Vancouver City Hall
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Vancouver City Hall is home to Vancouver City Council in Vancouver, British Columbia. Located at 453 West 12th Avenue, the building was ordered by the Vancouver Civic Building Committee, designed by architect Fred Townley and Matheson, and built by Carter, Halls, Aldinger and Company. The building has a twelve storey tower (the point being 323 feet above sea level) with a clock on the top.
[edit] History
Before the current city hall was constructed, a temporary one was set up in the Holden Building.
Construction of the new City Hall began in 1936 (Vancouver's Golden Jubilee) on January 3, and the first cornerstone was laid by Mayor Gerry McGeer on July 2. An eight-foot statue of Capt. George Vancouver, carved by Charles Marega, was placed at the front of the building. It was unveiled on August 20 by the visiting Lord Mayor of London, Sir Percy Vincent. Sir Percy also presented several gifts to the city, including a civic mace, and a sprig "...from a tree in the orchard where a falling apple gave Isaac Newton the idea that led to his theory of gravity." The mace and the statue still reside at city hall.
The building was started and opened all in the same year. It was completed on December 1, bringing an end to the 330-day construction. Each lock plate on the outer doors displays the Vancouver Coat of Arms, and each door knob bears the monogram of the building. The ceiling on the second floor of the rotunda was made of gold leaf from several BC mines.
After winning the civic election on December 9, 1936, George Clark Miller became the first mayor of Vancouver to occupy the brand-new city hall on January 2, 1937.
A four storey east wing was added in 1968 (completed in 1970) and a coat of arms added in 1969.
The building was declared a historic site in March 1976.
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- City of Vancouver - City Hall Heritage
- City Hall Construction Virtual Tour
- Art Deco City Hall Virtual Tour
- History of Metropolitan Vancouver
- CityMayors feature
- The Lovers II - Sculpture by Gerhard Juchum at City Hall
