Birthplace of Vancouver lauded for its ‘splendid examples of Victorian and Edwardian commercial architecture’ dating from 1886
Gerry Bellett
Sun
A sunny day at a Gastown restaurant is part of the charm of Vancouver’s oldest neighbourhood.
Vancouver‘s historic Gastown district has been designated a national historic site by federal Environment Minister Jim Prentice.
Prentice, also the minister responsible for Parks Canada, bestowed the designation Tuesday following a recommendation from the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada.
“The designation of Vancouver‘s Gastown recognizes the role of this special place in shaping the economy and development of Western Canada,” said Prentice.
He said the area of business and commercial buildings constructed in Gastown between 1886 and 1914 represents an early Western Canadian city core and the growth of the Western Canadian economy in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
“The remarkable collection of architecturally significant buildings is an exceptional and early example of an urban historic district,” said Prentice.
International Trade Minister Stockwell Day said the buildings in Gastown were “handsome, strikingly harmonious in their materials, scale and architectural detailing — collectively splendid examples of Victorian and Edwardian commercial architecture.”
“I am delighted to know that through this designation, future generations will have the opportunity to enjoy them as part of Vancouver‘s urban landscape and as an integral part of the city’s vibrant tourism industry,” Day said.
Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson said Gastown was the birthplace of Vancouver.
“Our citizens have been instrumental in ensuring that it could be preserved for future generations to enjoy. It is gratifying to see that all of the work put into revitalization and preservation measures is now being recognized nationally with this designation,” Robertson said.
There are more than 900 National Historic Sites in Canada, including more than 90 in B.C.
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