Heritage Week 2011 by Bowen Island Undercurrent

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FRIDAY FEBRUARY 18 2011 • B1

HERITAGE WEEK

Island rallies to save old store KAREN WRISTEN H E R I TA G E A S S O C I AT I O N

he Old General Store served Islanders and visitors alike from 1924 until 1975. Marion Moore recalls its early days as a Union Steamship store, when there were only about 150 people living here: “The first manager’s last name was Bird. He and his wife and daughter lived above the store where my sister Betty used to go and play with the daughter who was also named Betty. Sister Betty remembered the whole family being exceptionally small and she thought at the time the small windows on the second floor were installed for their benefit. “In 1927, Murray Hume and his wife took over. My early memories are of that time and beyond. She generally did all the Post Office work while he tended the store. Mail was daily and people picked it up at the P.O.... Fresh produce was sold in bulk and weighed out at the counter. Baked goods came by steamship from companies like McGavins. One of the regular helpers was George Ward, who later did most of the Post Office work. They hired more help in the summer when they sold ice cream and expanded the meat counter...” During the winter, the Old General Store also served as cafe and social centre. Mrs. Douglas M. Harding, who ran the store for 15 years, recalled, “In winter especially there just wasn’t much doing and people would just drop by and have a

On a beautifully sunny day in August, 1984, Bowen Islanders gathered to celebrate the opening of the newly restored Old General Store. Its previous owner had wanted to demolish the heritage Union Steamship building which is now the library. cup of coffee and chat.” As its tourism business ground to a halt in 1956, the Union rented the building to a succession of tenants (Lloyd Walters, Tom MacKinnon and the Lock and Stansfield families) who continued to run it as a general store. In 1975, the business moved into new premises further up Government Road. The Old General Store was boarded up in 1975 and, looking distinctly shopworn, quietly passed into the hands of Crippen Engineering Limited. Crippen announced in the fall of 1978 that they would demolish the building the following January. News of the impending demolition did not sit well with Islanders. The community had just weathered a storm of development interest sparked by the purchase of the Old General Store and the land that is now Crippen Park. The buyer, Stan James (Maui Holdings), was a developer who had big plans for his Bowen holdings: 2,000 houses, a ski resort at Mount Gardner, condos overlooking Killarney Lake and a full-size golf course. His dream was to transform the Island into a highend destination resort. James’s plans were not welcomed on

Bowen. The old Union tourism business had been quite different: family-oriented, good clean fun, for the most part, leaving aside the odd story of what went on at the Dance Pavilion. James didn’t help his case by summarily closing off access to his land, shutting down drinking fountains and generally disregarding Islanders who had been a very real part of the Union’s operations. Fortunately for the prevailing sentiment, James’ plans were bigger than his budget and he soon lost his holdings to his first mortgagee, Crippen Engineering. The community’s response to its brush

with Mr. James was decisive: the old Union lands should be kept as a single parcel and the whole of it should become a park. Islander David Smith galvanized community response by persuading Crippen to put its plans on hold. He called a public meeting and formed an ad hoc committee with two lofty goals: to restore the Old General Store and to turn the former Union lands into a park. His story on page 2 outlines why their efforts were ultimately successful.

The Bowen Island Historians, Heritage Preservation Association and Undercurrent present

HERITAGE WEEK The Undercurrent is pleased to bring you the 22nd annual heritage supplement in honour of Heritage Week. We join the rest of British Columbia in celebrating the centennial of BC Parks by exploring the history of the parks on Bowen Island. Our thanks to the Bowen Island Historians and Bowen Island Heritage Association for their tremendous efforts in researching and writing the stories that tell us so much about our proud past.

A Century of Conservation: Parks and Cultural Landscapes

B2 • FRIDAY FEBRUARY 18 2011

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Restoration of Old General Store represents

‘the community at its best’ DAVID SMITH

a meeting to elect chairpersons for the Park, Store, Acquisition and Ways & Means committees. The following day, a community marshmallow roast and Old Store clean up was held - “bring a stick and a broom - rain or shine!!” The new group needed operating capital and beautiful crafts and art were donated to raffle. Other organizations on the Island donat-

commit $42,000 to the project, once the ownership of the land was determined. Within months of its inception, the Society had secured the future of the store and now focused its efforts on land acquisition and fund raising. Led by Ellen Dorman, a second-hand flea shop was established. Soon the whole

