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 18th 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 North Vancouver Land & Improvement Company.
In 1906, the Land & Improvement Company started planning a new sub-division called Grand Boulevard, which would consist of a large, centralized park (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. 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 with 800 and 910 Grand Boulevard houses in view and 618 E 9th in the middle. Photo courtesy of North Vancouver Museum and Archives. Inventory N˚8683.
1926 aerial shot. 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. You can still see many of the original grand-dames:
Doney Residence at 745 Grand (1909)
Keith Residence at 750 Grand (1910)
Ellis Residence at 800 Grand (1910)
Haswell Residence at 910 Grand (1910)
Young Residence at 1312 Grand (1909)
Gill Residence at 1617 Grand (1911)
Russell Residence at 1906 (1912)
Ellis residence at 800 Grand Boulevard in 2021.
Many of them feature plaques that provide some background on their past owners. We challenge you to take some time to find and read these plaques.
During the post-WWII period, this area saw additional development of smaller bungalows on the lots not originally developed, after the building requirements were relaxed. This eclectic mix of homes still exists today and makes Grand Boulevard a living timeline of 20th-century housing styles.
Grand Boulevard bungalow.
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.
The park was recently outfitted with paved bike paths and walkways, and new heritage lighting has been installed as a nod to its heritage past.
Grand Boulevard today.