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From loggers to joggers:  The History of Lynn Valley

Footprints of the Past

Today, Lynn Valley residents are surrounded by temperate rainforests enjoyed for their natural beauty and many hiking, biking, and walking trails. Just a hundred years ago, though, those forests were the industrial lifeblood of the settlers who came to earn their living at the lumber mills that formed the nucleus of the new community.

Lynn Valley was initially known as “Shaketown.” Some claim that was due to the shake-sided shacks that sprung up to house the first lumberjacks, cooks, blacksmiths and millwrights who settled around the lumber operations at the turn of the century; others say it was because of the cedar shakes and shinglebolts produced by the mill.

The heavily treed landscape was bisected by Tote Road, a rugged skid road built in order that oxen might haul felled logs down to the Moodyville waterfront, “Centre Road” (now Mountain Highway), and Pipeline Road, a plank road along which a pipeline was installed to carry drinking water from Rice Lake into North Vancouver.

Once the only direct route from Lynn Valley into North Vancouver, “Pipeline Road” is now Lynn Valley Road, and the name “Shaketown” was eventually dropped in favour of “Lynn Valley” – a misspelling of the pioneering Linn family who homesteaded at the mouth of Lynn Creek.

While the rest of North Vancouver has vastly expanded and now abuts Lynn Valley’s very doorstep, our community is still nestled against second-growth mountain forests nearly as wild as those encountered by early pioneers.

Lynn Valley residents live side-by-side with their history. Traces of the log flume – a wooden chute that used rushing water to transport shinglebolts down the mountainside – can still be seen from trails around Rice Lake; an old stone water trough sits near the junction of Mountain Highway and Lynn Valley Road in the heart of Lynn Valley.  Those interested in learning more about our past – or contributing their own memories – should pop into the Community History Centre, located in one of the original Lynn Valley Elementary Schools on Institute Road, and operated by North Vancouver Museum and Archives. North Vancouver District also offers a historical tour of Lynn Valley here.

Below you’ll get a peek into Lynn Valley’s history with our “postcards from the past”. They are just some of the local landmarks that help today’s residents remember the pioneering spirit shown by our neighbours of long ago.

LYNN VALLEY HISTORICAL SITE LISTINGS

ST. CLEMENT’S CHURCH

In October, 1908, adherents to the Church of England gathered to discuss the possibility of building the first church in Lynn Valley. Until then, those people wishing to take part in Sunday morning worship had to walk some miles on rough skid road all the way to St. John the Evangelist Church at 13th and Chesterfield, the other side of Lonsdale Avenue.

The official opening of the resulting Anglican Church – on the newly dubbed Church Road – took place on Easter Day, 1909. In May, 1927, the church was rolled a short distance to its current position on Institute Road. (A move that allowed them to re-orient the church from a north-south direction to the more traditional east-west orientation.)

The anchor in front of the church was recovered from Burrard Inlet in 1977 by the Dillingham Corporation and donated to the church. The anchor is a symbol of St. Clement, bishop of Rome in the first century A.D.

Sources: St. Clement’s Church website (www.stclementschurch.ca) and Early Days in Lynn Valley by Walter Draycott

MILL STREET

Mill Street was – not surprisingly – the site of “Shaketown’s” first lumber mill, owned by James and Robert McNair of the Hastings Shingle Manufacturing Company. Built in 1903, the mill ran day and night, according to manager Julius Fromme.

A mill pond (still remembered today by people who grew up nearby) was formed by damming Thames Creek and widening its banks. Since Shaketown residents depended on water from the log flume for their water supply, they were allowed to draw water from it during certain hours in the evening.

Accidents stemming from the community’s log flumes were not uncommon; one small child fell into the flume and was fortunately rescued further downstream, and dogs and cats having a drink occasionally lost their footing and were swept away. Still, although it was against the rules, young men sometimes saved themselves a trek by riding the flume downstream in areas where the grade was steep enough.

Source: Early Days in Lynn Valley by Walter Draycott, reissued by District of North Vancouver in 2000

DOVERCOURT HOTEL (Lynn Valley and Hoskins)

The Dovercourt Hotel was built in 1909 by Harry Holland, who had visions of installing a beer parlour complete with all the beer-making and dispensing equipment he had shipped from his native England. However, sensibilities of the local (predominantly Presbyterian) population were such that he was never granted a liquor license. The hotel was run as a ‘dry’ establishment until its sale in 1923. In later years, it has served as a seniors’ home and rooming house.

Source: Early Days in Lynn Valley by Walter Draycott, reissued by District of North Vancouver in 2000

WALTER DRAYCOTT STATUE
(Lynn Valley & Mountain Hwy)

The bronzed statue of Walter Draycott has been a much-loved feature of Pioneer Park since its dedication in November, 1986. Originally from Belgrave, County Leister, England, Draycott was a veteran of both the Boer War and WWI, where his artistic abilities led to his appointment as the Official Military Topographer and Sketcher of the Canadian Army. It was to Lynn Valley that he returned after the war ended in 1918, and it was Lynn Valley that benefitted from his interests and community activities for the next six decades.

As a historian, he wrote long accounts of the early life of the community, and as a naturalist he recorded many of its geological landforms and plant and animal species (the fossil beetles found in Lynn Canyon Park were even given the name ‘Draycoti’ by a world-famous entymologist in the 1950s!)

Draycott was also active in many youth and community organizations, and was honoured as the Lynn Valley Good Citizen of the Year at Lynn Valley Day in 1974. He died in 1985 at the age of 102.

The commemorative statue at Pioneer Park was sculpted by Kevin Head; like Draycott himself, the statue has led an adventurous life. It is usually decorated by locals to celebrate events such as Canada Day, and once went missing altogether. Fortunately, the Draycott statue was discovered not long after, sitting beside a similarly bronzed elderly lady in Stanley Park. It was, of course, Valentine’s Day.

Source: North Vancouver Archives, “A Glimpse of Lynn Valley” photographic collection and Early Days in Lynn Valley by Walter Draycott, reissued by District of North Vancouver in 2000

LYNN CANYON PARK

Lynn Canyon Park was the brainchild of one J.P. Crawford, a Lynn Valley land agent who convinced Vancouver’s McTavish Brothers to donate 12 acres of property to serve as an attraction that would bring more settlers to the area.

It was the first park in Lynn Valley, which was still heavily treed in most areas.  Before a landslide changed the topography of the area dramatically, the park had playing fields, a bandstand,
picnic shelters and outdoor cooking facilities. It hosted the first-ever Lynn Valley Day in 1912, a grand occasion attended by thousands of people from all over Greater Vancouver, who arrived via decorated ferry boats and a new B.C. Electric streetcar line.

That day also marked the opening of the suspension bridge that crosses high over the roaring waters below. When first opened, it cost ten cents to cross –whether or not you were brave enough to make it all the way to the other side! It eventually fell into disrepair and was closed, but has for some decades now been well-maintained by the District of North Vancouver, which provides this free attraction to local residents and the thousands of tourists who flock there every year.

For a historical look at the park on the occasion of its 100th anniversary, click here.

Source: Early Days in Lynn Valley by Walter Draycott, reissued by District of North Vancouver in 2000

FROMME BLOCK

The Fromme Block, built in 1912 by mill owner Julius Fromme, is the only remaining edifice from the original commercial buildings that were built at the intersection of Lynn Valley Road and Mountain Highway. Along with other businesses, the Fromme Block housed the local post office, assuming the management of it from Mrs. Alice Sugden.

Mrs. Sugden had run the post office from her home at
1535 Kilmer Rd. since 1906, making daily, usually difficult trips into North Vancouver to fetch the community’s mail. Travelling by horse and buggy through muddy, rutted roads, she always carried a loaded pistol to discourage cougars and thieves alike!

Over the past decades, the Fromme Building has housed local landmarks such as the corner antique store and an old-time barber shop. In recent years, though, the property has been redone and is now home to the TD Bank.

Source: North Vancouver Archives and Early Days in Lynn Valley by Walter Draycott, reissued by District of North Vancouver in 2000

FIRST MUNICIPAL HALL

North Vancouver District, incorporated in 1891, chose Lynn Valley to house its first municipal hall, as its booming timber trade and resulting influx of workers and families meant the area around “Shaketown” was central to the fledgling municipality. It hit the national news on at least one occasion – during the Depression, when two councillors, unable to reach consensus in chambers, ‘took it outside’ and waged a pitched battle on the lawn until the police arrived to break up the fight.