task. Lighting fixtures from an old school were found. On June 18, 1983, under the big STORE USE SOCIETY tree in the Bowfest field, the Park was dedicated. By miduch has been written on December, the building had the history of the Union been moved back from the Steamship Company on road and the new year saw a Bowen Island. Certainly enough new roof, exterior paint, intethat anyone interested is familiar rior renovations and initial with the story of the 1,000-acre landscaping completed. resort. Gone are most of the On sunny August 180 cabins, the hotel, dance 19, 1984, hundreds hall and teahouse. The only gathered for the major structure left is the grandest commu1924 General Store. nity celebration Abandoned in 1975, it ever on Bowen. was described by author Morning in the Barry Broadfoot as “formeadow featured lorn, like a tramp at road20 horseback ridside.” In the spring of 1978, ers, a high school the lands and store changed band, square danchands and were for the first ers, musicians, time since 1920, offered for face painting, food, sale. archery, horseAugust 19, 1984 shoes, ladies’ nail “Heritage Day Fair and driving and more. Parade mark community A single piper led celebration at Old Store everyone from the Dedication Ceremony in field to the Old Crippen Regional Park.” Store. The ferry The legacy of the successwhistle blew and ful store restoration and the parade began. park creation is the direct A single Beefeater result of this community was followed by Thanks in part to a $110,000 works grant, plus the prodigious fundraising efforts of a Legion honour at its best. Islanders of all Bowen Islanders, the island was able to restore the Old General Store. Photo courtesy walks pooled their formiguard, a 12-piece Bowen Island Historians dable skills to achieve their pipe band plus goals of keeping the 640 23 antique cars acres of former Union lands en bloc ed cash to the cause. A constitubuilding was crammed with filled with guests, politicians as a park and as important, renotion was drafted and submitted to clothing, appliances, shoes, and locals. Each stopped at vating the Old Store. A very brief Victoria. In December, the chief of furniture and whatever else the store and was greeted by history.... consulting services of the Ministry Islanders could give. Open a Mountie in full dress. The October 1978. Motivated to of Conservation did a walkabout every weekend, the “Fleam” dedication ceremony was stay the demolition of the building with six local builders and deemed generated over $32,000 in rev- replete with speeches, gift givand soon enlightened of the rare the building restorable. Great news! enue for the cause. The store ing, a sing-along and many opportunity to secure such a large In late January, permission was had become again the island’s kind words for all. At the end, and historic block of land, a tworeceived to open an office upstairs meeting place. the islanders turned to face year resident rented Collins Hall and regular Sunday walks to variSpring of 1983. “We Have a the street and a community and invited the 700+ islanders to ous areas of the proposed park Park” - telegram from Donald photo was taken, ending the attend a meeting. So enthusiastic commenced. In February, Society Toffaletto to David Smith perfect day. and unanimous was the response status was confirmed. who was collecting tickets Since then, the Old Store that an ad hoc committee emerged, By March 30, the Store commitin Winnipeg for the west has served as theatre, meeting made up of Bowen’s three elected tee had finished and submitted the bound Canadian. Bowen’s Bill hall, gallery, studio, post office officials and three citizens. By proposal to the Provincial Heritage Gibson had closed the deal! and now library. It celebrates month’s end, the Undercurrent carAdvisory Board. In time, word was With the land issue settled, our history, speaks well of ried a large ad inviting everyone to received that they were prepared to the Society/GVRD store resour community and, thanks toration collaboration began. to hundreds of Islanders, will The Society donated $10,000 always do so. to the cause, secured an $110,000 works grant to finThe Bowen Island Park & ish off the interior and hired a Store Use Society disbanded crew of locals to complete the in 1985. B.I. PARK &

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Bowen Heritage preserves our past

he Bowen Island Heritage Association was formed in 1989 to promote interest in, awareness of and where possible and necessary, preservation of the heritage sites and buildings on Bowen Island. However, in keeping up with the times, its website is bihpa.weebly.com One of the association’s first priorities was the emergency rescue of the Davies Heritage Orchard in Snug Cove and its remaining Union Steamship cottages. In fact, the Association came into being when GVRD Parks (now called Metro Vancouver) began to demolish the cottages. Not all islanders understood that wooden structures have to be saved when they are middle-aged or they will never be around when they are very old. Over the years since, the association has done a great deal of work. Some of the cottages have been restored, the Cottage Museum has been established, a Heritage office and information area set up and oral histories of cottage dwellers collected. There have been many Midsummers in the Orchard picnics and a fine little booklet with a mini history published. The Association hosts an October Apple Festival and participates in the annual Light Up Bowen Christmas. From its beginnings, it has worked closely with Metro Parks and with the Historians whose aims and services partner well with those of the Heritage Association. Long-range plans call for the complete and authentic restoration of the cottages. The challenge is that the cottage project must be financially self-sustaining. First step in this massive project is the hook-up of the ten remaining cottages to the sewer system. Meanwhile, apple specialist John Riley is assisting the Association with its plans to replant many of the fruit varieties which once grew in the Davies 1890s orchard.

