just an urban myth.

According to G.L. Thornton Sharp - the architect who designed the concrete version - the gallery and the concrete structures hide a network of steel.

The two figureheads are there to represent Captain George Vancouver and Captain Harry Burrard - two seamen who are closely associated with the history of Vancouver. (Interesting note. Burrard apparently never came with 5,000 kilometres of this area. He was an old friend of Vancouver's and had been Vancouver's acting lieutenant on the Europa in the West Indies. George was honoring a friend.)

In the center of the galleries is the arms of the City of Vancouver flanked by windows. (In case you can't read it below the two men it reads 'By Sea and Land We Prosper'. A fitting proclomation considering how this city was founded.)

Design started on this bridge - A Symphony of Steel and Concrete according to one 1932 headline - in 1930 and  was opened in 1932. Work on it was done by consulting engineer J.R. Grant, architects Sharp & Thompson, contractors Hodgson, King & Marble and Dawson & Wade Co. The steel was provided by the Dominion Bridge Co. Ltd. and the Western Bridge Co. Ltd.

Travel to the south side of the Burrard Bridge and you will come to the Seaforth Armoury. Built from 1935 to 1936, this structure is a great example of Scots Baronial style. It is also the home of a Canadian Forces primary reserve infantry regiment, the Seaforth Highlanders of Canada. The regiment is part of Land Force's Western Area's 39 Area Western Brigade Group.

In 1909 Vancouver's Scottish community wanted a highland regiment in Vancouver. After a year of discussion and planning a letter of request was sent to the Minister of Militia. Eleven months after the request was made, authorization was made and the Scottish community got the number they wanted for the regiment. 72. This was the number for the Seaforth Highlanders in Scotland.

The regiment's first 'action' was in 1912 when they were called upon to maintain peace and order in Nanaimo when striking coal miners inspired riots. Since then they have been called into service during both world wars, Korea, Egypt, Croatia, Cyprus and most recently Afghanistan.

The building itself is a wonder. For the first time in armoury design reinforced concrete technology was used for all major exterior walls and finishes. Due to Vancouver’s susceptibility to earthquakes steel trusses were used in the roof.

The detail shown throughout the exterior shows not only a high level of craftmanship but also the pride felt for the Seaforth Highlanders. A pride still felt today. 2010 was the regiment's centenary and events were apparently held to mark the occasion.

I hope you find the beauty around you.

TAGS:Vancouver, Karen Magill, Seaforth Armoury, Burrard Bridge,Seaforth Highlanders,Minister of Militia,History,

Militant Mothers and Booze Cans

Today's entry is about how people have made changes in this city and helped to keep some safe and beautify their piece of the community.

The Militant Mothers of Raymur are an important part of Vancouver's history.

In the late 1950s the city began a urban renewal plan for the Strathcona area. The plan was to demolish older homes and use that land to create public housing including the Raymur Housing Project. The housing project is at the corner of Campbell and Pender Streets but many of the project's children attend school at Seymour Elementary School. In order to get to the school the youngsters had to cross the railroad tracks.

In the fall of 1970 a group of mothers from the housing project organized a protest against the Burlington Northern Railway. They had been negotiating with the railway to get the company to build an overhead walkway but the negotiations were going nowhere. So the mothers began to camp out on the tracks and stopped the trains. Even though there was legal action and intense pressure from the railway the mothers refused to move and allow the trains to get to the Port of Vancouver.

The Burlington Northern Railway finally did give in and build the walkway. I guess it was less expensive in the long run that the money they were losing by not being able to get to the port.

Part of this urban renewal plan for Strathcona also consisted of plans to build a highway through the district. In order to do this the planners were going to demolish houses on the entire block of Prior and Union Streets. There was a public outcry. Not only because we would be losing parts of our history but also because there was no public consultation on this. Planners quickly backtracked on that idea and a new approach to urban development and change was born. Now the public is allowed to present their opinions and concerns. Walking around downtown lately I have seen notices where planners are intending on constructing large condo towers so there may be more public outcry as the citizens try to stop this.

At the corners of McLean Drive and Charles Street is this little park - Mosaic Creek Park.

In the 1990s these three vacant lots were slated for a condominimum building. The residents of the area weren't pleased with this proposal so they raised the money to purchase the land themselves and turn it into a park.



 Artists Glen Andersen and Kristine Germann worked with project coordinator Sarah White and ran workshops to teach residents how to create the mosaics that are seen throughout this area. 300 community members created the mosaics that create a path running through the park. (Initially the community wanted to have a stream running through this area but it proved to be impractical.)

This mosaic feature surrounding an herb garden was designed and coordinated by Glen Andersen and Marina Szijarto.

Here, though my camera didn't pick it up, are stones with names of people involved with this project. The design team consisted of: Glen Andersen, Christopher Dale, Kristine Germann, Joanne Hogarth, Lawrence Low, Sarah White and Ms. White was the coordinator.

Friday while walking through here I ran into a woman who told me all about how this park came to be. She used to live in a house here that was once a booze can. She now lives in an apartment building on the Charles Street side of the park and she said she can remember when that area was all orchards. She wasn't that old so it wasn't that long ago. Relatively speaking of course.
 



This building which has an entrance on Mclean Drive as well as one on Charles Street was built in 1912 but I don't know anything about it.

 

I hope you find the beauty around you.

 

TAGS:Vancouver, Karen Magill, Glen Andersen, Christopher Dale ,Kristine Germann,Joanne Hogarth,Marina Szijarto,Lawrence Low,Sarah White,History,