Welcome – May 2021
Deep Cove Heritage Society is a Registered Charity, tax receipts issued for donations over $25. If you are not a member yet, or need to renew, you can do so by clicking the buttons on the top of this page.
We need your support to keep our Society healthy and part of this vibrant community. By renewing or purchasing a yearly membership, you will receive our newsletters, advance notice of events, and discounts on annual boat cruise tickets. Annual memberships are $20 per person. We have made renewal of your membership easy for you by adding a Pay Now button, exclusively for membership purchase, to our website. You will be directed through Paypal but can use your credit card for your renewal.
Please note: The office in Deep Cove is now open reduced hours on Thursdays; due to small size of office only one guest can be welcomed at a time. Please call 604-929-5744 to arrange an appointment. We look forward to seeing you soon.
In a nutshell ~ read on to find out who we are, our upcoming plans for 2021 and what’s holding us back.
Deep Cove Heritage Society (DCHS) was officially formed in 1986 to collect photos and stories that tell the history of Deep Cove and the neighbourhoods east of the Seymour River. Janet Pavlik, a new resident to the area in 1970 was trying to learn about how the area had developed and quickly discovered no one had recorded any of the history. So, she began, starting by talking to and gathering photos of longtime residents and interviewing them for community TV (Shaw) called Early Days In Deep Cove. All the information she accrued was the beginning of the group which was originally called the Deep Cove and Area Heritage Association.
DCHS has accumulated over 5,000 photo donations, numerous audio tapes and published two history books, the first in 1989 and then 2012 which covered the 19 neighbourhoods of Seymour. In 1992, it published a cookbook featuring recipes from residents. Over the years it has offered writing workshops to help people get started at recording their own stories; workshops to teach Métis Nation finger weaving social events and many fundraising events. It has offered bus tours to explore the historical sites of the area, summer boat cruises up Indian Arm to Wigwam Inn, walking tours and historical hikes on Mt Seymour. As well, it has offered speakers to meetings to help shed a light on this little corner of the world.
DCHS has one paid co-ordinator, Jim Slight, who since the 2020 COVID-19 crisis down has cut down his hours to one day per week. This allows the office to be open for guests, by appointment. The lion’s share of the heritage work is performed by volunteers, many of whom grew up and/or have lived most of their lives right in the Seymour community. The volunteers will be back keeping the office open more hours once the community is healthy again. Other volunteers continue gathering, scanning and archiving images and recording stories and Eileen Smith has created informative newsletters over the years.
Big plans are in the works right now for 2021, including getting the audio tapes transferred to digital media before the tapes disintegrate. A new website is underway; it will be gorgeous! Plans to get all the archived photos online are also underway. More workshops and social gatherings are also projected when safe to do so.
The excitement is high! But help is needed, both getting more volunteers (people who know the area and people who do not yet), to help keep the office open. People with computer knowledge to help with website, archives, people who enjoy writing stories and more are all welcome.
The other thing needed is money.
DCHS has been fortunate to have received small grants over the years, but it is no surprise that this year more groups than ever are desperate for funding and we invite you to leave us a legacy in your will.
DCHS has for many years presented a theatre night fund-raiser courtesy of First Impressions Theatre, to help pay the rent for the office in the Deep Cove Cultural Centre. This will not be possible for quite some time as there is no theatre for the foreseeable future. Other office bills are also due.
So, how can you help? Well, please renew your annual membership for $20 now; or join if you are not already a member. If you are able to make a larger donation, your generosity will be very welcome. DCHS is a charitable society and tax receipts can be issued for donations over $25. Click on buttons at top for membership and donations.
The group is vibrant, strong and looking forward to saving more photos and stories of the Seymour area, offering workshops and tours as soon Covid-19 is in the rear-view mirror.
Click on this text to check out our online archives!
Newsletter – Transportation (Part Two)
Part Two of Transportation by Wendy Bullen Stephenson, as well newspaper article of School Bus accident in 1970; Tsleil-Waututh Nation’s Path to Community Immunity; Heritage Projects; Reprint of Bruce Coney bidding farewell to Deep Cove Crier in 2016; Elder College update, Connection, Creativity and Community; Seymour Bus Tour 2019; Kinsmen Parade photo and how to get involved with this vibrant group!
To read Part One of Transportation, click here: 2020-09 DCHS News Winter sm
Please send us your stories about life in the Seymour area in earlier days.
Our newsletters are online – to view our entire collection of newsletters click on RESOURCES tab top right of this screen; and choose NEWSLETTERS from the drop down list. On the Newsletters page, click on the blue text under each heading to open the pdf document which can be read on screen or downloaded and printed.
We have the full index for our first book, Echoes Across the Inlet, published in 1989 online. It is a pdf file that can be read online or downloaded, printed and tucked into your copy of the book. Click on the BOOKS tab at the top of this screen and choose BOOK INDEX from the drop-down list.
We have several books, including our own Echoes Across Seymour and Echoes Across the Inlet for sale in the office. As well we have our neighbour Ralph Drew’s books, Forest & Fjord: The History of Belcarra and Ferries & Fjord: The History of Indian Arm. We have Deep Cove Heritage tote bags that are roomy and sturdy enough to carry all your books home!
Brief Histories & Indian Arm
Former Belcarra Mayor and historian, Ralph Drew has compiled some Brief Histories of Indian Arm. You can find them under the Brief Histories tab at the top of this page.
Indian Arm stretches approximately 20 kilometers (12 miles) north of Burrard Inlet and is part of the Tsleil-Waututh Nation’s traditional territory. Flanked on the east side by Belcarra and the west by the District of North Vancouver. Further north, beyond Silver Falls, it becomes wilderness crown land. The historical Wigwam Inn sits at the north end of the Arm; the building now owned by the Vancouver Yacht Club is used as an outpost for its members.
