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Pages WEST VANCOUVER HISTORICAL SOCIETY April 1998 MEMBER PROFILES By: Helen Davies & Laureen Jones What An Achievement! Society members win Heritage Awards. Recently, several members of the Historical Society were recognized at the Annual Heritage West Vancouver Achievement Awards for their outstanding contributions to preserving and promoting the rich heritage of our community. Many of you already know longtime Society members Mary Chapman, Heinz Berger and Corporate member Chapman Land Surveying, but perhaps you have not met our newest member and award recipient, Karl Ricker. Mary Chapman was bom in West Vancouver, attended Hollybum School and West Vancouver High,"Inglewood", School. She was married during the war and moved to the Queen Charlotte Islands. Later, she returned to the North Shore. She now lives in North Vancouver. Mary is a founding member of the West Vancouver Historical Society, joining back in 1980 when the Society office was located at Pauline Johnson School. She has been a volunteer ever since. In those early days, before the Museum & Archives, members brought their photographs and treasured family items to the Society to store for safekeeping. Mary enjoyed w oricing with the donated material and eventually took a course in Archival Studies in Victoria. Before hiring a professional Archivist at Gertmde Lawson House, Maiy^ served as the "unofficial" Archivist. In addition to her archival work, Mary, always an entertaining and informative speaker, speaks to many local organizations and clubs, always focusing on the many changes West Vancouver has undergone over the years. In her talks, she remembers the history of the community, and educates her audiences about the early pioneers. She has also written numerous articles for various local papers and magazines, as well as our own nows\Q\XQr History-Onics. No doubt many of you look forward to her column, "Archives Comer." Mary continues to play a ver>^ important role in the Archives, helping Archivist David Wardle identify and catalogue the growing collection of archival material. Mary reports that this is still a favourite activify'. She particularly enjoys researching local history and reading the archival documents donated. Mary is a wonderful source of information and when it comes to answering questions about West Vancouver, "then and now", it is likely she will have the answer! Heinz Berger, a lifetime member of the Sociefy; has a long history of community service in West Vancouver. Hired by the Department of Parks and Recreation in 1961 as a landscape architect, he w^as later promoted to the position of Assistant to the Superintendant of Parks & Rec., and, in 1975, w as named Manager of the department. He retired in 1983. During his years at the "Hall", Heinz was instmmental in developing the recreational and park amenities we now consider an integral feature of West Vancouver life. He and his staff worked to preserve important landscape features. One such example is the Mulberry tree located at Marine and 24th. According to the descriptive summary in the District Heritage Inventory of Landscape Resources, " the Sweetman family planted this tree in 1922." At that time it was reputed to be the largest known mulberry tree in the Vancouver area. Native to China, the tree is cultivated as the food plant of the silkworm. When the original home was tom down, to make way for a service station, the District was successful in convincing the new owner to retain the tree. Heinz and his staff were successful in preserving the tree during a later expansion of the station, and continued to maintain the tree, even though it was on private property. Continued maintenance was important, as it ensured the tree remained healthy and vibrant. When the gas station was demolished to make way for a commercial development in the early 80s, the Municipality again intervened and succeeded in preserving the tree. Thought to be approximately 65 years old, it is now considered the most significant tree in West Vancouver! Chapman Land Surveying, the Society's most senior Corporate member, was recognized for preserving a fine example of surveying artifacts, as well as documenting the history^ of surveying in the local community. (See History-Onics Vol. 16, No. 1, Feb. 1998) Karl Ricker, a Geologist by profession. Alpinist and Skier by avocation, and new member of the Historical Sociefy', was awarded a Heritage certificate for his pictorial history of the Hollybum Ridge cabin area. Over the past years, Karl has produced an impressively detailed inventory of the 18 freehold cabins, 4 Provincial Park cabins and the 124 cabins on permit from West Vancouver. Tracing the history of each cabin, he notes the original and subsequent owners, specifications of the cabin, includes, where possible, a photograph, and lists a variety of important & interesting details. He has also mapped the area, providing cmcial information about the location of cabins long since demolished. The vast amount of information, collected in two large photo albums, is an invaluable historical document. Thanks to Karl's efforts an important element of local history will not be forgotten. Congratulations to all the recipients of Heritage Achievement Awards. You have made a valuable contribution to West Vancouver heritage and the community. On behalf of the membership, thank you!