18 - Friday, September 11, 1992 — North Shore News

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North Shore waterfront machine shop, built 1911.

Wallace Shipyards

THIS WEEKEND has been
chosen to celebrate the
North Shore’s heritage and
has been appropriately
named the ‘‘Heritage Sea to
Sky Weekend.”’ '

.With this in mind, | decided to
illustrate and write about what !
consider to be the major water-
front heritage site on the North
Shore, Yarrows Ltd., the former
Versatile Pacific Shipyards.

This shipyard site, located be-
tween Lonsdale Avenue and St.
Andrews Avenue, south of
Esplanade, has been a vital and
important industrial facility for
the entire history of the city of
North “/ancouver.

During the Second World War
it was the major employer of
shipyard workers in the province,
and following the war it was the
largest shipyard on the West
Coast.

Ilustrated is the machine shop,
the oldest structure on the site di-

rectly related to shipbuilding func- .

tions.

it is one of a number of early

and historic structures remaining.
’ Designed and built by Wallace
Shipyards in 1911, it was built as
a machine shop, but.now serves as
General Store #1, with ‘shipping
and receiving bays.

The siding and roof are
constructed of corrugated metal,
and it has three monitor roof
vents. .

Another distinguishing feature
is its sloped clerestory windows:

One cannot discuss the ship-
yards without discussing the fami-
ly behind them, the Wallace fami-

ly.
Alfred Wallace began his first

CLEAN-UP
pPut yukkies in their place!

NORTH SHORE
HERITAGE

—~ by Dorothy Foster _

boat-building business in 1894 in
his back yard in Vancouver, with
his wife Eliza as his only helper.

They built sheet metal lifeboats
for the steamboat department of
the CPR.

In the same year, with very little
money behind him, he founded
the False Creek Shipyard.

In 1905 he founded the Wallace

Shipyards Co. Ltd. (established at
this site in North Vancouver in
1906).
In 1921 it became the Burrard
Dry Dock Co. Ltd.; in 1977, the
Burrard Yarrows Corp.; and in
1985, Versatile Pacific Shipyards
Inc.

Two important ships to be
launched from Burrard Dry Dock
were the CPR passenger ferry
Princess Louise in 1921, and the
RCMP auxiliary schooner St.
Roch in 1928.

*-Bedroom
* Badigom

cor

~ Dining Room |

Kitchen Suites

After having worked for 10
years as general manager and sec-
retary-treasurer, Clarence Wallace
became president and managing
director of the company upon his
father’s death in 1929,

The Second World War brought
with it further expansion of the
shipbuilding facilities. By 1943,
there were about 10,000 employees
at the north and south yards (8%
were female), and one-third of the
“Victory Ships” buiit in Canada
during the Second World War
were built at these shipyards.

Following the war, Clarence
Wallace received decoration as
Commander of the British Empire
(CBE) for his shipbuilding
achievements.

From 1950 to 1953, he became
the lieutenant-governor of British
Columbia.

He died in 1982 at the age of 88
having made a vital contribution
to the history of Canada.

I would like to acknowledge the

‘Versatile Pacific Shipyards

Heritage Report’? by Valda
Vidners and Don Luxton for
research material.

GARAGE SALE

Surplus Furniture
SOFAS 550-100
CHAIRS $10-50
TABLES 510-25

PLUS MUCH, MUCH, MUCH MORE

SPECIAL CLEARANCE OF PATIO FURNITURE
SAVE 60%

THREE DAYS ONLY
September 11, 12 & 13

Corner of 14th & Bellevue Ave., West Vancouver

SPECTACULAR FALL SAVINGS!
HITACH

Please ask about our
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wo Ploaso ask about our
m3 Year Warranty Plan {
i TB

k west of B

Saver Lumber),