About
In mid January, the Vancouver Sun reported on the potential demolition of the Heritage A log house at 4686 West 2nd Ave. in Point Grey to make way for three houses on the three lots on the property. The house is reported to have been built in 1912 with cedar logs originally cut for telegraph poles, which are the walls of the house, being barged in from the Sunshine Coast and then transported by horses to the current location. Similarly, the large stones were barged in from the Capilano River and used in the chimney, foundation and verandah. The materials complement the siting of the house in the middle of a natural setting including wisteria as well the Douglas fir and cedar trees at the front. The wisteria is said to be the mother of the wisteria at Van Dusen Gardens.
The house had gone on sale in September of 2022 and was reportedly purchased by developers. While the heritage description of the house typically refers to its built aspects, the log house has a very strong association as being the house of Jean Fahrni, a prominent and active local artist. She was President of the BC Potters Guild, President of the Canadian Society for Asian Arts and her collection of asian ceramics was on display at the Museum of Vancouver Exhibition Dragon Jars and Lotus Bowls: Asian Ceramics from the Jean Mackay Fahrni Collection, celebrating her 100th birthday in 2019. Jean Fahrni hosted many significant artists, including friend Bill Reid, and politicians at numerous events for cultural organizations at the log home. These interactions and Jean Farhni have become the unique history of the house. Jean Fahrni’s warm, engaging personality was a good match for her home, which has large rooms with tall ceilings that were perfect for entertaining.
Why on the Top10
The City of Vancouver heritage program typically tries to offer some incentive to retain a heritage house while allowing for additional development on the site. As reported in the Vancouver Sun’s article on the three permit applications taken out for the site, this house sitting on two lots makes it challenging to retain, and it is very possible for the house to come down despite it having an “A” classification on the Vancouver Heritage Register (see the discussion of the update to the Vancouver Heritage Register in this year’s Top10).
Whether a heritage house like this remaining log house stays is highly dependent on whoever buys the property. Moreover, while much of the attention in heritage centres around whether or not the house can be preserved, there is an important question about how the heritage of the house including the significant events, interactions and associations with Jean Fahrni can be known more widely. These stories about the house that provide one way for the public to connect with it were not brought to public attention until the house was put on sale or there was concern that the house may be lost. We are making this point in the Top10 to express the need for better ways to know places and the important stories people connect with, especially when heritage is often thought to “happen” only when there is a potential demolition.
https://storeys.com/vancouver-log-house-for-sale-4686-w-2nd-ave/
https://vancouversun.com/business/real-estate/vancouver-heritage-log-house-redevelopment
https://vancouversun.com/news/local-news/point-grey-log-house-with-view-unique-history-for-sale-for-almost-12-million
Picture credit: Steve Hodder, Vancouver Heritage Foundation’s Heritage Site Finder.
We acknowledge the financial assistance of the Province of British Columbia
