Townsite
Encyclopedia
A townsite is a legal subdivision of land
for the development of a town
or community
. In the historical development of the United States
, Canada
, and other former British
colonial
nation
s, the filing
of a townsite plat
(United States) or plan
(Canada) was often the first legal act in the establishment of a new town or community.
, Canada, in the early 19th century. Some of those filed in what is now Metro Vancouver included:
Although most of these townsites were incorporated into newly created cities and municipalities of Metro Vancouver, official survey plans still continue to designate lots as being part of these townsites. For example, a 2008 strata plan in Vancouver's Gastown is indicated as being in the Granville Townsite.
Townsite planning was either done by government authorities or by private developers. In the case of North Vancouver townsite in 1907 most of the land was owned by the North Vancouver Land and Improvement Company.
By owning large amount of land they were able to plan on a grand scale. New Westminster was surveyed by the Royal Engineers under government direction.
As existing towns grow, they develop Official Community Plan
s (OCPs) that expand upon the already existing townsites. However, periodically new communities are still created. In 1975, the Whistler
townsite was created and eventually incorporated as a municipality. The new municipality was given 53 acres (214,483.6 m²) of Crown land
to develop the townsite.
Subdivision (land)
Subdivision is the act of dividing land into pieces that are easier to sell or otherwise develop, usually via a plat. The former single piece as a whole is then known in the United States as a subdivision...
for the development of a town
Town
A town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...
or community
Community
The term community has two distinct meanings:*a group of interacting people, possibly living in close proximity, and often refers to a group that shares some common values, and is attributed with social cohesion within a shared geographical location, generally in social units larger than a household...
. In the historical development of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, and other former British
Kingdom of Great Britain
The former Kingdom of Great Britain, sometimes described as the 'United Kingdom of Great Britain', That the Two Kingdoms of Scotland and England, shall upon the 1st May next ensuing the date hereof, and forever after, be United into One Kingdom by the Name of GREAT BRITAIN. was a sovereign...
colonial
Colonialism
Colonialism is the establishment, maintenance, acquisition and expansion of colonies in one territory by people from another territory. It is a process whereby the metropole claims sovereignty over the colony and the social structure, government, and economics of the colony are changed by...
nation
Nation
A nation may refer to a community of people who share a common language, culture, ethnicity, descent, and/or history. In this definition, a nation has no physical borders. However, it can also refer to people who share a common territory and government irrespective of their ethnic make-up...
s, the filing
Filing (legal)
In law, filing is the act of submitting a document to the clerk of a court for the court's immediate consideration, for storage in the court's files, or both. Courts will not consider motions unless an appropriate memorandum or brief is filed before the appropriate deadline...
of a townsite plat
Plat
A plat in the U.S. is a map, drawn to scale, showing the divisions of a piece of land. Other English-speaking countries generally call such documents a cadastral map or plan....
(United States) or plan
Plat
A plat in the U.S. is a map, drawn to scale, showing the divisions of a piece of land. Other English-speaking countries generally call such documents a cadastral map or plan....
(Canada) was often the first legal act in the establishment of a new town or community.
Townsites in British Columbia
Numerous townsites were filed in British ColumbiaBritish Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, Canada, in the early 19th century. Some of those filed in what is now Metro Vancouver included:
- GranvilleGastownGastown is a national historic site in Vancouver, British Columbia, at the northeast end of Downtown adjacent to the Downtown Eastside. Its historical boundaries were the waterfront , Columbia Street, Hastings Street, and Cambie Street, which were the borders of the 1870 townsite survey, the proper...
Townsite, 1870 (Gastown, VancouverVancouverVancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
) - Hastings Townsite, 1869 (Vancouver)
- Moodyville Townsite, 1865 (City of North Vancouver)
- New Westminster Townsite, 1860 (original capital of Colony of British Columbia, now New Westminster)
- North VancouverNorth Vancouver, British Columbia (city)The City of North Vancouver is a waterfront municipality on the north shore of Burrard Inlet, directly across from Vancouver, British Columbia. It is the smallest of the three North Shore municipalities, and the most urbanized as well...
Townsite, 1907 (City of North Vancouver) - Port MannPort MannPort Mann townsite was created in 1911 in the municipality of Surrey, British Columbia. The new town was to adjoin the new railway yard and roundhouse forming the terminus of the new trans-national rail-line operated by Canadian Northern Railway. Newspaper quoted that the town was intended to be a...
Townsite, 1911 (Surrey) - Steveston Townsite, 1889 (RichmondRichmond, British ColumbiaRichmond is a coastal city, incorporated in the Canadian province of British Columbia. Part of Metro Vancouver, its neighbouring communities are Vancouver and Burnaby to the north, New Westminster to the east, and Delta to the south, while the Strait of Georgia forms its western border...
)
Although most of these townsites were incorporated into newly created cities and municipalities of Metro Vancouver, official survey plans still continue to designate lots as being part of these townsites. For example, a 2008 strata plan in Vancouver's Gastown is indicated as being in the Granville Townsite.
Townsite planning was either done by government authorities or by private developers. In the case of North Vancouver townsite in 1907 most of the land was owned by the North Vancouver Land and Improvement Company.
By owning large amount of land they were able to plan on a grand scale. New Westminster was surveyed by the Royal Engineers under government direction.
As existing towns grow, they develop Official Community Plan
Official Community Plan
In Canada, an official community plan is a comprehensive plan created by an incorporated municipality which dictates public policy in terms of transportation, utilities, land use, recreation, and housing. OCPs typically encompass large geographical areas, a broad range of topics, and cover a...
s (OCPs) that expand upon the already existing townsites. However, periodically new communities are still created. In 1975, the Whistler
Whistler, British Columbia
Whistler is a Canadian resort town in the southern Pacific Ranges of the Coast Mountains in the province of British Columbia, Canada, approximately north of Vancouver...
townsite was created and eventually incorporated as a municipality. The new municipality was given 53 acres (214,483.6 m²) of Crown land
Crown land
In Commonwealth realms, Crown land is an area belonging to the monarch , the equivalent of an entailed estate that passed with the monarchy and could not be alienated from it....
to develop the townsite.