Where do you find heritage? Grand Boulevard
(reprinted from BLOG — North Shore Heritage Preservation Society)
Happy Heritage Week 2021 with the theme “Where do you find Heritage?” Our second stop is Grand Boulevard, which is a neighbourhood and a park that is bounded by East Keith Road to the south and East 19th St. to the north. It is an example of an area that has evolved over time and has landmarks from many different eras. The park is on the CNV Heritage Register. The park was part of a large plot of forested land originally owned by the North Vancouver Land and Improvement Company.
In 1906, the Land and Improvement Company started planning a new sub-division called Grand Boulevard, which would consist of a large, centralized park (45½ acres, gifted to the City) that would be cleared to act as a fire break, would be sloped to ensure prime views down to the water and would be planted in a style reminiscent of a fine European garden.
Promotional booklet Plans for Grand Boulevard area development. (looking south)
North Vancouver Museum and Archives. Inventory N˚1908-2
The plan came to fruition, and today you can still see some of the original plantings, such as Purple Japanese Maples Acer on Grand Boulevard between 18th and 19th Streets, and the Katsura Tree at the northwest corner of Grand Boulevard and 17th Street.
Circa 1915: houses at 800 and 910 Grand Boulevard, with 618 E 9th St. in the middle.
Photo courtesy of North Vancouver Museum and Archives. Inventory N˚8683
1926 aerial shot, looking north from Keith Road
Photo courtesy of North Vancouver Museum and Archives. Inventory N˚ 15887
But Grand Boulevard is so much more than a park. The original development company divided the land on either side of the park into large double lots with a requirement to build homes that cost more than $4000 to build, in order to ensure a high-class residential neighbourhood. The original homes were built mostly in the Arts and Crafts style, with a traditional covered porch, a sloping roof and wide columns.
You can still see many of the original grand-dames:
- Doney Residence – 745 Grand Blvd (1909)
- Keith Residence – 750 Grand Blvd (1910)
- Ellis Residence – 800 Grand Blvd (1910)
- Haswell Residence – 910 Grand Blvd (1910)
- Young Residence – 1312 Grand Blvd (1909)
- Gill Residence – 1617 Grand Blvd (1911)
- Russell Residence – 1906 Grand Blvd (1912)
Many of the houses feature plaques that provide some background on their past owners. We challenge you to take some time to find and read these plaques.
Grand Boulevard Park served an additional function as one of the three routes of the North Vancouver streetcar system. The Lynn Valley streetcar went from the ferry terminal at Lower Lonsdale, along 3rd, up Queensbury, through Grand Boulevard Park and along Lynn Valley Road to what is now called the End of the Line General Store. The line was built in 1906 and run by the BC Electric Railway Company until 1947 when buses replaced the streetcars. Rumour has it that some of the original streetcar tracks still lie beneath the centre pathway of the park.
Grand Boulevard tram
Photo courtesy of North Vancouver Museum and Archives
For more history, go to https://www.northshoreheritage.org/the-north-shore-then-and-now
The Grand Boulevard Residents Association is grateful to Jennifer Clay, the Vice President of North Shore Heritage Preservation Society, who has allowed us to reprint parts of her article for Heritage Week 2021. Please support this group of people dedicated to preserving heritage in our community — become a member, volunteer or make a donation at: