North Shore

I spent the afternoon with architect Peter Pratt at his home in the British Properties yesterday. Peter’s father Ned Pratt designed the house in the early 1950s and lived there for most of his life. You’ve likely never heard of Ned Pratt, I hadn’t until recently, and I find that really interesting because he may… Continue reading Ned Pratt’s West Coast Modern House

2895 Newmarket Drive, North Vancouver: “Steps to Edgemont Village – exceptional location! This three-bedroom Hollingsworth designed rancher has incredible potential to renovate or build new on this 8050 sq. ft. lot. Classic post and beam style w/open living areas including incredible gardens, a large private rear patio off the family room featuring a built in… Continue reading Our Missing West Coast Modern Heritage: what were we thinking?

Almost 40 years ago, Rosemary Eng and her husband Alan Merridew moved to Vancouver from Chicago to take up a job at the Province.  They bought the 100-year-old North Vancouver house, raised their son Peter now 38, and as Rosemary prepares to pack up and leave, she has written the story of her house.  … Continue reading The Story of 323 East 24th Street

I got a call from Bobbi Spark yesterday. Bobbi is a former Hospice boss and runs a research and reporting company in Abbotsford. The Southlands Community Association hired her to look at the issues flying around Casa Mia, the former Reifel-owned mansion on South West Marine Drive. These days the Reifel’s are best known as… Continue reading From Casa Mia to Lynn Valley: Development is coming

From Vancouver Exposed: Searching for the City’s Hidden History To the Deep Cove residents who were so enraged by this chunk of steel. Thank you. We love our tree. I was walking my dog in Princess Park last week and came across this fabulous tree sculpture hidden in the forest. According to a small plaque,… Continue reading The Other Tree in Princess Park

The house on Somerset Street in North Vancouver was built in 1912 as a hunting lodge for Alvo von Alvensleben.  The story of Alvo von Alvensleben and the hunting lodge on Somerset appears in At Home with History: the secrets of Vancouver’s heritage houses: A couple of weeks ago I was taking photos of this… Continue reading The Hunting Lodge on Somerset Street in North Vancouver

A couple of years back I interviewed Charles Van Sandwyk in his Deep Cove cottage. Charles is an amazing artist and writer, probably more famous outside of Canada than in it, who creates these incredible paintings and etchings of magical Wind in the Willows-type characters. His cottage looks like it came straight from one of… Continue reading Echoes Across Seymour

The large house at the corner of Lynn Valley and Hoskins Road has always intrigued me, so I dropped into the Community Archives last week to see what I could find out about it. Daien Ide, found this great photo taken around 1912, when the street car ran from the bottom of Lonsdale Street to… Continue reading The Lynn Valley Hotel

The story of Ron Thom and Boyd house appears in Sensational Vancouver Kerry McPhedran is selling the house she bought in 1972. It’s not because she wants to—as a freelance writer, it’s her retirement plan, and because of its tony West Vancouver address, it comes with a hefty $1.9 million price tag—too steep for most… Continue reading Boyd House

I haven’t been past the blue building for several months, so it was a nice surprise to drop in for coffee and a veggie panini at Andrews on 8th. Don’t let the unfinished paint job fool you; it’s a major work in progress by Brad Hodson, owner of Valley Estates, a make-your-own-wine store that shares the… Continue reading North Vancouver’s Andrews on 8th

See the story about Victoria’s Trend House  The Trend House at 4342 Skyline Drive in North Vancouver has just sold for $1,375,000. The house was one of 11 built in 1954 for Ted and Cora Backer, designed by Porter & Davidson Architects, and sponsored by BC forest industries to boost retail lumber, plywood and shingle… Continue reading The Trend House – North Vancouver

When it comes to West Coast architecture, Fred Hollingsworth is a rock star. He invented the Neoteric style —affordable family housing with simple post and beam construction.

The two-storey Commercial Block at East 8th and St. Andrews in North Vancouver is getting a makeover. New owner Brad Hodson plans to return it to 1912 with a large coat of Strathcona red paint trimmed with Victorian peridot and Edwardian buff accents. For the past four years Brad has driven by 277 East 8th … Continue reading Valley Estates headed for heritage digs

Last month Coastal Boats Near Sidney sold for $1.14 million, propelling E.J. Hughes into an exclusive group of 12 Canadian artists who have sold paintings for more than a million dollars. I love his work and thought he had always lived on Vancouver Island, so I was interested in his Vancouver connection. Edward John Hughes… Continue reading E.J. Hughes

Fred Thornton Hollingsworth met Frank Lloyd Wright in 1951 and turned down a job to work with the legend. Instead the architect stayed in Canada and is responsible for the look of post war North Vancouver.

Most municipalities have a heritage inventory that includes houses built before 1940. Makes sense doesn’t it? When you think heritage you think old. But actually heritage can be 20 years old, and that can surprise a new home owner wanting to renovate or demolish who is suddenly hauled in front of a heritage commission.