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Canadian Urbanism Uncovered

Heritage Talks: The Future of Vancouver’s Heritage Schools


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Location: Arts & Culture Alliance; #100–938 Howe St. (street level entrance)
DATE & TIME: Tuesday, October 29, 2013 | 7:00pm to 9:00pm
ADMISSION: Admission is by donation, pre-registration is required. Registration is limited to 40 people.

For a number of years Vancouver’s Heritage Schools have been under threat of demolition or changes that threaten the character of these neighbourhood landmarks.Heritage Vancouver has had one or more heritage schools on its Top Ten Endangered List since Charles Dickens in 2004 (demolished in 2008) Currently we are concerned about the future of the “Little Yellow School House” at General Gordon School, Cecil Rhodes/L’Ecole Bilingue (both slated for demolition) and Strathcona school (province has not yet provided adequate funding for restoration).

The Vancouver School Board, while deferring maintenance on its facilities, has been taking advantage of the province’s seismic mitigation program to condemn historic schools in order to build new ones. It is time to have a conversation where we as a community come up with ideas that would retain our neighbourhood heritage schools while at the same time making them safe for our children.

Heritage Vancouver welcomes guest speakers Rob Wynen, Vancouver School Board Vision Trustee, Jean Gordon, community member, who has been on the planning teams for both General Gordon and Kitsilano High and Gerry McGeough, UBC architect and former senior heritage planner with the City of Vancouver. Gerry has been involved with the Seismic upgrading of many of UBC’s heritage buildings.

Following the presentation, we invite you to ask questions and share your ideas about the future of our heritage schools.

Come join the conversation!

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