From the outside, St. Stephen’s Anglican Church looks unlike any other church in West Vancouver. With its dominant, geometric cedar-shake walls - which also serve as a roof - words such as dramatic, angular and bold might be used to describe this church at first glance. But despite its stunning exterior, nothing could prepare you for the visual feast that awaits you on the inside! One is greeted by a light-filled interior, with a dramatic and soaring geometric ceiling, exquisitely eye-catching chandeliers, and the piece-de-resistance … the most stunning stained-glass windows, made of faceted, gem-cut coloured glass, which create a jaw-dropping curtain of colour. Join us as we explore the history and features of this iconic architectural “gem” which is amongst the most significant mid-century modern churches in the world. It still stands today but is very much under threat in this world of declining religious affiliations, governmental pressures for affordable housing and developers’ drive for profits.
The Timeless Pink Palace
The Villa Maris, a pink beacon in the skies of West Vancouver, is one of the most iconic modernist apartment buildings in the Lower Mainland and is a rare Canadian example of New Sensualism, a Miami Beach offshoot of Modernism. From the outside, it screams Miami Modern with its curved wall of parabolic arches and hot pink colour! But what most people don’t know is that the inside is even more “wow”, with many of its original features including a lobby, staircase and pool that was influenced by the Hollywood Regency and Miami Modernism Styles. It’s easy to envision Elizabeth Taylor or Cary Grant sashaying through the lobby, posing by the pool or theatrically descending the staircase! Join us for a virtual walk through the interior!
Sidetracked on a Side Street
The Pacific Great Eastern Railway, despite its name, was a Western company. Incorporated in Vancouver in 1912, it was founded to create a railroad between Prince George and the docks of North Vancouver via Squamish and the Howe Sound. Decades passed before this goal was fully achieved due to a section of challenging, mountainous terrain and ongoing financial challenges. It became known as the Province’s Great Expense to Prince George Eventually. However, the story of the PGE Railway is one of ambition and perseverance that created an important, historic route along the waters of the Burrard Inlet and Howe Sound, remnants of which still exist today.