The hall remained until 1960, when operations were moved to Queens Road, west of Lonsdale Avenue. Now Lynn Valley Lodge and the North Shore Private Hospital occupy the land, but the stone wall that parallels the sidewalk still brings to mind memories of the property’s proud civic past.

Source: North Vancouver Archives, “A Glimpse of Lynn Valley” photographic collection and Early Days in Lynn Valley by Walter Draycott, reissued by District of North Vancouver in 2000 

MOLLIE NYE HOUSE

Local pioneer Jack Nye was given 160 acres of land in Lynn Valley as a result of his service in the Boer War. Some of that he sold for community uses (such as the land on which the first municipal hall was built) and on some of it (in 1912) he built a family home for his wife and two daughters.

His daughter Mollie lived there virtually all her life, growing up to become a North Vancouver schoolteacher who spent 22 of her teaching years at nearby Sutherland Secondary. She was also known for her prolific gardens, and was a lifetime member of the Lynn Valley Garden Club.

On her death in 1997, she bequeathed her property to North Vancouver District, which had her house moved forward to allow for the development of the Sunrise seniors’ home. Local organizations such as the Lynn Valley Lions, the Lynn Valley Community Association and the Lynn Valley Seniors’ Association helped refurbish the home, and it now provides programs and services for people throughout the community.

Source: North Vancouver Archives, “A Glimpse of Lynn Valley” photographic collection and Early Days in Lynn Valley by Walter Draycott, reissued by District of North Vancouver in 2000

OLD GROUSE MOUNTAIN HIGHWAY

By 1911, hordes of intrepid citizens of yesteryear were taking the ferry from Vancouver to walk from the shoreline to the top of Grouse Mountain – quite a feat, but one that proved popular with thousands of people.

A group of businessmen became convinced that there was a great market opportunity if they could tap into this interest by building a road and chalet up to Grouse’s summit via Fromme Mountain at the top of Lynn Valley. Money was raised, and in 1926 roadwork began (Lynn Valley pioneer Walter Draycott notes that he conducted a party of local teenagers to the summit the year before.)

Because a steep incline was not wanted,  a long, 13-km roadway consisting of several switchbacks resulted. The well-built roadbed consisted of crushed rock that was up to three metres thick, and it was ready for business in 1927. Unfortunately, the Depression years, along with an accident that left the new Second Narrows bridge unusable for four years, meant that use of the road and the chalet fell off abruptly not long after it was opened. By 1935, the highway had to be closed as the company that owned it was bankrupt.

Today, though, people from all over the world flock to the area and use the Old Grouse Mountain Highway as the jumping-off point for dozens of mountain biking trails. For that, they can thank its original visionary, 1920s businessman William Curtis Shelly.

Source: Chuck Davis, The History of Metropolitan Vancouver website: http://www.vancouverhistory.ca/archives_grouse.htm

MAPLE LEAF NURSERY 

It is hard to imagine that under all the ferns, trees, flowers and garden implements at Maple Leaf nursery lies the foundation of one of Lynn Valley’s first churches.

Pioneer Julius Fromme donated land for the building of Knox Presbyterian Church, which opened on April 14, 1911. Later, various denominations in Canada – including the Presbyterians – combined to create the United Church, and the building was no longer needed. In 1967, it was demolished but the basement remained and formed the foundation of the new nursery operation you see today – the place where local citizens buy their pots and trellises!

For many years after the nursery moved in, the owners lived in the old church rectory. Eventually it, too, was demolished.

Source: Early Days in Lynn Valley by Walter Draycott, reissued by District of North Vancouver in 2000

END OF THE LINE GENERAL STORE

More than a hundred years ago, one of the area’s first stores was built at this site – the end of the streetcar line. (While passengers paid a nickel to get from the waterfront all the way into central Lynn Valley, they had to pay an extra two cents for a ride up the final hill!)

In the early days, hikers could load up with provisions at the grocery before hiking in to camp on Mount Seymour.

