Heritage 101 is the core required course for the Heritage Conservation Certificate. The course covers the basics of heritage conservation in Canada, with topics ranging from intangible cultural heritage values to writing conservation plans for historic sites. It is available on demand, so you can work through all 7 modules and the final assignment at your own pace.
SOLD OUT! Characterized by the large, illuminated clock tower set atop its fifteen-storey height, the Vancouver Block, which slightly predated the adjacent Birks Building by Somervell & Putnam, helped establish Georgia and Granville as the commercial core of early Vancouver and serves as a symbol of the rapid growth in Vancouver’s economy and urban fabric in the early twentieth century. The tour will begin with an hour-long walking tour with heritage consultant Donald Luxton exploring the economic growth of Vancouver. The second half of the tour will end with a guided tour of the Vancouver Block building (736 Granville Street), including the clock tower and viewing platform.
SOLD OUT! 37th Avenue runs through various neighbourhoods across what was the district of South Vancouver and Point Grey. Running by and through major city landmarks and parks such as Mountain View Cemetery, Van Dusen Botanical Garden, Norquay Park, St Mary’s Church in Kerrisdale, Queen Elizabeth Park and Kensington Park. Following 37th Avenue from East to West, John Atkin will be “Walking the Ridge” and exploring how 37th Avenue has been developed and how it has changed, as well as looking closely at the landscape and cartography along the way. This walk will focus on the area around 37th Avenue and Ash Street in the South Cambie neighbourhood.
SOLD OUT! 37th Avenue runs through various neighbourhoods across what was the district of South Vancouver and Point Grey. Running by and through major city landmarks and parks such as Mountain View Cemetery, Van Dusen Botanical Garden, Norquay Park, St Mary’s Church in Kerrisdale, Queen Elizabeth Park and Kensington Park. Following 37th Avenue from East to West, John Atkin will be “Walking the Ridge” and exploring how 37th Avenue has been developed and how it has changed, as well as looking closely at the landscape and cartography along the way. This walk will focus on the area around 37th Avenue and Hudson Street in the Shaughnessy neighbourhood.
SOLD OUT! 37th Avenue runs through various neighbourhoods across what was the district of South Vancouver and Point Grey. Running by and through major city landmarks and parks such as Mountain View Cemetery, Van Dusen Botanical Garden, Norquay Park, St Mary’s Church in Kerrisdale, Queen Elizabeth Park and Kensington Park. Following 37th Avenue from East to West, John Atkin will be “Walking the Ridge” and exploring how 37th Avenue has been developed and how it has changed, as well as looking closely at the landscape and cartography along the way. This walk will focus on the area around 37th Avenue and Pine Crescent, just north of the Kerrisdale neighbourhood.
SOLD OUT! Stroll from the historic Canadian Memorial United Church into the heart of First Shaughnessy, where Vancouver’s grandest estates reveal layers of local lore. Along the way, discover Chief Bingham’s house, famous for once housing Winston Churchill’s preserved cigar, and the regal Greencroft estate, former home of Eric Hamber. The journey with guide Rob Olson highlights the architectural splendor of the twin-towered Glen Brae Manor before winding past the storied mansions of the CPR elite toward the classic brick gates of Shaughnessy Elementary. It is a walk through West Shaughnessy that perfectly captures the prestige and eccentricity of the city’s most exclusive heritage enclave.
SOLD OUT! 37th Avenue runs through various neighbourhoods across what was the district of South Vancouver and Point Grey. Running by and through major city landmarks and parks such as Mountain View Cemetery, Van Dusen Botanical Garden, Norquay Park, St Mary’s Church in Kerrisdale, Queen Elizabeth Park and Kensington Park. Following 37th Avenue from East to West, John Atkin will be “Walking the Ridge” and exploring how 37th Avenue has been developed and how it has changed, as well as looking closely at the landscape and cartography along the way. This walk will focus on the area around 37th Avenue and Elm Street in the Arbutus Ridge neighbourhood.
SOLD OUT! 37th Avenue runs through various neighbourhoods across what was the district of South Vancouver and Point Grey. Running by and through major city landmarks and parks such as Mountain View Cemetery, Van Dusen Botanical Garden, Norquay Park, St Mary’s Church in Kerrisdale, Queen Elizabeth Park and Kensington Park. Following 37th Avenue from East to West, John Atkin will be “Walking the Ridge” and exploring how 37th Avenue has been developed and how it has changed, as well as looking closely at the landscape and cartography along the way. This walk will focus on the area around 37th Avenue and Balaclava Street in the Dunbar-Southlands neighbourhood.
SOLD OUT! 37th Avenue runs through various neighbourhoods across what was the district of South Vancouver and Point Grey. Running by and through major city landmarks and parks such as Mountain View Cemetery, Van Dusen Botanical Garden, Norquay Park, St Marys Kerrisdale Church, Queen Elizabeth Park, and Kensington Park. Following 37th Avenue from East to West, John Atkin will be “Walking the Ridge” and exploring 37th Avenue, how its been developed, how it has changed, and the landscape and cartography. This walk will focus on the area around 37th Avenue and Wallace Street in the Dunbar-Southlands neighbourhood.
Join Heritage Consultant Donald Luxton as he traverses the history and impact of architectural styles. From the Neo-classical to the Mid-century modern, architectural styles have reflected the trends and values of their day, while also being influenced by the iconic designers and architects of the era. Don will explore a selection of styles found in Vancouver and share what influenced their creation and how best to identify them. In addition, participants will learn about the complexity and reality of identifying a 'style' and discuss whether these labels help or hinder design decisions.
Podcasting has become an increasingly popular medium for educational programming by museums. Not only are they a low-cost way to engage and expand museum audiences across the globe, but they can serve as repositories for oral history and primary source research. Dive behind the scenes of 'The School Room' podcast with producer Rosalie Gunawan and learn about how the Chinese Canadian Museum is using podcasts for digital storytelling.
Join us for a special screening of the documentary film, '1910: The Uncovering.' The film explores the legacy of the Rogers Pass avalanche through the lives of two unlikely friends, a downtown Vancouver businessman, and a Japanese-born ski guide brought together by their need for purpose, healing, and their passion for researching the mysteries and injustices of this event. After the screening, Director and Co-producer, Chad Townsend, and one of the film subjects and its Executive Producer, Morgan Brewster, will speak about the film.
Created in 2011 to commemorate Vancouver’s 125th anniversary as an incorporated city, Places that Matter (PTM) has grown to recognize over 100 community-nominated sites that represent some of the people, places and events that tell the stories of Vancouver’s history. Join Michael Kluckner, Past President of Vancouver Historical Society, and Jessica Quan, Community Engagement Manager at Vancouver Heritage Foundation, for an evening dedicated to reflecting on 15 years of PTM. They will be joined in conversation by members of some of the PTM sites who can speak to the importance and value of these places and spaces in our community.
From canneries and mines to company towns and Indigenous industrial landscapes, industrial heritage tells the story of how people, industry, and place have shaped one another, as well as how those relationships continue to influence communities today. Join us and Heritage BC’s Maria Paula Arias to explore the story behind the development of the Industrial Heritage Places map and Places that Matter Community History Resource. By delving into the collaborative process used to identify and interpret sites, and the opportunities and challenges of documenting industrial heritage through a community-driven lens, these projects create opportunities for critical conversations about economic development, community building, colonization, environmental change, and evolving social values.
In many municipalities in BC, a Heritage Conservation Plan is a mandatory document for development permits involving a listed heritage property or for the purposes of a Heritage Revitalization Agreement, but it also represents a really helpful and thorough decision making process for owners of old buildings. In this informative hybrid workshop, heritage professional Elana Zysblat will illustrate how to create a Heritage Conservation Plan using real case studies. Each project will be illustrated and analyzed from the research stage, through the owner’s plans and needs, the construction phase and the crucial role of the Heritage Conservation Plan in guiding and solving the complexity of a heritage project.
From artist files and audiovisual recordings to born-digital materials, Western Front's archives function as a significant repository of contemporary art history. Join Western Front’s Executive Director, Susan Gibb, and Archivist, Anna Tidlund, for an in-depth look at the organizational strategies that support both the preservation of its history and the development of its future. This session explores how that history is actively documented, interpreted, and sustained through archival practice.
In celebration of their new book, “Real Enough: The Unlikely Story of Doug and The Slugs”, join one of the band’s founding members Simon Kendall and historian Aaron Chapman in an entertaining discussion of Doug and the Slugs' career over the past 5 decades featuring readings from the book, music, mirth and much besides…
wait list = Event is currently at capacity. There is a wait list for the scheduled event in case of cancellations. Please email mail@vancouverheritagefoundation.org to be added to the waitlist.
notification list = Event and wait list are currently at capacity. People on this list will only be notified if future dates are confirmed.
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In-person event registration entitles the participant(s) named on the ticket(s) access to the event. Please bring a copy (paper or digital) of your ticket(s) and a piece of ID with you to check in with VHF staff. Registration is required in advance for all paid events, either online or by phone. VHF staff are unable to reserve tickets or purchase tickets for participants. If you require additional assistance, please contact us to arrange a time to come to our office. Tickets will not be sold at the event.
If you are not able to attend, an unregistered replacement showing up in your place will not be accepted. Please contact mail@vancouverheritagefoundation.org no later than 48 hours prior to the event if you are unable to attend and would like to request that someone else attend in your place.
Virtual event registration entitles a participant to access to the live event, as well as access to the virtual event recording for a limited period of time following the event (if the virtual event is being recorded). Sharing of links for virtual events and recordings is strictly prohibited.
Please note that by donation events (such as our virtual Heritage Lunch and Learn series) do not qualify for charitable tax receipts.
For in-person events, we are unable to provide refunds or credits for cancellations received less than four (4) weeks prior to the event. For virtual events we are unable to provide refunds or credits for cancellations received less than two (2) weeks prior to the event.
We cannot provide refunds or credits for non-attendance, including for illness. We appreciate your cooperation to keep our staff and community safe by not attending an in-person event if you are feeling unwell.
We reserve the right to cancel or modify an event due to insufficient enrollment, extreme weather or extenuating circumstances. If an event is cancelled for any reason, VHF’s liability is limited to a refund of the event fee or a credit note.
For virtual events we are unable to provide refunds or credits for cancellations received less than two (2) weeks prior to the event.
NOTE: External organizations that offer events in partnership with VHF reserve the right to set their own cancellation policy and may differ from VHF’s standard policy stated above.
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VHF is currently offering events and workshops in a virtual format, as well as in-person events. Please be sure to check which type of event you are registering for when you sign up.
Please note that VHF staff are not always in the office so please call ahead to confirm if you do not already have a scheduled appointment. You can contact us by email or phone for inquiries about upcoming events, for support registrering for programs or to set up an office appointment.