The City of North Vancouver council has voted 5-2 to remove the heritage designation of a number of historical shipyard buildings near Lonsdale Quay. The move paves the way for the demolition of the buildings, although one may be dismantled and stored.
Despite the fact that the buildings are protected, council took this action in a bid for a Maritime Centre development funded primarily by the Federal government. The original bid incorporated the heritage buildings in the plan, but when the budget was too high, city decided to remove the buildings from the project, thereby bringing down the budget.
There’s been major development, including commercial properties in that area over the last few years. Up until now, that development worked around the heritage site.
The federal funding is by no means a sure thing, yet removing the heritage protection paves the way for the buildings to come done, the last of their kind on the North Shore.
I couldn’t think of a better reason to keep the buildings than this:
The Burrard Shipyard site which anchors the Waterfront has already been recognized at the local and national level as a heritage landmark. With the restoration of the Burrard Dry Dock Pier and St. Roch Dock, the City’s Waterfront is being rediscovered by residents and attracts both local and international visitors.
The Waterfront Project aims to connect the local community by creating a sense of place and pride that also celebrates the City’s past, present and future. One consideration for the area includes a Historic Centre, which may become a National Maritime Museum that chronicles the history of North Vancouver and pays tribute to the West Coast’s maritime origins….
The City is committed to preserving and revitalizing its waterfront heritage and rich maritime history.
Who said that ? The City of North Vancouver on their web site and in other publications.
Personally, I’m appalled that this is being allowed to go forward, and I’ve written about it in a few places, including my personal blog and at Now Public.
I’d encourage you to let the City of North Vancouver know how you feel.
Tel: 604-985-7761 Fax: 604-985-9417 Email: info@cnv.org
I have a number of photos of the buildings on the site that I’ve taken over the last few years – you can see them in this set at Flickr.
artists rendering of the Lower Lonsdale waterfront development, including the shipyard buildings, from the City of North Vancouver’s web site.