Today, people still use the End of the Line store to stock up on snacks before enjoying one of the many nearby hiking trails, or to cool off with a drink after cycling in the Seymour Conservation Reserve, which can also be accessed near the store.

The top of Lynn Valley Road was still the ‘end of the line’ for the #228 Lynn Valley bus for decades. Only recently has it moved its terminus around the corner to the bottom of Underwood Avenue.

Source: Early Days in Lynn Valley by Walter Draycott, reissued by District of North Vancouver in 2000

LYNN VALLEY PARENT PARTICIPATION PRESCHOOL AND ARCHIVES BUILDING

The Lynn Valley Parent Participation Preschool is located in Lynn Valley’s second schoolhouse, built in 1908 to replace an earlier one-room structure that had become overcrowded.

A third, even larger building was built nearby in 1912, and a fourth in 1920. While the third Lynn Valley School was torn down in 2004 to make way for the current elementary building, the stone school from the 1920s was repurposed and now houses a Community History Centre, operated by the North Vancouver Museum and Archives Commission.

Source: North Vancouver Archives, “A Glimpse of Lynn Valley” photographic collection and Early Days in Lynn Valley by Walter Draycott, reissued by District of North Vancouver in 2000

DANCE HALL (3355 Mountain Highway)

It’s now a dance school for young people, but the addition to the large hall on  Mountain Highway has a proud old history. It’s actually the top floor of Lynn Valley Methodist Church, which was built on nearby Institute Road in approximately 1920. After being decommissioned by the church, the building was used as a community centre after fire destroyed the local Institute Hall in 1933.

In 1962, the ground floor of the church building was demolished and the top floor moved to its current home on Mountain Highway.

Source: North Vancouver Archives, “A Glimpse of Lynn Valley” photographic collection and Early Days in Lynn Valley by Walter Draycott, reissued by District of North Vancouver in 2000

WATER TROUGH at TD CANADA TRUST

The stone trough located beside the TD Bank was once the watering hole for the local horses, including those used to help the volunteer fire crew haul heavy hose reels to the scene of the blaze. While the trough was originally placed here near the Fromme Block, it was later moved further up Lynn Valley Road (towards Allan Road) when the fire hall shifted there from its original location near the Lynn Valley library site.

The trough was eventually sent to the municipal dump, but was later recovered and restored by local fire captains, and rededicated at its current location in 1995. For a full history of the water trough and its restoration, visit this North Van District document. http://www.dnv.org/upload/documents/District_History/56884C.pdf

Source: Early Days in Lynn Valley by Walter Draycott, reissued by District of North Vancouver in 2000

Lynn Valley has been home to artists of countless genres for well over a century.

Lynn Valley Artists: Then and Now

Lynn Valley has a rich history of artists.  Pioneer historian Walter Draycott was one of Canada’s only military topographers and sketchers during the First World War, while Frederick Varley, a member of Canada’s famed Group of Seven (and a WWI war artist) lived in a rented shack up on Rice Lake Road from 1934 to 1937. There he painted works such as Bridge Over Lynn Canyon and was said to have been visited by fellow painter Emily Carr. (source: http://blog.evelazarus.com)

In more recent years, Lynn Valley was childhood home to the young rocker Bryan Adams, many members of the Spirit of the West and Paperboys bands, actor Jason Priestly, hip-hopper Kyprios (David Cole), international ballet dancer Danielle Gould, and numerous actors, writers, artists and musicians of all description.

There are many ways to become involved in the Lynn Valley arts scene, either as a participant or supporter. Check out some of our local events and arts groups, and learn more about the current North Van
cultural community through the Arts Office housed in the Lynn Valley library building.

You can also visit this page of the Arts Office website for a downloadable guide to 10 public art features in Lynn Valley, and a video clip featuring the artists behind the stacked books outside of the Archives building, and our infamous Walter Draycott statue!