The Deep Cove Heritage Society’s collections encompass 18-communities — from Maplewood and Mount Seymour, to Deep Cove as well as all of the communities along the west shore of Indian Arm. The east shore, Belcarra, is the home of historian and mayor, Ralph Drew. He is the author of three very comprehensive, award winning books. These are of great interest to us of course, since we share the history of Indian Arm. Information about these books can be found under the Other Local Interest Books tab at top of this page.
Mayor Drew has given us permission to put his Brief Histories on our website (see tab at top of this page) for you to enjoy. We thank him for his generosity.
Following are some items of interest you can do on your computer without leaving home.
Echoes Across Seymour film
South Chair Media has created a wonderful film and we want to share it with you. It’s website states: “For forty years Alex Douglas has lived atop Mount Seymour. An explorer, an educator and an avid outdoorsman, Alex has made a home for himself in one of the last remaining cabins on the mountain. When the resort opened in 1938 local skiers began building cabins to stay in during the winter season. At its peak there were more than 300 cabins on the mountain while today only ten are still standing. Alex’s passion for preserving the history of the mountain permeates every aspect of his life. He spends his days educating the public and exploring the hills for remnants of the forgotten cabins that once dominated the landscape. With a watchful eye and a curious mind, ‘Uncle Al’ has discovered dozens of abandoned cabin sites and put together an impressive collection of artifacts found on his adventures. As he reflects on his life, Alex hopes to inspire a new generation to explore and appreciate the mountain he calls home.”
You are invited to view the film here: Echoes Across Seymour film
Produced By: Geoff Hewat, Gordie Rogers, James Ryan, South Chair Media
Directed By: Gordie Rogers, James Ryan
Cinematography: Geoff Hewat, Gordie Rogers
Uncle Al’s Cabin Tours of Mount Seymour
Did you know 70 years ago Mt Seymour had a bustling, skiing, hiking, “build it yourself”, shin-digging cabin community of over 200 log cabins!
Come join Alex Douglas (aka Uncle Al), Mt Seymour History Project Archivist, 40 year Mt Seymour Employee, cabin resident and all around mountain man for a hike back in time. Search the forest for cabin sites and remnants, find some that are still standing, and hear amazing stories of fun and ingenuity on the mountain. Photo DCHS #1880 – Donna Leighton’s family’s first Cabin on First Lake, late 1930s.
For more information: Mount Seymour History Project.
Logging Burrard Inlet – 1955
This is an interesting youtube video published by Edward Homer – Logging Burrard Inlet – 1955
We have had a request for information on previous logging operations at Berg’s Landing/Clementine Creek area on Indian Arm. Let us know if you have any information or suggestions on who we might contact. Email to deepcoveheritage@gmail.com
Photo at left is DCHS #0059 showing a log boom in Deep Cove in the early 1900s. Photo courtesy of Mr. & Mrs. John Moore (click on photo to enlarge).
Blair Rifle Range
Donna Sacuto unveiled the plaque that has been installed on Mount Seymour Parkway to recognize the history of the Blair Rifle Range.
The plaque is the result of a research paper that Donna wrote. You can read the paper by clicking here.
Book and the Ferries of Indian Arm video
Our friend and neighbour, Mayor Ralph Drew of Belcarra, has written four impressive books – Forest & Fjord: The History of Belcarra (pub. 2013, 536 pages) and Ferries & Fjord: The History of Indian Arm, its Ferries & Docks, Travelling Post Offices & Floating Grocery Stores (pub 2015, 372 pages), Townsite Tales: The History of Ioco, Anmore Valley & North Shore of Port Moody Arm (pub 2017, 348 pages), and Coquitlam Chronicles: Historical Crossroads on the Fraser River (pub 2018, 370 pages). These books are available from the author as well as from our office.
Mayor Drew was the guest speaker at a Deep Cove Heritage meeting and, as well, was a commentator on our tours up Indian Arm last year and he will be onboard with us again this year.
He recently gave a talk to the Vancouver Historical Society and we thank the Society and Mayor Ralph Drew for allowing us to post the link of that talk here.
Click on this link to view the video: The Ferries of Indian Arm video
Ross Regan’s Cabin building
Deep Cove Heritage member Ross Regan built his cabin on Mount Seymour in 1948. You can hear Ross’ commentary and watch it being built with this wonderful series of photos.
Click here to watch Ross Regan’s Cabin constructed
Click on photo at left to enlarge. DCHS #4793 – Building Gods Lil Acre, Mount Seymour Ski Cabin, 1948. Photo courtesy Ross Regan.
We have over 1400 heritage photos online for viewing
Clicking the camera graphic at left will take you to explore Random Images – you can easily do searches by clicking the tabs under the Deep Cove Heritage banner. More photos will be online soon!
Volunteers are still needed!
Call for Action to Members and the Community:
Deep Cove Heritage Society needs your help and support in preserving our rich history of Deep Cove and the surrounding area of Seymour.
The DCHS was established first and foremost for the public, be it general interest or research purposes. It was established in 1985 by a dedicated group of volunteers, many of whom are still with us today. The Heritage would not be able to survive without it’s volunteers.
We are calling on the next generation to volunteer their time in order to keep the Heritage going.
It is a great way to connect to the community and learn about our local history.
There are many volunteer opportunities at hand. Call us at 604-929-5744, or drop by our office at 4360 Gallant Avenue (inside the Deep Cove Cultural Centre.)
The Deep Cove Heritage Society office is located in the Deep Cove Cultural Centre.
4360 Gallant Avenue (at Panorama Drive) in North Vancouver, BC V7G 1L2
Echoes Across Seymour and Echoes Across the Inlet book information – click on “Books” at top of this page.
