6. Roselawn Funeral Home (1941) [lost]

The City’s 1986 Heritage Register is out-of-date and full of holes; that means Roselawn Funeral Home (1669 East Broadway near Commercial) may soon end up in one ­ in a landfill site. As this exquisite 1941 Mission-style building is not listed on the Register, it has no protection against demolition.

The building and land occupy four lots recently purchased by the Vancouver Coastal Health Authority.

Although there is currently no development application, we understand Coastal Health intends to move the North Health Unit into a new building on this site. Roselawn deserves better!

By comparison, the former Imperial Oil Service Station (Malone’s) on Cornwall, also Mission style, is listed as a ‘B’ on the Register. Roselawn, an East Broadway landmark, is at least as architecturally significant as Imperial Oil.

It should be listed on the Register and be eligible for heritage incentives. As the Home occupies only a portion of the site, the City could offer heritage incentives to facilitate retention of all or part of the existing building.

Updates

Update April 2009: The building has been demolished by the owners, Vancouver Coastal Health.