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Our Vision
"A culture that values and protects our built heritage."
Our Mission Statement
"To act as the voice of built heritage in Vancouver through
education and advocacy."
Our Motto
" Demolition is Forever"
History
Heritage Vancouver originally began as the Heritage Committee of
the Community Arts Council, an organization established as an advisory
body in 1946 and the first of its kind in North America. The group
separated from the Arts Council in 1991 to become the first independent
heritage advocacy group in Vancouver, a move born from a desire
for more autonomy to pursue a wider range of goals and objectives.
In 1992, Heritage Vancouver
was incorporated as a non-profit society dedicated to the conservation
of Vancouver's built, cultural and natural heritage, and has now
achieved charitable status.
The Society's Board of Directors
has ten members who meet monthly, and several subcommittees that
deal with specific issues. Many of the society's members sit on
various other boards, commissions, and committees including the
Vancouver Heritage Commission, the Chinatown Heritage Area Planning
Committee and the Heritage Society of British Columbia.
What We Do
- advocate for heritage conservation
- facilitate monthly lectures,
special historical events and tours to promote heritage education
and awareness
- publish a bi-monthly newsletter
- act as a forum for heritage
concerns for a broader audience
- undertake special research
on heritage buildings
- cooperate with local and
provincial authorities in their heritage policy and programme
development
- work with national and international
groups to advance our mutual mandates for heritage conservation
What You Can Do
- become a member of Heritage
Vancouver
- attend our public programs
and meetings
- make a donation to Heritage
Vancouver (tax-deductible)
- volunteer to work on the
Advocacy or Programming committees
- write an article for our
newsletter
- help organize an architectural
or historical tour
- research the history of
a building, including your own home
- take photographs of historical
buildings in Vancouver
- join our Board of Directors
- promote heritage awareness
among your friends
Heritage Advocacy
Heritage Vancouver fights to preserve our city's heritage buildings
and historic landscapes. Through advocacy we speak on behalf of
the conservation of significant historic sites threatened by demolition
or neglect. Our past efforts include public campaigns to preserve
the Stanley Theatre (in 1992), Victory Square (in 1994), Lions Gate
Bridge (in 1998), Woodwards, and ongoing efforts to preserve the
Burrard Bridge.
Heritage Vancouver's advocacy
work is both reactive and proactive. We act as the "Voice of
Heritage", including letter-writing, media campaigns, participating
in public consultation sessions, meeting with Heritage Planning
staff and making presentations to City Council.
Our current goals are
to
- Play a meaningful role in
the proposed update of the City’s Heritage Register
- Advocate for heritage conservation
throughout the City on a neighbourhood level
- Act as a resource for heritage
advocacy
Heritage Vancouver has initiated
several exciting new programs that will engage a broader audience
in heritage conservation and improve our city-wide capacity to advocate
on behalf of heritage. Our programs will support Vancouver's heritage
planning initiatives and also provide assistance to community-based
conservation initiatives.
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