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Page 2 West Vancouver Historical Society April 1999 WEST VANCOUVER HISTORICAL SOCIETY Offices 'Gertrude Lawson House' 680 17th Street West Vancouver, B.C. V7V3T2 Phone - 925-7299 Principal Officers President Helen Davies Vice President Tom Taylor Secretary Anne Vernon Treasurer Mia Bonettemaker Past President Ian Macdonald Hon. Archivist Rupert Harrison Director Special Events Laureen Jones Newsletter Team Publisher / Editor Anne Vernon Contributions Editor Barbara Johnson Assoc. Editor Waring Pentland Production and Distribution Tom Taylor Graphics A Display Laureen Jones Printer Quill Printing Ltd. West Van., B.C. Editorial Policy It is Society Policy: That every effort is made to ensure that all articles are accurate but the Society takes no responsibility for inaccuracies. That opinions expressed in contributions and presentations are those of the author and are not necessarily those of the Society That corrections, contrary opinions and contributions are welcomed. That excerpts from HISTORY-ONICS must be attributed to the WEST VANCOUVER HISTORICAL SOCIETY and reproductions in whole or in part are not permitted without the express authorization of the Society. EXECUTIVE REPORT: By: Helen Davies The wonderful picture on the front page shows the old and new municipal halls. This striking image came to the Society's attention during the February public lecture given by our Archivist, Preben Mortensen. The slide made me think about the Hall's origins and the present building's importance as an example of modernist architecture. The first Municipal Hall was built on land purchased from John Lawson for $1.00. During construction a tent served as the Municipal Hall for a few months. Humble beginnings indeed! This building underwent numerous additions in 1931, '45 and '56, but was eventually replaced by the present Hall, a larger, more modem building. Officially opened by Lt. Governor Pearkes on November 20, 1964, it was designed by Toby, Russell & Buckwell Architects and is a fine example of modernist architecture. The modernists developed a new architectural style that emphasized structure and function. A particular design hallmark was the extensive use of natural light. Our Municipal Hall, with its wonderful opaque skylight in the Council Chamber and its exterior walls of glass typifies this style. Architects used steel, glass, stone and concrete and favored muted tones. The Hall, with its polished concrete floors, precast wall panels and strong horizontal lines, embodies this spirit. Equally important is the surrounding landscape. I once had the pleasure of co-conducting a tour of the site with retired Parks Manager, and Society member, Heinz Berger. Heinz explained how he and his staff designed a landscape to compliment the site. He provided a wealth of fascinating information, and it was interesting to hear his perspective on the project. We all pass the Hall on our day-to-day business and often have occasion to go inside, either to attend a Council meeting, pay a bill or ask a question of the helpful staff. Next time, take a moment to stop and consider its graceful lines and its architectural significance, perhaps walk around the grounds which are a lovely, quiet oasis. I am confident that you will agree that the West Vancouver Municipal Hall is a building that we can be proud of and that we should cherish. CORPORATE MEMBERS We gratefully acknowledge the support of our Corporate Members whose names appear here in order of joining Chapman Land Surveying Ltd. Hollyburn Funeral Home Ltd. West Van Florist Ltd. Wetmore Motors Ltd. Murchie’s Tea & Coffee Ltd. Crawford E. Laing Ltd. British Pacific Properties Ltd. B.C. Rail Ltd. Faximum Software Inc. Dr. Robert N.' Hicks, Inc. The Square Rigger Pub ' Dave’s Auto Body Shop Ltd. The North Shore News Quill Printing Limited The Capilano Golf and Country Club Simpson Home Hardware The Palm Guest House