Click to visit the Places That Matter Google Maps.

A Commemorative Plaque Project Marking

Vancouver’s 125th Anniversary

Plaques are now being presented and installed throughout the City!

2012 Presentations are currently in the planning stages and will be announced shortly. Stay tuned!

December 16th, 2011: Gene Ramsbottom's Out For Lunch concert series was recognized at the Vancouver Art Gallery in a rousing year end concert. Founder Gene Ramsbottom (r), pictured below with Sean Ayers (l) of the Vancouver Heritage Foundation, accepted the plaque that received the most votes of all nominations.

Click to read about: Out for Lunch Noon Hour Concert Series at the Vancouver Art Gallery and UBC ArtsWire.

October 23, 2011: The inaugural Places That Matter plaque was installed in Stanley Park. Keeping the memory of his great-grandfather's legacy alive, Chris Hay and the Stanley Park Rock Garden, pictured below at the unveiling.

Click to read more: Stanley Park Rock Garden

Vancouver Courier story and Canada.com story

How did the selection process work?

All nominations that were put forward by the public by March 16th, 2011 were considered for a plaque. Public votes were taken into consideration by the Site Selection Committee. The Committee finalized the first 125 plaque site list based on the criteria set by the committee. Sites have to agree to accept and install the plaques, and the Vancouver Heritage Foundation has been working with sponsors, site owners and public institutions to present and install plaques throughout Vancouver.

Thank you to the Site Selection Committee members

John Atkin, Rebecca Bolwitt, Arabella Campbell, Marguerite Ford, Charles Gauthier, Michael Kluckner, Gordon Price, Kamala Todd, Hal Wake, Catherine Wang, and Bruce Watson.

Thank you to the City of Vancouver's 125 Celebrations and the Government of Canada for the initial funding for this project.

The Places That Matter Project Timeline

Oct 2011-2012 : Plaque presentations and celebrations throughout Vancouver.

July-Sept 2011: Historians researched and wrote text for the plaques and googlemaps.

April-June 2011: Site Selection committee met to choose sites for plaque recognition.

April 6, 2011: Voting closed. Thousands of votes are cast online.

March 16, 2011: Deadline for public nominations submitted online.

February 26, 2011: Public Nomination Day at the Vancouver Public Library.

The Vancouver Heritage Foundation asked Vancouverites to get involved in choosing 125 sites where plaques will be mounted commemorating people, places and events that helped to shape our city.

The Plaque

Sponsorship in support of the Places That Matter Plaque Project

Thank you to the following plaque sponsors!

Canada Place Corporation, Cannon Jon Mulder Gibson, Chris Hay, City of Vancouver Archives, Collingwood Neighbourhood House, Gene Ramsbottom, Kaleena, Paloma and Zoe Sessions, King Edward High School 100 Years Celebration Committee, Northern Building Supply Ltd., PaperTrail Publishing Ltd., Proud Owners of the Lee Building, Purdy's Chocolates, Solus Trust Ltd., Strathcona Community Grants, the Armstrong Family, the Penthouse Nightclub, and, the Stradiotti Family.

If you are interested in sponsoring a plaque or contributing to the plaque project, please contact Sean Ayers, Development Officer, at sean@vancouverheritagefoundation.org or call the office at 604-264-9642.

Click here to view the Places that Matter GOOGLE MAP

Watch the YOUTUBE video of the Feb 26, 2011 public nomination day at the VPL.

Click here to read the Vancouver Sun article on Places That Matter.

TOP 10 sites receiving the most public votes for Places That Matter