How excited was I when our guidebooks (that double as tickets!) for the Vancouver Heritage Foundation's Heritage House Tour 2012 arrived? Very! I (perhaps a bit too) feverishly made my way through this 24 page booklet that offers extensive insight into the 10 heritage homes who will be opening their doors to you on June 3rd, and then set my sights accordingly.
The deal is that ten privately-owned heritage buildings will literally open their doors for one day to people who take themselves on a self-guided tour with the "ticket" (booklet) that costs $40 and serves as a fundraising initiative for the Heritage Foundation.
My favourite on the list of buildings to hit up is Le Marche St George. My family picks up an organic box here every week but for obvious reasons we've never been beyond the storefront and into the homes that are attached to this corner grocery store located on St George Street in East Van. The booklet tells me that there's a ground level home in the back as well as two apartments above that will also have theirs doors open to visitors. Five paragraphs outline the history of the building and the work the current owners have put into restoring it to near-original condition.
Photos: Martin Knowles Photo/Media www.mkphotomedia.com
The inside of the store is always a pleasure (shown in the photos below) and I can't wait to see what hides behind the doors at Le Marche that we usually can't open.
Events details:
Sunday, June 3rd from 10 am – 5 pm is the Vancouver Heritage Foundation’s 10th Annual Heritage House Tour. This year’s one-day self-guided tour of 10 houses includes a church converted to strata units, Shaughnessy mansions, Cedar Cottage homes, a restored corner store, and an old wood frame bank building with strata units to the rear. Tickets are $40+hst. To purchase tickets or for more info visit: www.vancouverheritagefoundation.org or call 604 264 9642
