University Endowment Lands landscape changing one demolition at a time

UNIVERSITY ENDOWMENT LANDS (NEWS 1130) – Vancouver isn’t the only Lower Mainland community experiencing the loss of what some would call valuable heritage homes.

Demolition teams are busy within UBC’s University Endowment Lands.

“They’re dropping like flies,” says Dave Forsyth, a community representative on the University Endowment Lands or UEL, referring to the number of homes being torn down.

“I would say there are ten homes in my little area here that have been knocked down or waiting to be knocked down.”

The UEL is governed not by an elected body, but by a manager. People like Forsyth would dearly like to have bylaws to protect heritage homes, but it’s been difficult given the structure of UEL governance. The community has been told the manager’s office is not equipped to revise bylaws.

Forsyth gives an example of a 1920s Tudor-style house and a 1930s Spanish-Colonial that were recently slated for demolition.

“Gorgeous homes. I thought they had real character. A bunch of neighbours started a petition to try to save these homes. But there’s nothing in law. An appeal was made to the owners to save the structure. They said ‘no.’ And there’s nothing the manager can do,” Forsyth explains.

He says preserving heritage is more than saving important landmarks.

“The character of the neighbourhood needs to be protected. The old buildings add to the character and so do the little bungalows add to the character. The big trees add to the character.”

He says now is the time to have a discussion about adopting new bylaws and preserving the character of some neighbourhoods before it’s too late.

Home in the UEL that has been demolished

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