Events and Attractions

One of North Van’s newest art galleries is also one of its most accessible –the District Library Gallery is located on the second floor of the  Lynn Valley Library. Gallery exhibitions facilitated by the North Vancouver Community Arts Council change regularly and allow book-borrowers to witness the range of talent in the local visual arts field. Each new bi-monthly exhibition features a Public Opening Reception hosted by the “Friends of the Library,” with the artist in attendance.
Info: http://www.nvartscouncil.ca/ or 604-988-6844

You don’t have to go to Granville Island for theatre sports any more, thanks to Friday Night Live at Lynn Valley United Church. With their novel musical theatre improv, the AddLibretto troupe transforms audience suggestions into a hilarious evening of fun.  Each week a different guest performer is featured as well – check the FNL site  for upcoming acts. The evening starts at 7:30 p.m., includes goodies and coffee from Waves – all that for $10/ticket, $25 family!

Lynn Valley Village is also home to the popular Summer Concert Series that runs most Friday evenings in the summertime from 7 to 9 p.m. Bring a lawn chair or join the impromptu dancers as you enjoy tunes ranging from blues to Beatles and everything in between. Details will be on our Events Calendar as soon as the season’s performances are finalized.

Live music is often on the menu at Waves Coffee House at 3050 Mountain Hwy., across from Lynn Valley Village. Check out their on-site posters for details, or call 604-990-8799. You can also visit the Lynn Valley branch of the Royal Canadian Legion, who welcome guests to their oft-held Sunday afternoon music sessions that feature a variety of local musicians. Call 604-987-2050 for info.

Join the culture of conversation at a Philosophers’ Café in Lynn Valley Library. Part of Simon Fraser University’s original Philosopher’s Café initiative, they are held on the third Wednesday of the month at 7 p.m. and moderated by Dr. Mark Battersby of Capilano University. Info: http://www.sfu.ca/philosopherscafe/lynnvalley.htm

Lynn Valley Arts Groups

The Lynn Valley Black Bear Band is an adult concert band that plays concerts throughout the community. Even if you haven’t picked up your instrument for a while, you’ll get a warm welcome at the rehearsals, held on Monday evenings at Argyle Secondary School. Contact: www.blackbearband.ca

The North Shore Celtic Ensemble is headed by Lynn Valley’s own Jay Knutson and Claude Giguere. The ensemble has grown to encompass several groups of young musicians, the most advanced of which tour internationally. The musicians use strings, percussion and wind instruments to perform lively, original compositions and arrangements of Celtic orchestral-based music. Info: www.northshorecelticensemble.com

St. Clement’s Church is home to the Harmony Mountain Singers, an adult choir with a varied repertoire that encompasses jazz, Latin, African, pop and more. Director Karla Mundy conducts the group in its twice-yearly concerts that help benefit the Stephen Lewis Foundation and Doctors Without Borders. Contact: hms.karlamundy.com

If you like to jam with fellow musicians, bring your guitar, harmonica or fiddle to one of Mollie Nye House’s informal music sessions. Contact: Gillian at Mollie Nye House, 604-987-5720

RNB Dance and Theatre Arts at 3355 Mountain Hwy is a non-profit dance school with a long history on the North Shore. It offers classes in a variety of dance styles, for preschoolers through adults, and students can be seen performing at many community events, as well as at annual RNB recitals at the Centennial Theatre. Info: 604-980-3040 or www.rnbdance.ca

Municipal Support for the Arts

The North Vancouver Arts Office, located on the third floor of the library building in Lynn Valley Village, is a bi-municipal agency of the City and District of North Vancouver that supports and promotes arts and cultural activities on the North Shore. The Arts Office oversees grants programs, offers workshops, provides local arts groups with networking and promotional opportunities, and manages the Public Art program for the City and District of North Vancouver.

For a self-guided tour on public art in Lynn Valley, click here. The Arts Office’s on! events calendar contains detailed information on arts, culture and heritage events. Local arts groups are invited to upload their event information to the on! calendar free of charge.

Because of Lynn Valley’s various parks and recreational activities, its residents are never far from fun!

Rec Centres Exercise Mind & Body

You can stretch your mind as well as your limbs at our municipal recreation facilities. Click here for a listing of North Vancouver’s rec centres; those in Lynn Valley include Karen Magnussen, Lynn Valley and Seylynn. Between them, they offer a wide range of sports, arts, fitness and social programs for preschools, youth, adults and seniors alike.

Karen Magnussen Rec Centre is home not only to our busy ice arena, but also a leisure pool with wave action not to be found anywhere else on the North Shore.

