VHF’s Evening Lecture series will continue in virtual format this fall from 7pm to 8:30pm. Join us from the comfort of home to enjoy fascinating pieces of Vancouver’s history with a selection of speakers.

Tuesday, September 28th - BC’s Black Pioneers: Economic, Political and Social Influences

The original Black settlers in BC represented a wide spectrum of backgrounds, skills, and interests, each contributing substantially to the settlement and development of the Colony of Vancouver Island and the province.

Fran Morrison, Director for the BC Black History Awareness Society will delve into the history of BC’s Black pioneers from 1858 to 1870, from their migration to the province to their experiences settling on Vancouver Island. She will share stories of the opportunities, struggles and achievements of these pioneering men and women, like Peter and Nancy Lester and Mifflin Gibbs, as well as highlight how they are being remembered today.

Tuesday, October 26th - Lower Mount Pleasant: Immigrants, Industry and Institutions

One of Vancouver’s oldest neighbourhoods, Mount Pleasant was also the city's first suburb. In the 1880s, industries such as brewing, slaughterhouses, and lumber mills started appearing along the south shores of False Creek and beside creeks that flowed through the area. Lower Mount Pleasant, the light industrial, commercial, & residential area (north of Broadway, bounded by Cambie Street and Clark Drive), is often omitted when Mount Pleasant heritage is discussed.

With the development of False Creek South and Flats, new density zoning, and construction of the Broadway subway, there is a lot of redevelopment pressure in the area. These rapid changes have the potential to impact not only the built heritage of the area but also its rich social and cultural history.

Join us to learn about some of the families, workers, industries, legacy businesses, and social groups that once called this unique part of Mount Pleasant home. Supplemented by photographs, clippings, and historical plans, Mount Pleasant-based historical researcher and writer Christine Hagemoen will illustrate forgotten stories of the area and share some of the fascinating pockets of history that still persevere.

Tuesday, November 30th - All Aboard! A virtual tour of Vancouver’s neon past and present

Climb aboard and join Angus McIntyre and John Atkin for an evening of neon and vintage buses!

“City Lights: Neon in Vancouver,” the Museum of Vancouver’s landmark exhibition on the history of neon opened in 1999, displaying some of the 19,000 neon signs that once illuminated Vancouver’s commercial streets. Using a vintage bus from the Transit Museum Society, Angus and John created a bus tour to explore the city’s neon legacy. With an obligatory stop at the legendary Wally’s Burgers on Kingsway, the tour wound its way across Vancouver and Burnaby, showing off the city’s nighttime ambience.

John and Angus will take a drive down memory lane to reminisce about the tours, neon history, old buses and reflect on how Vancouver’s neon legacy has evolved.

Details of how to join this webinar will be provided to registered participants. If you have not received the connection email two days before the webinar, please let us know at mail@vancouverheritagefoundation.org.

Most event expenses are incurred in the four week period just prior to the event. Our registration cancellation policy reflects the fact that we cannot recover these costs. We do not provide refunds or credits for cancellations received less than four (4) weeks prior to an event. We cannot provide refunds or credits for non-attendance.