A Letter t o M a y o r and C o u n c i l re and theWestVancouver GLH The following is a copy of the letter sent to the Mayor and Council on June 15.2011 Lawson House, the Museum, the WestVancouverArchives regarding the future of Gertrude Historical Society. Dear Mayor and Council We are writing to you to express our deep concern over the future of Gertrude Lawson House , the Archives, the Museum and our office and meeting space in Gertrude Lawson House. We have not received from you any correspondence as to your intentions with respect to the above and have only the information we have read in the local newspapers or heard at community meetings. We would like to request a meeting with you as soon as possible to discuss our concerns and suggestions. Gertrude Lawson House Gertrude Lawson House has historical and sentimental value to the residents of West Vancouver. It was built by Gertrude Lawson, daughter of John Lawson and was designated a Heritage Property in 1990 by the District of West Vancouver. It has served as the WestVancouver Museum and Archives and home of the West Vancouver Historical Society since 1994. We hope that the Council and staff of the District of West Vancouver are fully aware of the history of Gertrude Lawson House, its purchase and the involvement of | theWestVancouver Historical Society and West Van Rotary Club. If you have any questions about its history please do not hesitate to ask us. Although many of our members would like to see Gertrude Lawson House remain as it is in its Heritage Garden the WestVancouver Historical Society understands that the land is suited to multifamily development and the house would have to be removed. We also understand that the interior is not functional for its current use as a home for the Archives and Museum and would need major reconstruction inside to be able to serve any purpose. However, as the house is of such historical significance, we would like to see the house saved and moved to another location and used as a Museum, art facility or tearoom. If this cannot happen then we would like to see the House saved in part, perhaps saving the facade as it is the most recognizable feature of the house and most likely to satisfy the historical and sentimental attachments of many of the long term residents This facade could be incorporated in the new building on site. This practice has been very successful in Vancouver for decades and currently is being done on many buildings in Victoria. If the facade could not be incorporated on site it should be incorporated into a building along the waterfront as part of the Ambleside redevelopment. TheWestVancouver Historical Society hopes that the District of WestVancouver will consult us on the preservation of the history and heritage of WestVancouver, particularly in the absence of any Heritage Advisory Committee. Other communities in BC are very active and concerned about their history and we do not want our community to look back and regret any loss of its heritage. A community's history is its roots and it cannot grow and evolve in any meaningful way without roots. Archives and Museum TheWestVancouver Historical Society would also like the District of WestVancouver to recognize the importance of the Archives and Museum in our community and ensure that there is an active policy to preserve them. Archives TheWestVancouver Historical Society would like the Archives page 7