Barclay Heritage Square

Today I returned to the Barclay Heritage Square which resides in the square made by Barclay Street, Nicola Street, Haro Street and Broughton Street.

This is the entrance to Barclay Heritage Square. The entrance way as well as the walls in the nearby Fine Lawn Area were made out of granite from a turreted vintage home that was originally at the southeast corner of Broughton and Barclay. Unfortunately the house was demolished in 1984 as the development of the park was starting.

On the right side of the Roedde House Museum - which I wrote on earlier - there is an old Sycamore Maple tree and a row of Cappadocian Maples line Barclay Street. These trees were planted in the 1890s which makes them about as old as Vancouver itself. Or pretty close to it.

To be honest I have no clue what the difference is between a Sycamore Maple and a Cappadocian Maple so I took pictures of the trees in the area. They look impressive.

Perennial beds surround the entrance and are planted with hellebores, rhododendrums, viburnum and spring bulbs. That must be a gorgeous sight in the later spring and summer months.

The Fine lawn Area replaced an 1895 home that was not considered for rehabilitation due to its advanced state of disrepair.

Benches such as this one surround the lawn area. Visitors are welcome to sit and enjoy the majestic views of manmade beauties and nature's wonders.



The Centennial Fountain is in the middle of the park at the far end of the Fine Lawn. It was donated by the Wilkinson-Brighouse Family as a tribute to West End Pioneers. It is also a tribute to a resident who arrived in the West End wilderness in 1862, Sam Brighouse.

At 1459 Barclay Street is The George Weeks House which was built in 1895. It is now the Diamond Centre for Living and is run by the Friends for Life Society.

George Weeks served as a factor in the trading posts of Yale and Hope. He was also the manager of our city's first Hudson Bay Company store on Cordova Street.

In 1911 Weeks built a two storied apartment building on Nicola Street behind his house. The Shaftsbury Apartments consisted of six suites and sadly it didn't survive the revitalization of this square.

Weeks lived in this house until his death in 1948 and the Weeks family retained their residence for another forty years. Something you don't see a lot these days but I can imagine George sitting on the wrap around veranda watching his children and grandchildren and maybe even great granchildren playing on the large expanse of grass.

I hope you find the beauty around you.

TAGS:Vancouver, Karen Magill, Roedde House, West End,George Weeks,Barclay Heritage Square,History,The Shaftsbury Apartments,Maple Tree,Brighouse,