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Ms. Lisa Codd, Heritage Planner, provided
a PowerPoint presentation on the history of the Ceperley (Fairacres) Estate
(Burnaby Art Gallery and surrounding area), as well as an update regarding
the area’s current development plan and potential conservation opportunities.
Ms. Codd advised that in 1909 Henry
and Grace Ceperley purchased the estate and, shortly thereafter, developed
the property which had been a strawberry farm into a grand country estate
they called “Fairacres”. The Ceperleys were trendsetters - once their home
was constructed, other mansions such as the Anderson Residence, Altnadene
(Mather’s House) and Avalon House (Hart House Restaurant) were built.
The speaker noted that Henry
Ceperley was a leading real estate developer from Vancouver and Grace was his
second wife who came with her own fortune and managed the development of Fairacres.
The estate was 20 acres and included:
·
a
raspberry and strawberry field, meadow, and three lawns (the front lawn
covered an area where Century Gardens and the Shadbolt Centre for the Arts
are now located);
·
vegetable,
rock and water gardens, and greenhouse;
·
orchard,
rose arbour, nut tree grove, and aviary;
·
croquet
lawn, tennis court, pavilion, and boat house and pier; and,
·
outbuildings
(still existing) - Chauffeur’s Cottage, Root House and Steam Plant, and Garage
and Stables.
In 1939 the property was sold to the
Benedictines. The monks continued to farm the land and built a gymnasium,
which was later converted into the James Cowan Theatre when the property was
acquired by the City in 1966. Also at this time, the mansion was renovated
and became the Burnaby Art Gallery and Century Gardens was created. This
marks the beginning of the transition from private country estate to today’s
Deer Lake Park which, in addition to the heritage buildings, includes civic
facilities such as City Hall, the RCMP and Justice buildings, and the
cultural precinct.
The speaker provided a brief overview
of the planned Deer Lake Parkway Re-Alignment and Multi-Use Pathway project
and its potential impact on the Fairacres Estate. Ms. Codd advised that it
may be opportune to designate landscape features and take care of some
conservation matters, such as re-creating a second stone gate post to match
the one remaining gate post (formerly part of the estate’s entry gate) and undertaking
improvements to Century Gardens.
Arising from discussion, the
following motion was introduced:
MOVED BY
commissioner alzner
SECONDED BY
commissioner pride
THAT a report be prepared outlining
a conservation plan for the Fairacres Estate that will include designation of
landscape features, including the entry gate and greenhouse foundation walls,
and improvements to Century Gardens.
carried unanimously
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