History & Heritage
History
Sunset was one of the earliest communities to be settled in the Vancouver
area. The first families to inhabit South Vancouver came to the banks
of the North Arm of the Fraser River to farm, fish and log. On April 13,
1892, almost exactly a year after receiving its name, South Vancouver
was formally incorporated. Upon incorporation the District of South Vancouver
stretched from Boundary Road on the east, to Point Grey on the west. It
encompassed all of what is now Collingwood, Cedar Cottage, Fraserview,
Marpole, Dunbar and West Point Grey. The original Village of South Vancouver
grew up around the south ends of Main and Fraser Streets. District offices
were located in the Village until 1929 when South Vancouver amalgamated
with the City of Vancouver.
In 1893, there were only 500 male voters in all of South Vancouver. This
was enough to convince the B.C. Electric Railway to build a one-track
streetcar line down Fraser Street to the small Village on the south slope.
By 1909, there were about 5,000 people in South Vancouver and by 1910
that number had nearly tripled. Due to the area's industrialization and
subsequent housing boom, the population of South Vancouver had reached
approximately 35,000 in 1911. Land that had been bought for a dollar an
acre, was being subdivided and sold for $5,000 a lot along the Village's
business section (the 10 blocks between 41st and 51st Avenues on Fraser
Street).
Throughout the 1920s, South Vancouver development was more restrained.
After amalgamating with the City of Vancouver in 1929, the area maintained
a rural flavour until after WWII. In the late 1940s, agricultural land
was used to house returning veterans. As families continued to move to
the area, new schools and community centres; were built. In 1950, John
Oliver Secondary School was built on Wilson Park, the site of an old South
Vancouver farm. That same year Sunset residents saw five years of lobbying
come to fruition with the completion of the Sunset Memorial Community
Centre.
Heritage
House on Prince Albert and the Field House
in Memorial Park
With much of the community's housing built after WWII it is not surprising
that there are only a few notable heritage buildings in Sunset. As of
June 1992 there were 35 structures listed on the Vancouver Heritage Register.
Of particular significance is the Field House built circa 1930 in Memorial
Park South. Nestled in a grove of mature trees, this low gabled structure
contributes to the overall park design and landscaping. Designed in a
rustic English Arts and Crafts style, the building features board and
batten siding, multi-paned casement windows, and a porch with heavy timber
brackets.
A charming heritage home is located at the comer of 47th Avenue and Prince
Albert Street. Although typical of the bungalow type common in the area,
this small, modest home is transformed by an exceptional, octagonal corner
porch. The exterior of the house has been maintained in original condition
and mature landscaping complements its period feel.
Detailed information on the city's heritage and a complete list of heritage
buildings is available at City
of Vancouver Heritage.
Additional information is available through the City
of Vancouver Archives.
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