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Heritage comes to life at Davies Orchard

Bowen’s history is preserved at archives & museum

he cottages in Davies Orchard, in the heart of Snug Cove and Crippen Park, are almost a century old. While it may seem remarkable that such humble buildings should have heritage status, the story of their survival merits a novel. First, the setting: gently sloping fertile land facing southeast, out of the shadow of Dorman Point and sunny, with a view of the coastal range, Howe Sound and Snug Cove - a favourite summer location for the first people and since. William Davies and his family established a homestead and planted fruit trees here in 1887. Some of his trees, mostly apple, are still producing fruit. To supplement his farming, Davies built wooden platforms and rigged up canvas tents for summer visitors. When the Union Steamship Company took over in 1920, they built over 200 cottages in Deep Bay, around the Lagoon, up Dorman Point and in Davies’ orchard. There are only 10 remaining. At first, the cottages were bursting with summer vacationers, often the same family every year, and in the winter a few housed Steamship staff, doing maintenance on the others. With the demise of the Union Steamship in the 1950s, the cottages were rented out as housing. Rents were negotiable and low, to reflect the work necessary to keep simple summer cottages habitable all winter. The pipes froze easily, the septic systems were primitive and the single glazed windows rattled in the wind. This was low cost housing for veterans, single mothers, writers and woodworkers. In the late 1980s, the island was contemplating an expensive sewage treatment system for Snug Cove. Part of the strategy involved blaming high coliform counts in Snug Cove on the cottages’ septic systems. Without warning, Provincial Health was called in to test the septics. Four failed and those tenants were evicted. A flurry of activities began, designed to educate the then GVRD Parks Board on the history and significance of the orchard trees and buildings. Bowen Island Heritage Preservation Association was created in 1989 and

In 1990, the GVRD recommended that five of the remaining cottages from the Union Steamship era be demolished. Two buildings were taken down, prompting the community to rally around the preservation of the historic buildings.

The Boulevard Cottage was moved from Deep Bay to Snug Cove and was restored for current use. Photos courtesy Bowen Island Heritage Preservation Society applied to the GVRD for stewardship of the cottages with the intent of restoring them. In 1990, there was a recommendation from GVRD to demolish five of the cottages. Nine days later, early in the morning of April 19, 1990, a backhoe moved into the orchard and began demolition. Two buildings fell before the destruction was halted. Eventually, Parks agreed the cottages had heritage value and were to be protected. Bowen Heritage volunteers have worked to raise awareness and funds,

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receiving a federal grant to restore one cottage as a museum, provincial funds to restore another cottage as office space. Bowen Heritage fundraising and modest rents collected by Metro paid for the restoration of two more. Six cottages remain to be restored, at a cost estimated at over $600,000. Once completed, the restored orchard cottages could be a delightful accommodation for visitors. Davies Orchard, with its cottages and gardens restored, would be a place in which we can all take pride.

he collected records and memories of a community are valuable resources. On Bowen, these records, photographs, and memorabilia are available in the Community Museum and Archives whose facilities are funded and managed by the Bowen Island Historians, a lively volunteer group founded in 1967. Their attractive two-story cottage-like building, and second museum - the Logger’s Cottage - are located across from the RCMP offices. Intensive research enabled the Historians to publish Bowen Island: 1872-1972. Sales of the book plus years of fund raising enabled the purchase of a lot in Snug Cove and, eventually, a storage building for artifacts. In 1994, federal job grants provided temporary staff who began processing documents and artifacts and the Archives became a reality. In 1996, the one-story garage-like structure was lifted, a lower floor tucked in, the exterior redesigned and shingled and the Community Museum was born on the ground floor of the attractive little building. It is used for major exhibits and smaller ones like Remembrance Day and Christmas. The adjacent Higgins Cottage offers a peek into life of a logger in the 1950s. The Archives house all sorts of material relating to Bowen’s past and present. There’s a complete run of The Undercurrent and other Bowen publications, files on neighborhoods, businesses, individuals and all kinds of subjects relating to Bowen Island. The extensive photographic collection, often called upon by movie companies and other agencies, was the foundation for the Historians’ recent coffee table book, Bowen Island Reflections. More than 7,000 photographs are now accessible online (bowenhistory. ca) which is also a place where general information can be found. For specific news of the People, Plants and Places Tour, go to (bowenislandppp.org.)