Public swim and skate schedules, along with a calendar of drop-in fitness classes, can be found here.

Mollie Nye Heritage House:  Home for All

Mollie Nye House, located near Karen Magnussen rec centre on Lynn Valley Road, was afamily home built by local pioneer Jack Nye in 1912. The heritage house is now a busy hub for seniors’ programming (including popular walking groups, arts, music and health classes) as well as youth offerings such as Mad Scientist summer camps.

Mollie Nye House can be rented for meetings, social events or workshop leaders. Click here to learn more about the programming and opportunities at Mollie Nye, and mark December 1 on your calendar, when the community gathers to celebrate the lighting of the house and grounds for Christmas.

Lynn Canyon Offers Thrills & Chills

Strung high across the crashing river below, the wobbly Suspension Bridge connectingone side of Lynn Canyon to another has been a favourite destination for generations of Lynn Valleyites and visitors alike. Though it initially cost a dime to cross the bridge, this landmark is now a free attraction. Lynn Canyon Park (first known as “Lynn Valley Auto Park” when it was developed by a land agent wanting to lure people to the area) is now a 250-hectare municipal park owned by the
District of North Vancouver.

A 1919 landslide wiped out the park’s original playing fields, but there is no shortage of things to do in Lynn Canyon today. Hikers have their choice of hiking trails, which network with the adjacent wilderness parks to provide adventures for all fitness levels. Running through Lynn Canyon, for example, is the Baden Powell trail, a continuous path from Horseshoe Bay in West Vancouver to Deep Cove at the far eastern end of the North Shore.

An all-season park destination is the Lynn Canyon Ecology Centre which is open free of charge (suggested donation: $2). A number of exhibits bring local plant, animal and environmental learning to life, and visitors can choose to view any one of more than a hundred nature films that the centre has on hand to screen in its small theatre. Check the ecology centre’s website for current information on nature walks, junior naturalist programs, or gardening workshops.

30-Foot Pool is a longtime local swimming hole popular on hot summer days, and park rangers often patrol to ensure posted safety rules are being observed.

While in the park, you might also visit the Lynn Canyon Café, where you can enjoy food and drink under the forest canopy during the summer season.

Playgrounds and Water Parks

With various parks and elementary schools in the area, Lynn Valley residents are never far from slides and monkey bars.

Of special note during the summer months are Kilmer and Viewlynn Parks, which offer water park fun for kids looking to cool off. Skateboarders, on the other hand, will want to know about Kirkstone Park, adjacent to Karen Magnussen Rec Centre, as it offers boarders a safe place to challenge themselves and practice their skills.

Click here for a complete listing of North Vancouver parks.

Here’s a great community event coming your way! Canada Day celebrations continue with a fair being held on Saturday, July 15th, with lots of indoor and outdoor fun at Mollie Nye House at 940 Lynn Valley Rd. Have a look at this info from the organizers, and see you there!

Celebrate Canada’s 150th with LVSS

The Lynn Valley Services Society (LVSS) and Lynn Valley Seniors Association (LVSA) will be hosting a Heritage Community Fair at Mollie Nye House, 940 Lynn Valley Rd., on Saturday July 15 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. This is a free event, held in honour of Canada’s 150th birthday, will feature many local community exhibitors and exciting activities, including:

• Heritage Activities: Games for all ages, rag doll craft demonstration and a time capsule
• A Museum Tour on the main floor of Mollie Nye House, featuring exhibits from North Vancouver Museum and Archives that showcase the lives of early Lynn Valley pioneers.
• Shaketown display: Come by to see our early logging days exhibit.
• Live Entertainment including a Barbershop Quartet, Puppet Show, North Shore Celtic Ensemble, the Strolling Barbs and more.
• Food and Refreshments: Come enjoy hot dogs, popcorn, lemonade, tea, cookies, and a cake-cutting ceremony at noon.

Author Credit | Flickr

Author Credit | Flickr

The fun will take place rain or shine! Free parking will be available at the Church of Latter Day Saints, at 941 Lynn Valley Road off Mollie Nye Way.  Check out the flyer (below) for more details!

Event Flyer (click to enlarge images)