The Pacific Great Eastern’s North Vancouver passenger station has likely bit the dust by the time you receive this issue of WCRA News. The demolition permit was in process at the District of North Vancouver at the end of October, and both the North Vancouver Museum and Archives as well as WCRA were invited to tour and photograph the structure before it was torn down. Grant Ferguson files this report….
In 1956 the final link in the Pacific Great Eastern Railway mainline was being completed to a terminal in North Vancouver. Befitting the image of the “new” PGE a new terminal station building was envisioned.
Vancouver architects Hale and Harrison were commissioned to design the new station building, the most important on the railway. A modern design was prepared using large amounts of glass for a clear view to the mainline and clean crisp design features influenced by the Bauhaus school of design principals. The result was a thoroughly modern building whose design has stood the test of time and still looks contemporary today even after two additions and extensive interior remodeling. The original building was a mere 40 feet by 90 feet and contained a baggage room, ticket sales area, station agent’s office, washrooms, waiting area and a lunch counter and kitchen. (floor plan below) A low exterior canopy along the track sheltered patrons as they boarded the “Cariboo Dayliner” for their trip north.
A new ticket sales area was added at the west to fill in the notch created by the old baggage room and the waiting area was extended east with new office areas provided. The lunch counter was removed. To their credit, PGE built all of these additions to blend in with the original design and used the original building details. We have not determined the dates of these renovations although they may soon come to light.
The building became redundant when the BCR passenger service was terminated in 2002. There were rumours of a sale to Rocky Mountaineer, but these were not fulfilled. Translink surfaced as the new owner of the site as a location for a new North Vancouver transit centre to replace the cramped and poorly located facility at 3rd. and St. David’s streets. A demolition permit application is before the authorities in North Vancouver District and it is likely to be issued by the end of October.
While the building is listed on the Heritage Inventory for the District, it is not a candidate for preservation. This is due to the fact that it cannot be moved due to its slab on grade construction. Demolition is the only alternative. The building has been photo documented and BCR Properties will ensure that the original drawings for the building are sent to the
North Vancouver Museum and Archives for preservation. A copy of these will be made for the WCRA Archives at the Heritage Park.
The photo below shows the station on September 30th 1958, decorated for the inaugural trip to Dawson Creek. It is from the Vancouver Public Library collection, Photo #36611.
