The housing stock in the Dunbar area of Vancouver has undergone significant change in the past five years. Originally a working class neighbourhood with many quite modest homes surrounded by lovely gardens, it is now a neighbourhood that 99% of the people working in Vancouver cannot afford because the replacement homes are built to the maximum footprint and cost millions. Greenspace has been reduced. Included on this website are photos of many (not all) of the disappeared houses.
View Teardowns in the Dunbar area of Vancouver, BC in a larger map

Demolitions West of the Dunbar Community Centre

Thursday, March 3, 2011

Neighbourhood Changing on 4000 Block of West 28th Avenue


Do the following five houses deserve to be torn down?





They are all for sale on the 4000 block of West 28th Avenue. Four FOR SALE signs are visible on the following photo; a fifth FOR SALE cannot be seen. All were put on the market in February, and three sold quickly. Chances are that all five will be demolished, with the possible exception of the 2-storey house.
28th Avenue is part of the neighbourhood developed in the early 50's, spanning the north side of 27th Avenue to the north side of 31st Avenue, from Crown to Camosun. As mentioned in the blog of January 17, each lot is approximately 52 feet wide, and most of the houses were build as one-storey bungalows. The 50's were a different time in so many ways, and we cannot expect to return to those days. But one thing we don't want to give up in the 21st century is getting to know our neighbours and valuing our community. Many of the original residents of the new houses in this area were young families. Here is some of that history from May Brown who has lived in this 50's area from the beginning:

"We bought from the chap building 4 houses and we were the first family that moved into the block, April 1950. Couples had purchased lots, by auction, from the City and a number were building their own homes. Spring of 1950 - north side of 31st, both sides of 30th , south side of 29th were all under construction. Two years later, the other blocks going north, were opened up and construction started there, up to the school site. Just Crown to Camosun.

Interesting - a number of us, who are 'originals' are still here.

I see a great change taking place in the area and this will accelerate as we all get older and have to leave our homes. This part of Dunbar, and likely other parts also, will change from a middle-income population of community-minded people to folks who have more resources and can pay $1.6 million for our small Dunbar bungalows. These houses were well built, would last for another 60 years if allowed to stay but No --they are to be demolished and a BIG house built." Read more in The Story of Dunbar.

A parting observation--young people starting out today do not have a similar opportunity to become part of the Dunbar community. Will it lose anything because of this?



1 comment:

  1. It must be wonderful to have lived most of one's life in such a nice neighborhood. It's sad to see these well loved homes go away.

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