Historic Places Days

Photo Credit: Looking south at the west side of the 6100 Block of Fraser Street. City of Vancouver Archives, Str P412.1.

This tour will explore the Sunset Neighborhood. Paid participants will receive the exact starting location after registering, approximately 1 week prior to the tour.

Please note:

• 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 additional information on VHF’s policies, please visit our Policies page.
• Registration is required for all walking tours, and ID must match. If you are not able to attend the day of your tour, a replacement showing up in your place will not be accepted.
• This tour is a 2 hour +/- outdoor activity that will require participants to navigate  a variety of terrain!
• There is a maximum capacity of 20 people per tour. We ask that you please do not seek out the group on tour day in hopes of joining, as this will disrupt the tour.
• Out of consideration for all walking tour participants, we ask that you please leave all canine companions at home, apart from certified service dogs.

About Your Guide

Rob Howatson is a writer, local history buff and lifelong South Van’er. He caught the heritage bug in 2007 when he discovered a time capsule hidden in the old Sunset Community Centre. (It contained rare Bing Crosby footage!) Rob also works for the City of Richmond at Steveston’s heritage sites.

Details:

• Tours will take place rain or shine. Please dress for the weather.
• There will be  2 tours offered – two evening tours from 4-5:30 pm, and a second tour 6:15-7:45pm. There is a maximum capacity of 20 people per tour and needs 10 registrants to run. Registration is required in advance for all tours and ID must match the ticket. Unregistered people will not be permitted to join on the tour date. Do not seek out the group on the tour day in hopes of joining as this will disrupt the tour; if you are not able to attend your tour, due to liability reasons an unregistered replacement showing up in your place will not be accepted.
• Please note the Vancouver Block portion of this tour will involve climbing several flights of stairs in order to access to the clock tower and viewing deck.
• Tours take place in public spaces through Vancouver, BC. Participants will encounter a variety of terrain including uncontrolled road crossings, gravel, stairs, slopes, etc. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact us at mail@vancouverheritagefoundation.org.
• Washrooms will not be available on the tour.
• Further details, including meeting location, will be provided to registered participants at least 1 week prior to the event. A reminder will be sent 1 day prior to the event. Please email mail@vancouverheritagefoundation.org if you have not received these reminders and they are not in your junk folder.
• Tickets will be available for purchase until 5pm the day before each tour.
• If tickets are sold out, please email mail@vancouverheritagefoundation.org to join waitlist.

About Historic Places Days

Historic Places Days is a platform for individuals and organizations to showcase the places and stories important to them in their own words. As the presenter, the National Trust for Canada recognizes that Canada’s history and heritage is complex and contentious, dominated by settler perspectives, and that individually or collectively the stories may lack diversity.

About the Vancouver Block

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. Completed in 1912, this Edwardian Commercial building is one of the most impressive structures designed by the prolific architectural firm of Parr & Fee. Throughout its history, numerous upgrades have been made to the building to protect the building’s structure, comply with modern safety requirements, and preserve its heritage character.

About the Speakers

Donald Luxton is a heritage consultant, advocate, educator and author. He has worked on numerous heritage and cultural resource management projects throughout western Canada since 1983. A leading proponent of heritage conservation in BC, Donald was instrumental in the creation of VHF’s True Colours historical paint palette and among his book credits is Building the West: The Architects of Early British Columbia.