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| Neighbourhood History |
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 The history of your neighbourhood is its identity!
If you have lived in your neighbourhood for many years, it is a source of fond memories. If you are new to the community, this section is a way for you to come to understand the background of the neighbourhood you now call home.
We would love for you to share the history of the neighbourhood for all to enjoy. If you have any bits or pieces of neighbourhood history, please submit them here! |
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History of FAIRVIEW
Fairview
This story is from the Greater Vancouver Book by Chuck Davis. You can find more stories from the book or even purchase it here
by Bruce Macdonald
In the 1860s the First Nations people living in the village of Sun'ahk near today's Granville Island were the only residents of Fairview. Their fishing weir at the mouth of the tidal bay formed by the sandbar (that would eventually be transformed into Granville Island) screened the outflowing waters and trapped a daily supply of fresh fish.
In the 1870s, after logging camps were established and skid roads were laid through the woods under the direction of Jerry Rogers, the heavy timber in the surrounding forest was cut down to feed the Hastings Sawmill. Teams of oxen dragged the exceptionally fine logs down the Fairview Slopes to tidewater at King's Landing and Mackie's Landing, now the False Creek foot of today's Granville and Cambie streets.
There was a lull in further development until the summer of 1887, when the Canadian Pacific Railway's Lauchlan Hamilton rowed his wooden canoe south across the cool clear waters of False Creek to pitch his tent on the forested south slope. While carving road survey lines through the bush and looking back across the water at the brand new city of Vancouver rising against the backdrop of the imposing North Shore mountain range, he determined that the new subdivision should be called 'Fairview.' This wilderness was soon made accessible with the opening of the Granville Street Bridge in 1889. In 1891 the completion of the Cambie Street Bridge and the new Fairview Beltline streetcar service heralded the beginning of house construction on the slopes. Accommodation was needed for the people working in the new sawmills, shingle mills and other industries sprouting around False Creek. Today the only restored buildings from this era are Sir John and Lady Reid's Fairview House, circa 1889, at 1151 West 8th Avenue and the 1894 Hodson Manor, now relocated to 1254 West 7th Avenue.
As downtown Vancouver filled up, Fairview became the chosen site for the new Vancouver High School, the new Vancouver General Hospital and the Model School, all finished in 1905. The False Creek shoreline became jammed with smokestack industries while the building boom that peaked in 1912 resulted in construction of homes on most of the remaining lots in Fairview. In I1913 the Vancouver Beavers, the city's immensely popular pro baseball team, moved to the new Athletic Park near the foot of Granville, and in 1915 the new University of British Columbia opened its doors next to the general hospital. The Great War brought many wartime industries to the area, and by 1918 shipbuilding on False Creek was Vancouver's largest industry.
After the war, apartment buildings began replacing the homes between Granville and Oak streets. This trend, as well as the retention of industry and the development of Granville Street, Cambie Street and Broadway as the main commercial strips, continued into the 1960s, at which point many industries began to relocate to the suburbs. For decades Vancouverites heated their homes with the enormous amounts of sawdust generated by the sawmills along False Creek. For decades they also endured the side effects of the sawmill's beehive burners--having to navigate through heavy fogs and frequently clean off soot sticking to curtains and walls.
Radical change came in the 1970s, when almost all of Fairview's waterfront area was transformed with modern redevelopment into an open area market and cultural centre on Granville Island, and lowrise apartments along the shore, featuring Fairview's largest park. In the 1980s virtually all the original homes on the Fairview Slopes and the rest of Fairview were torn down and replaced with apartments.
Today Fairview is crowned by highrise buildings spread along the Broadway corridor as it runs east-west through its centre. Just south of the centre of Broadway the Vancouver General Hospital complex provides one of the largest medical establishments in North America. In west Fairview the upscale shops of Granville Street are the focus, while the eastern rim features the City Square Shopping Centre across from City Hall. Fairview's False Creek oceanfront is rimmed by the popular seawall, a favorite route for pedestrians to amble their way to one of the city's favorite destinations, Granville Island. Here the Granville Island Market and the mix of fine restaurants, arts facilities, house boats, marinas, shops and old industries attract many tourists as well.
