Identifying potential heritage resources in West Vancouver
West Vancouver contains a number of significant heritage resources, from historic structures and buildings to significant landscapes and key historic features found throughout the community. The District keeps inventories of these heritage resources, but it is likely that there are more heritage resources that are not yet identified and valued by the community.
Thank you for sharing your suggestions for potential heritage resources. The Heritage Advisory Committee and staff will review the submissions and identify any for further research that have the potential of becoming recognized heritage resources.
The suggestion form was open from Tuesday, February 22 to Tuesday, March 15, 2022.
What are heritage resources?
West Vancouver’s Heritage Strategic Plan defines heritage as "that which we have inherited, value, believe in, and wish to keep". West Vancouver’s natural, cultural and built heritage contributes to community identity, neighbourhood character, and the desirability of living in West Vancouver.
Heritage resources can include:
- buildings
- structures (e.g. monuments or public art)
- groups of buildings / structures (e.g. streetscapes, historic districts)
- landscape features (e.g. parks, viewpoints, gardens, benches, or plaques)
- cultural landscapes (e.g. commemoration trees)
- historical archaeological sites
Heritage Week is February 21 to 27, and this year's theme is "Altogether Inclusive". When heritage responds to diversity and accessibility challenges, it becomes inclusive. We want to hear what heritage resources are important to you, so that heritage can be recognized in all its forms.
Which heritage resources are already identified?
The District has three inventories of heritage buildings and principal landscape resources:
- Heritage Landscape Inventory
- Heritage Inventory
- Survey of Significant Architecture
Many of the resources identified in these inventories are listed on the Community Heritage Register, which formally identifies properties that are recognized for their heritage value or character, and some of these resources are municipally designated (legally protected).
Community Heritage Register (consolidated inventories for convenience)
Municipally designated heritage properties (legally protected properties that are on the heritage register)
As what is important to the community may change over time, it is likely that there are other natural, built, and cultural resources in the community that are not included in the existing heritage inventories.
Map of identified heritage resources (PDF / GIS)
How are additions made to the Community Heritage Register?
A listing on the Community Heritage Register does not mean that the property is legally protected. Having a property listed on the register does not prevent a property owner from altering their property, as long as the alterations follow existing laws, such as the BC Building Code, Zoning Bylaw, etc.
Nominations are typically made by property owners because they either want the property to be formally recognized for its heritage value or they want to be eligible for municipal conservation incentives. Nominations are then reviewed by the Heritage Advisory Committee and any additions to the Community Heritage Register must be approved by Council.
Suggestions are not “nominations” and do not necessarily mean that a heritage resource will be added to the Community Heritage Register. Any potential additions to the Community Heritage Register would require further research, evaluation of heritage merit, and Council approval.
Read the FAQs to learn more about the approval process.
What does it mean for a property to be “designated”?
Properties that are municipally designated heritage properties are legally protected from demolition/alteration via a heritage designation bylaw. In most cases, heritage designation is the outcome of a negotiated Heritage Revitalization Agreement process where additional development rights are granted to a property owner as an incentive to conserve a recognized heritage resource, e.g., to make conservation an economically viable alternative to demolition and replacement. However, in some cases, a property owner simply wishes to protect a property in perpetuity and requests legal protection without seeking any incentives.
West Vancouver has 11 municipally designated heritage properties: two are publicly-owned properties and nine are privately-owned properties that were voluntarily designated at the request of the property owners. Learn more about municipally-designated heritage properties.
Identifying potential heritage resources in West Vancouver
West Vancouver contains a number of significant heritage resources, from historic structures and buildings to significant landscapes and key historic features found throughout the community. The District keeps inventories of these heritage resources, but it is likely that there are more heritage resources that are not yet identified and valued by the community.
Thank you for sharing your suggestions for potential heritage resources. The Heritage Advisory Committee and staff will review the submissions and identify any for further research that have the potential of becoming recognized heritage resources.
The suggestion form was open from Tuesday, February 22 to Tuesday, March 15, 2022.
What are heritage resources?
West Vancouver’s Heritage Strategic Plan defines heritage as "that which we have inherited, value, believe in, and wish to keep". West Vancouver’s natural, cultural and built heritage contributes to community identity, neighbourhood character, and the desirability of living in West Vancouver.
Heritage resources can include:
- buildings
- structures (e.g. monuments or public art)
- groups of buildings / structures (e.g. streetscapes, historic districts)
- landscape features (e.g. parks, viewpoints, gardens, benches, or plaques)
- cultural landscapes (e.g. commemoration trees)
- historical archaeological sites
Heritage Week is February 21 to 27, and this year's theme is "Altogether Inclusive". When heritage responds to diversity and accessibility challenges, it becomes inclusive. We want to hear what heritage resources are important to you, so that heritage can be recognized in all its forms.
Which heritage resources are already identified?
The District has three inventories of heritage buildings and principal landscape resources:
- Heritage Landscape Inventory
- Heritage Inventory
- Survey of Significant Architecture
Many of the resources identified in these inventories are listed on the Community Heritage Register, which formally identifies properties that are recognized for their heritage value or character, and some of these resources are municipally designated (legally protected).
Community Heritage Register (consolidated inventories for convenience)
Municipally designated heritage properties (legally protected properties that are on the heritage register)
As what is important to the community may change over time, it is likely that there are other natural, built, and cultural resources in the community that are not included in the existing heritage inventories.
Map of identified heritage resources (PDF / GIS)
How are additions made to the Community Heritage Register?
A listing on the Community Heritage Register does not mean that the property is legally protected. Having a property listed on the register does not prevent a property owner from altering their property, as long as the alterations follow existing laws, such as the BC Building Code, Zoning Bylaw, etc.
Nominations are typically made by property owners because they either want the property to be formally recognized for its heritage value or they want to be eligible for municipal conservation incentives. Nominations are then reviewed by the Heritage Advisory Committee and any additions to the Community Heritage Register must be approved by Council.
Suggestions are not “nominations” and do not necessarily mean that a heritage resource will be added to the Community Heritage Register. Any potential additions to the Community Heritage Register would require further research, evaluation of heritage merit, and Council approval.
Read the FAQs to learn more about the approval process.
What does it mean for a property to be “designated”?
Properties that are municipally designated heritage properties are legally protected from demolition/alteration via a heritage designation bylaw. In most cases, heritage designation is the outcome of a negotiated Heritage Revitalization Agreement process where additional development rights are granted to a property owner as an incentive to conserve a recognized heritage resource, e.g., to make conservation an economically viable alternative to demolition and replacement. However, in some cases, a property owner simply wishes to protect a property in perpetuity and requests legal protection without seeking any incentives.
West Vancouver has 11 municipally designated heritage properties: two are publicly-owned properties and nine are privately-owned properties that were voluntarily designated at the request of the property owners. Learn more about municipally-designated heritage properties.
