Vancouver has so much amazing history, we can’t always fit it all in one year! Sometimes that means retiring some of our programming. Below are some of the events we have held in the past, but are currently no longer offering.
If you really miss something let us know! We may be able to bring it back if there is demand.
Often utilized for multi-generational living, or as income helpers, the possibilities for two full floors of living space are nearly endless with a multitude of ways to personalize and adapt these family homes. Many homeowners have utilized the Specials generous floor plan to accommodate several generations in the same home. Learn about how to improve energy efficiency, speak to owners and experts in construction and materials about their own projects and come away with great ideas for retaining and reusing older housing. Information and resources about the Vancouver Special, including post house tour ticket brochures, can be found here.
You can also learn more about the Vancouver Special housing style here.
“Less is More”, the phrase coined by the German designer Mies van der Rohe, aptly describes the Modern Movement that began in Europe in the 1920s and 1930s. Modernist designs were without historical precedent, they used and exposed new materials and technologies, and they conformed to new social ideals of embracing the outdoors, open plan living and functional design. Vancouver developed an adaptation of the Modern aesthetic known as West Coast Regional Style. Local designers used post-and-beam construction, stepped flat roofs with clerestory windows and wide expanses of glass that connected interiors with nature and natural light. VHF’s Mid-Century Modern House Tour celebrated the achievements of Vancouver architects from the 1940s through to the 1970s and beyond. Resources from past tours, including tour guidebooks, can be found here.
You can also learn more about Mid-Century housing styles on the Vancouver House Styles Hub.
Laneway housing is not a new idea in Vancouver. It can be seen in Vancouver’s historic neighbourhoods dating back as far as the 1890s. Early lane homes often served as temporary residences while the main home was built, or as secondary housing for staff, guests or extended family. More recently infills have shown potential to be a positive tool in heritage conservation. Infill buildings and lane housing can be a way to add additional housing to a lot without demolishing the principal heritage residence. Heritage Revitalization Agreements can be utilized to restore and designate a heritage structure in exchange for additional density on a site. For several years, the Laneway House Tour was used to demonstrate methods of heritage preservation utilizing infill and lane housing and offering ticket holders a chance to explore these options and discuss projects with professional in the field. More information about laneway housing and previous tours can be found here.
Brown Bag talks offered a chance to learn about the state of current heritage and conservation projects in Vancouver with experts in architecture and design, city planning and other related fields. The speakers offered in depth illustrated talks followed by a Q&A. Professionals and the interested public learned about the issues, projects and topics that are relevant to the future of Vancouver’s historic neighbourhoods and buildings.
In 1908, the first Sikh Gurdwara in North America opened in Kitsilano. Located at 1866 West 2nd Avenue, this religious, social and political gathering place was situated next to homes owned by the South Asian community and the saw mills where they worked. In September of 2015 tour guides Naveen Girn and Paneet Singh lead a walking tour that retraced the living legacy of this important space for the South Asian community by pointing out lost - and still existing - buildings that illustrate the intercultural past of Vancouver, the fight against racial discrimination, and the stories that still resonate today.
The Musqueam people have lived on the South Coast for thousands of years. Their traditional territory occupies what is now Vancouver and its surrounding areas. In 2014, VHF and Musqueam Indian Band developed a pilot project bus tour. Attendees took a bus to explore several sites around Vancouver which hold particular significance to the Musqueam people. They learned how these sites were used historically and what makes them important. They also found out how these sites are used now in modern Musqueam culture. As the bus traveled between destinations participants learned from Musqueam guides about traditional practices, arts and crafts, songs, legends and even some personal stories.
VHF compiled four nights of film that looked at everything from architects and the design process, to social housing and city planning. One evening was just on Vancouver featuring the famed story of the Asahi Baseball team during WWII and the Oscar nominated film shown during Expo 86. Film nights were admission and concession by donation, with proceeds supporting the research and design of a new historic Kitsilano map guide series.
Vancouver's urban forest holds a complex history of destroyed First Nations villages and squatters' cabins, military unrest and forgotten burial places, British enclaves, sports and cultural venues, and of course, renowned natural endowments, some more recent than you might think. Due to its natural popularity, Stanley Park has become an engineered landscape, with many tourist draws such as the totems, blow-down amusement parks, and preserved reminders of the raw force of nature. Enjoy a leisurely paced cycle while digging into the storms and controversies that have formed this majestic park.
The fascinating tales of early Jewish life in the heart of Strathcona and Gastown. The walk started at the first synagogue, 700 East Pender at Heatley, in Strathcona and visited the landmarks, architecture, and events that shaped Vancouver in the early 20th Century.
Led by the Jewish Museum and Archives of BC
In 2012 the VHF, in association with the Borealis String Quartet, presented a new concert series held over four afternoons in four different heritage houses, each was followed by a high tea reception. Attendees enjoyed the dynamic and world-class Borealis String Quartet in the fabulous heritage homes. These were fundraising events for VHF and Borealis String Quartet.
Since 2009, VHF has taken small groups of heritage lovers out on tour buses to visit BC historical sights. From local jaunts like the Stave Lake Powerhouse and the Fraser Valley, to farther trips like a private home in Qualicum Beach and visits to Samuel McLure houses in Victoria, this guided tour included lunch and passage on a coach bus.
There are more than two dozen religious heritage buildings on Vancouver's Heritage Register, from wood frame neighbourhood churches to impressive downtown stone cathedrals. With their gorgeous stained glass and intricate wood beamed ceilings, these buildings in our midst are part of the historical and cultural fabric of our city. This was a self-guided tour that ran in 2004 and 2005 and allowed visitors to tailor the tour to their own interests and timing.
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