From various points along False Creek pedestrians can take the Aquabus water-taxi to quickly gain access to the West End's Aquatic Centre, English Bay, Yaletown, Science World, B.C. Place Stadium, G.M. Place, or be within walking distance of the library, the Queen Elizabeth Theatre, the Ford Centre for the Performing Arts, Gastown and Chinatown.
Website: http://www.discovervancouver.com/GVB/fairview.asp
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| History & Heritage
History & Heritage
History
Less than 100 years ago the False Creek and Fairview Slopes area were a forest of huge fir trees. Fairview was named in 1886 by CPR Land Commissioner L.A. Hamilton. Hamilton's survey established the numbered system of east-west avenues and named the cross streets after trees.
In 1887, the CPR, at the request of Vancouver City Council, agreed to locate its Pacific terminal yards on the north side of the Creek. The forest was replaced-by shipbuilding yards, sawmills, shingle mills, and various woodworking plants. In 1916, Granville Island was created from soil dredged from False Creek.
In 1928, the CPR and the provincial government swapped land to give each consolidated holdings, the CPR on the north side and the province on the south side. Another land swap in 1968, through which the City acquired the land from the province, prepared the way for the present residential and recreational development and marked the beginning of another transformation.
Fairview Slopes, which overlooks False Creek from the south, began to develop following the construction of the Fairview Beltline (a streetcar loop built from downtown through Fairview along Broadway) and the opening of the Granville and Cambie Street bridges. In 1902, the City purchased 5.5 acres (two city blocks) from the CPR for $5,500 for a new hospital at 10th Avenue and Heather Street. Land was in demand for residential development during these years and a number of substantive homes were built in the area.
From the early 1920s to the early 1960s, Fairview Slopes was zoned for 3 storey apartments and throughout the 1950s, the area south of Broadway developed as an apartment district. Broadway, as well as Granville and Cambie Streets, became important neighbourhood commercial strips. At the same time, the Slopes were rezoned to industrial use, and some houses were replaced with small industries.
The 1970s were a time of dramatic change for both False Creek and Fairview Slopes. Based on the recommendations by citizens, two advisory review panels, and City staff, policies which laid out guidelines for redeveloping False Creek were adopted by City Council in 1973. The new City policy required a range of housing to provide a social mix that reflected the City's income and social composition. The City also decided to keep ownership of most of South False Creek.
Concurrent with the planning for South False Creek, plans to redevelop Granville Island were also being considered. In 1972, administration for the 15 hectare (37 acres) island, was transferred from the National Harbours Board to Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation and a movement to rejuvenate the site started to gain momentum. Early in 1976 the Granville Island Trust was formed to advise on the Island's future. The first phase of the Island's redevelopment, the Public Market, opened in 1979, soon followed by the Maritime Market, Emily Carr College of Art, theatres, artist's studios, craft galleries and restaurants.
As the City's plans for False Creek took shape, pressure arose to redevelop the Slopes for high density uses. The area was rezoned in 1972 from industrial to residential/commercial. Fairview Heights, a small fifteen-block area extending south of Vancouver Hospital and Health Sciences Centre (formerly Vancouver General Hospital), was rezoned in 1984 from a duplex to a low-rise apartment zone. Since then the area has been extensively redeveloped providing additional housing opportunities for those employed in the downtown core and with Vancouver Hospital.
Heritage
Hodson Manor is one of the oldest surviving houses in Fairview. Built in 1894 for Vancouver Ice and Cold Storage Company founder Captain James Logan, the home was moved two blocks in 1974. Today, the city-owned building, at 1254 West 7th Avenue, is used as a meeting place for non-profit societies.
The Seaforth Armoury on Burrard Street was built in 1935/36 to house the Seaforth Highlanders. Some of the drill hall's design features include stepped gables, round towers, cast thistle and finials.
Other notable heritage buildings include the James England House, at 2300 Birch, and the 1889 Fairview House, built at 1151 West 8th Avenue for Sir John and Lady Reid. The 1929 Dick Building and the Stanley Theatre, are both local landmarks located on Granville Street. Nearby, the 1912 Chalmers United Church sits at 2801 Hemlock Street.
City Square Mall is an example of the adaptive reuse of heritage buildings. In this case, the 1905 Model School and the 1908 Provincial Normal School were incorporated into a new shopping mall.
For detailed information on heritage buildings in this area, and in Vancouver generally, visit City of Vancouver Heritage.
Additional information is available through the City of Vancouver Archives.
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