Thanks For Coming By Our Heritage Lounge

Every year the MPHG hears so much enthusiasm for heritage and this year we heard constant recognition that Mount Pleasant is a truly vital and cherished example of ‘living heritage’. The combination of both tangible (buildings, streetscapes) and intangible (traditions, uses of space, associations, stories) heritage is key to Mount Pleasant’s liveability and popularity.

We also heard much support for our proposal for the creation of a heritage precinct in the Old Mount Pleasant Village/Heritage Heart area around Main and Broadway. This unique precinct, with some of the most historically cohesive blocks left in the City, has continuously been the hub of the neighbourhood. As a vibrant and well-loved commercial district and gathering space, with an eclectic mix of locally owned small businesses, it draws people from all over the City.  This is ‘living heritage’ and it is meeting our collective need for local identity and sense of place. Stay tuned for next steps in our advocacy for its conservation.

It was great to have local historians Bruce Macdonald and Michael Kluckner drop by. Their participation in the first Heritage Lounge and encouragement and generosity were essential in the foundation of MPHG. We appreciate their and Grandview Heritage Group‘s continued support.

Local artist and MPHG member Jennifer Chernecki again created a new colouring page for us and this time it is of the famous “Dude” of Dude Chilling Park and the also famous and adored Levee, our loyal canine teammate.

Thanks again to Bruce Macdonald for the maps from his popular book Vancouver A Visual History, Neil Wyles and Meghan Munro of the MPBIA, Quebec Manor Co-op and Eric Phillips of Grandview Heritage Group.

The Heritage Lounge crew this year was Alyssa, Christine, Danielle, Jennifer and Matt.

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You Are Invited To Our Heritage Lounge Sunday, September 13th, 2015

Notes From Michael Kluckner’s ‘Brief Overview of Heritage Policy’

We had a good turnout for Michael’s presentation, there was lively discussion along the way and lots of questions at the end.

Michael touched on the development of heritage policy with its beginnings in 1974, when the Barrett provincial government enacted legislation amending the Vancouver Charter and allowing the city council to designate heritage buildings. This was in response to the outcry over the demolition of the Birks Building and is when buildings like the Hotel Vancouver, Marine Building and HBC Store were designated. He mentioned how the Bennett provincial government that followed enacted new legislation that suggested owners of buildings might be entitled to compensation if a heritage designation reduced the value of their properties. It has been under this constraint that the city’s Heritage Management Plan (first adopted in 1986) has needed to operate and develop its system of incentives and protective measures.

Michael explained the scoring system that is used to give buildings an A, B or C on the Vancouver Heritage Register and that being on the register is not a guarantee of protection. But it is the first step to becoming eligible to receiving a designation and he detailed the process of creating a Statement of Significance which is needed to get on the register.

He referred to the city’s current Heritage Action Plan, which is a review of how heritage conservation is managed and its recent public nomination process for new additions to the Vancouver Heritage Register.  Anyone can nominate a site and the deadline is Monday, September 14, 2015. For more information about the Heritage Action Plan check out the Vancouver Heritage Foundation and for a more detailed but immensely readable discussion of heritage policy see the Introduction of Michael’s 2012 book Vanishing Vancouver: The Last 25 Years.

A big thank you to Michael for volunteering his time to make this presentation at our June 1st monthly meeting; everyone found it very interesting and informative.

Special Presentation by Michael Kluckner at Our Upcoming June 1st Meeting

Please join us for a special presentation at our next monthly meeting Monday, June 1st, 2015 at 7 pm.

Michael Kluckner, writer, artist/illustrator and author of a number of books on Vancouver’s history and heritage and planning issues will give A Brief Overview of Heritage Policy . Michael was the founding president of the Heritage Vancouver Society and is the current president of the Vancouver Historical Society. He is a member of the Vancouver Heritage Commission and Grandview Heritage Group. His most recent book is Vanishing Vancouver: The Last 25 Years (2012).

With the City of Vancouver’s Heritage Action Plan in full swing Michael’s talk is very timely.

Check out Michael’s blog here.

We meet at grunt gallery – 350 East 2nd Avenue/Unit 116.