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Vancouver Heritage Foundation Weekly: Fire Hall No 15 & Canadian Art 1890-1918

Vancouver Heritage Foundation is a registered charity supporting the conservation of heritage buildings and structures in recognition of their contribution to the city’s economy, sustainability and culture.

Vancouver Heritage Foundation is a registered charity supporting the conservation of heritage buildings and structures in recognition of their contribution to the city’s economy, sustainability and culture.

"The history of organized firefighting in Vancouver extends back nearly as far as the city itself. The City of Vancouver was incorporated on April 6, 1886, the fire brigade (lacking any official equipment) formed on May 28th, and the city was almost completely destroyed by a fire merely two weeks later. Following this rather rough start, the profession in Vancouver has developed from a small group of volunteers in 1886 to over 800 firefighters. As it was built in 1913, Fire Hall No. 15 was designed to house much smaller engines than today’s modern giants, and fewer of them. It was this lack of modern day functionality combined with the building’s deteriorating state (due to lack of maintenance) that nearly led to its demolition and replacement by the city. The building was, however, recognized by many as a valuable historic landmark in a neighbourhood that had lost nearly all built signs of its earliest settlement, and as being an architecturally significant structure for all of Vancouver. It stood as one of two remaining Edwardian-era fire halls in the city." (Katie Filek, VHF 2014 Case Study. Source: Alex Matches. Vancouver’s Bravest: 120 Years of Firefighting History. 2007)

Join us at the next Brown Bag Lunch and Learn to hear Architect Roger Hughes from HCMA Architecture + Design talk about how the 1913 Edwardian Fire Hall No. 15 was preserved through a combination of restoration and rehabilitation, in concert with a new building that accommodates contemporary fire fighting requirements. The complex project recently won a City of Vancouver Heritage Award. Read VHF’s 2014 Case Study on Fire Hall No. 15 by Katie Filek.

Wednesday October 28th: Fire Hall No. 15 Retrofit and Rehabilitation 

BCIT Downtown Campus, Room 830                                                                                     12-1:30pm, includes Q&A

Registration: $15 or $9 with a valid student ID, 2 Core LU’s AIBC, walk ups welcome.

If you are interested in learning more about Canadian Art from 1890-1918, join us for a special talk by Curator of Canadian Art Emeritus at the National Gallery of Canada, Charles Hill. Charles will talk about the broad but integrated range of architecture, monumental sculpture, urban planning, mural and decorative painting, graphic design, decorative arts and photography that came together in Canada during these prosperous decades, as illustrated in the recent exhibition at the National Gallery.

Tuesday October 27th: Artists, Architects and Artisans: Canadian Art 1890 – 1918 University Women’s Club at Hycroft, 1489 McRae Avenue                                          7:30pm – 9:30pm, walk ups welcome.

Registration: $15 or $9 with a valid student ID, 2 Non-Core LUs AIBC                           This special talk is sponsored in part by Heritage BC. 

As always, sign up for VHF enews, to keep up to date on the latest Vancouver Heritage Foundation events!