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There are many ways to celebrate Heritage Week

Lieben was festive meeting place for writers

LOIS MEYERS-CARTER B.I. HISTORIANS

he existence of Lieben is unknown to most islanders but it has a group of admirers who appreciate its history and care about its continued life. What is it? It’s a 10-acre property, overlooking Howe Sound, at the entrance to Eagle Cliff. Why is it significant? Because between 1946 and 1965, Einar and Muriel Neilson provided an informal “getaway place” for an amazing group of creative people. A bit of background: In 1941, Einar was introduced to Bowen Island by his first wife Pat and her artist father, Lionel Lemoine Fitzgerald. That prompted Einar to buy a property overlooking Howe Sound with a derelict house on it. He then used his abilities as a craftsman to make it a beautiful place. He constructed furniture out of driftwood, hammered out copper sconces, hung tapestries and put down Chinese and Persian carpets. He called it Lieben. In 1945, Einar met English professor Watson Thomson and, noticing he looked worn out, suggested he come to Bowen for a rest. Eventually, Mary and Watson Thomson made Bowen their first home in BC. They stayed close friends with Einar. In fact, several times a year, Watson brought young faculty members from UBC for exam and marking sessions which ended with feasting, singing and drinking. The upstairs sleeping quarters were then called the Ram’s Pasture.

In the summer of 1947, Muriel James, above, came to Lieben to visit friends. She fell in love with the property as well as Einar Neilson, who built by hand much of the furniture in the old Lieben cottage, at left. Only a bit of the cabin’s foundation remains today.

In the summer of 1947, Muriel James, a bright, free-thinking, well-educated woman came to Lieben to visit Mary and Watson Thomson because the three had been part of the same co-op housing for six years in Winnipeg. Muriel was an excellent musician who had hoped to go into medicine but became a teacher instead. She was an early member of the CCF, wrote radio scripts for CBC’s School Broadcasts. The attraction between Einar and Muriel was mutual and at Christmas, Einar and Muriel were married. Muriel joined Einar in inviting artists and intellectuals to visit to work or rest as they

pleased. When a crowd arrived from the ferry, there was food, music and drink. Guests brought a good deal of their own food, ate when they pleased and took turns cooking dinner. Einar and Muriel, good cooks themselves, stayed in the background. For nearly twenty years, the place worked. Some of the guests had established reputations but one needn’t to have already made it to qualify for a visit. There was Arthur Hill, Gordon Woodward, Eric Nicol, Charles Wassermann, Mario Prizek, Bill McConnell and Lister Sinclair. There was Jane Rule, poet Andrew Suknaski, painters Gordon Smith and Jack Shadbolt. Earle Burney

and Margaret Laurence were good friends as were Malcolm Lowry and his wife, Marjorie Bonner Lowry. Muriel was active. She taught at Bowen for 12 years and at Gibson’s for six. Her students enjoyed lots of music and she was close to them and to the community. Eventually, Einar became a recluse and died in 1978. Muriel died three years later. Muriel’s will deeded the property to the Crown, specifying that it be kept as a nature reserve in perpetuity with controlled public use and habitant management. The home was to be taken down and the property be returned “to the flora and fauna.”

his is the Undercurrent’s 22nd annual Heritage issue. This year the stories and photos celebrate the national theme of Parks and Cultural Landscapes. The stories and photographs highlight the creation of Crippen Park and the saving of the Old General Store. • Watch for the traditional big Heritage Week sign at the intersection corner • Visitors can peek and poke at two open houses on Sunday, February 27 from 2 to 4 pm. The Community Museum and Archives, across the street from the RCMP offices, will show how to use the photographic data base, show the many unique resources for finding information about families and even offer a look at yesterday life in the main floor museum. The historic Davies Orchard, with its restored cottages and cottage museum, will welcome visitors to this on-going community project of the Bowen Island Heritage Preservation Association. • Unseen to most of us are the seven excellent junior curator sessions organized by Historians archivist Heather Tam, community school coordinator Sarah Haxby and conservationist Andrew Todd, using resources of both Bowen Heritage and the Museum and Archives. These sessions will result in a special display at the Community school. • The Legion’s February 25 Friday night dinner will have a Heritage theme along with a powerpoint display of Heritage photos. (Maybe even waitresses in costume?) • The Little Red Church, more than 100 years old, will focus on heritage on Sunday, February 27.

Learn about history all year round The Bowen Island Community Museum & Archives is open Sundays and Mondays, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., and Tuesdays and Thursdays, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. or by appointment. For an appointment contact 947-9526 or 947-2440.