Vancouver City Hall
Encyclopedia
Vancouver City Hall is home to Vancouver City Council
in Vancouver
, British Columbia
. Located at 453 West 12th Avenue, the building was ordered by the Vancouver Civic Building Committee, designed by architect Fred Townley
and Matheson, and built by Carter, Halls, Aldinger and Company. The building has a twelve storey tower (the point being 323 feet/98 metres above sea level) with a clock on the top.
The building is served by the Broadway – City Hall Station on SkyTrain's
Canada Line
.
Between 1897 and 1929, the Vancouver City Hall was located on Main Street
, just south of the Carnegie Library; that building had previously served as a public market and an auditorium. In 1929, City Hall moved into the Holden Building (built 1911), while the Main Street building became an extension of the Carnegie Library.
After being elected mayor in 1934, Gerry McGeer
appointed a three-man committee to select the location for a new city hall; choices included the former Central School site at Victory Square
, and Strathcona Park at the corner of Cambie Street
and West 12th Avenue (no relation to the current park in the Strathcona neighbourhood). The panel recommended the Strathcona Park site, and City Council approved the selection in 1935, making Vancouver the first major Canadian city to locate its city hall outside its downtown.
Construction of the new City Hall began in 1936 (Vancouver's Golden Jubilee
) on January 3, and the first cornerstone was laid by McGeer on July 2. An eight-foot statue of Capt. George Vancouver
, carved by Charles Marega
, was placed at the front of the building. It was unveiled on August 20 by the visiting Lord Mayor of London
, Sir Percy Vincent. Sir Percy also presented several gifts to the city, including a civic mace, and a sprig "...from a tree in the orchard where a falling apple gave Isaac Newton
the idea that led to his theory of gravity." The mace and the statue still reside at city hall.
The building was started and opened all in the same year. Construction cost $1 million, and was completed on December 1, bringing an end to the 330-day construction. Each lock plate on the outer doors displays the Vancouver Coat of Arms, and each door knob bears the monogram of the building. The ceiling on the second floor of the rotunda was made of gold leaf from several BC
mines.
After winning the civic election on December 9, 1936, George Clark Miller became the first mayor of Vancouver to occupy the brand-new city hall on January 2, 1937.
A four storey east wing was added in 1968 (completed in 1970) and a coat of arms added in 1969. The building was declared a Schedule A heritage building (i.e. of primary significance) in March 1976.
Vancouver City Council
Vancouver City Council is the governing body of the City of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.The city is governed by the Vancouver Charter, not the Community Charter and the Local Government Act which are used for other municipal governments...
in Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver 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,...
, British Columbia
British 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...
. Located at 453 West 12th Avenue, the building was ordered by the Vancouver Civic Building Committee, designed by architect Fred Townley
Fred Townley
Frederick L. Townley is an architect who designed many buildings in Vancouver, Canada, including Vancouver City Hall, the Great Northern Railway station , the Capitol Theatre, Vancouver General Hospital, the Vancouver Stock Exchange Building, and the CNIB Building.- References :*...
and Matheson, and built by Carter, Halls, Aldinger and Company. The building has a twelve storey tower (the point being 323 feet/98 metres above sea level) with a clock on the top.
The building is served by the Broadway – City Hall Station on SkyTrain's
SkyTrain (Vancouver)
SkyTrain is a light rapid transit system in Metro Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. SkyTrain has of track and uses fully automated trains on grade-separated tracks, running mostly on elevated guideways, which helps SkyTrain to hold consistently high on-time reliability...
Canada Line
Canada Line
Canada Line is a rapid transit line in the Metro Vancouver region of British Columbia, Canada. Opened in August 2009, it is the third line in TransLink's SkyTrain metro network, servicing Vancouver, Richmond, and the Vancouver International Airport...
.
History
Main Street (Vancouver)
Main Street is a major north-south thoroughfare bisecting Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. It runs from Waterfront Road by Burrard Inlet in the north, to Kent Avenue alongside the north arm of the Fraser River in the south.-Route:...
, just south of the Carnegie Library; that building had previously served as a public market and an auditorium. In 1929, City Hall moved into the Holden Building (built 1911), while the Main Street building became an extension of the Carnegie Library.
After being elected mayor in 1934, Gerry McGeer
Gerry McGeer
Gerald Grattan McGeer was a lawyer, populist politician, and monetary reform advocate in the Canadian province of British Columbia...
appointed a three-man committee to select the location for a new city hall; choices included the former Central School site at Victory Square
Victory Square, Vancouver
Victory Square is a park in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The square is bordered by West Hastings Street to the northeast, West Pender Street to the southwest, Cambie Street to the southeast, and Hamilton Street to the northwest...
, and Strathcona Park at the corner of Cambie Street
Cambie Street
Cambie Street is a street in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. It is named for Henry John Cambie, chief surveyor of the Canadian Pacific Railway's western division ....
and West 12th Avenue (no relation to the current park in the Strathcona neighbourhood). The panel recommended the Strathcona Park site, and City Council approved the selection in 1935, making Vancouver the first major Canadian city to locate its city hall outside its downtown.
Construction of the new City Hall began in 1936 (Vancouver's Golden Jubilee
Golden Jubilee
A Golden Jubilee is a celebration held to mark a 50th anniversary.- In Thailand :King Bhumibol Adulyadej, the world's longest-reigning monarch, celebrated his Golden Jubilee on 9 June 1996.- In the Commonwealth Realms :...
) on January 3, and the first cornerstone was laid by McGeer on July 2. An eight-foot statue of Capt. George Vancouver
George Vancouver
Captain George Vancouver RN was an English officer of the British Royal Navy, best known for his 1791-95 expedition, which explored and charted North America's northwestern Pacific Coast regions, including the coasts of contemporary Alaska, British Columbia, Washington and Oregon...
, carved by Charles Marega
Charles Marega
Charles Carlos Marega was a Canadian sculptor in the early 20th century.He was born in Lucinico, in the commune of Gorizia, then part of the Austrian-Hungarian Empire. He received training in plaster work in Mariano, Italy and then studied in Vienna and Zurich. In Zurich, he met Berta, who he...
, was placed at the front of the building. It was unveiled on August 20 by the visiting Lord Mayor of London
Lord Mayor of London
The Right Honourable Lord Mayor of London is the legal title for the Mayor of the City of London Corporation. The Lord Mayor of London is to be distinguished from the Mayor of London; the former is an officer only of the City of London, while the Mayor of London is the Mayor of Greater London and...
, Sir Percy Vincent. Sir Percy also presented several gifts to the city, including a civic mace, and a sprig "...from a tree in the orchard where a falling apple gave Isaac Newton
Isaac Newton
Sir Isaac Newton PRS was an English physicist, mathematician, astronomer, natural philosopher, alchemist, and theologian, who has been "considered by many to be the greatest and most influential scientist who ever lived."...
the idea that led to his theory of gravity." The mace and the statue still reside at city hall.
The building was started and opened all in the same year. Construction cost $1 million, and was completed on December 1, bringing an end to the 330-day construction. Each lock plate on the outer doors displays the Vancouver Coat of Arms, and each door knob bears the monogram of the building. The ceiling on the second floor of the rotunda was made of gold leaf from several BC
British 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...
mines.
After winning the civic election on December 9, 1936, George Clark Miller became the first mayor of Vancouver to occupy the brand-new city hall on January 2, 1937.
A four storey east wing was added in 1968 (completed in 1970) and a coat of arms added in 1969. The building was declared a Schedule A heritage building (i.e. of primary significance) in March 1976.