SAVE THE HEATHER PAVILION!
Campaign to Save Designated 1906 VGH Building
The Vancouver General Hospital is about to submit a Redevelopment Plan to the City of Vancouver, and it appears they have no intention of retaining the designated 1906 Heather Pavilion, which is one of Vancouver’s most significant heritage buildings.
THREAT
Threatened with demolition in the 1990s, the fate of the landmark Heather Pavilion once again hangs in the balance. VGH appears to be planning to demolish the venerable granite structure, despite a previous approved rezoning that conferred benefits to VGH in exchange for legal protection of the building.
In 2002, VGH entered into a Heritage Revitalization Agreement to restore the Heather Pavilion. It appears they intend to break that legal agreement.
SIGNIFICANCE
The Heather Pavilion is one of Vancouver’s most significant heritage buildings. It is a landmark Romanesque Revival building, designed by the prominent architectural firm of Grant & Henderson. The 1906 hospital – then the largest and most modern facility in western Canada – was a response to significant growth that occurred during the city’s first two decades. The new hospital became a model for hospital organization and also played a critical role in the development of the nursing profession.
For decades, the original building was hidden behind later additions, only to be re-discovered in the early 1990s. In 1994 when the structure was threatened by VGH redevelopment plans, the Heather Heritage Society was formed to fight for its protection. The campaign came to a successful conclusion in 2002, when the 1906 Heather Pavilion and the 1908 towers of the south addition received municipal designation, in exchange for which VGH received considerable density bonuses and other considerations.
Since that time, later additions have been progressively demolished, revealing more of the original structure which is 90% intact. With legal protection in place in 2002, it was expected that the Heather Pavilion would be restored, adaptively re-used and suitably landscaped as an integral part of the hospital campus, and an important part of Vancouver’s architectural, social and cultural history.
POSITION
The Heather Heritage Society was formed in 1994 to raise awareness and lobby for the protection of the historic Heather Pavilion. The Society was instrumental in the community process that led to the building being designated.
The Heather Heritage Society opposes the removal of the Heather Pavilion designation bylaw.
Heather Heritage Society director Donald Luxton states “This is a disappointing and frankly shocking turn of events. If VGH proceeds with plans for a new rezoning, de-designation, and demolition of the original structure, this would be an unprecedented and tragic loss of one of Vancouver’s most important historic landmarks, and a dangerous precedent for heritage preservation in this city.”
INTERVIEWS
Donald Luxton will be available onsite for interviews on Tuesday, December 9th at 2:00 pm, at the southwest corner of Heather Street and 10th Avenue. Click here for directions.
Click here to ASK DONALD LUXTON Questions about this campaign.
Media Coverage
We will update this section with links as they become available.
Long-term plan to completely rebuild and expand Vancouver General Hospital
dailyhive.com | Kenneth Chan | Oct 29, 2025
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Heather Heritage Society
The society was formed in 1994 to raise awareness and lobby for the protection of the historic Heather Pavilion, which opened on January 8, 1906, as the first building on the Vancouver General Hospital Fairview campus.
Please click on the button, below, to access a selection of videos, archival images and documents pertaining to the history of the Heather Pavilion.
Vancouver General Hospital, circa 1908
Vancouver Public Library 5187
The Past
In 1906, the Vancouver General Hospital opened the Heather Pavilion to serve the health care needs of a growing city. For several generations, the health care services provided in this building touched the lives of most Vancouverites. At the time it was built, the Heather Pavilion was one of Vancouver’s most prominent landmarks.
Designed by prominent local architects, Grant & Henderson, the Heather Pavilion’s formal and imposing granite structure is one of the best examples of Romanesque Revival style in Western Canada. Originally sited with a circular drive and formally landscaped front entrance, the building had an air of elegance and dignity.
At the time it was built, the Heather Pavilion was the largest and most up-to date hospital in western Canada. The new hospital became a model for hospital organization, and also played a critical role in the development of the nursing profession.
Please click on the button, below, to access further information about the history of the Heather Pavilion, including videos and select archival images and documents.
Vancouver’s Hidden Heritage Building: The Resurrection of the Heather Pavilion
Lecture on Feb 26, 2019 by Donald Luxton | Vancouver Heritage Foundation
The Present
A Hidden Jewel in the Hospital Landscape
Where is the Heather Pavilion today? It is still there! It is over 90% intact, buried under a series of additions that are currently being removed, revealing the original form and intact early structure. The building is now municipally designated and is an important and significant heritage asset.
Northwest quadrant with later annex, May 26, 2019
Photography by Jodi Wigmore
The Future
The beauty and stateliness of the Heather Pavilion has been lost to Vancouver for over seventy years. As our city grows, we are increasingly aware of the importance of Vancouver’s remaining historic buildings. Fully restored, the Heather Pavilion will create much needed space for associated hospital and neighbourhood uses such as conference and meeting space, classrooms, community learning, and other opportunities.
The restored grounds and rose garden will provide patients and staff with a haven of beauty and respite from the bustle of the modern hospital. With the restoration of its imposing facade in a lush garden setting, the Heather Pavilion will, once again, be the heart of the Vancouver General Hospital campus.
The conservation of the Heather Pavilion is enshrined in the current hospital zoning, and this remarkable structure was designated as a heritage site by the City of Vancouver in 2002. This is a good start, but a detailed restoration plan and additional funding is required to bring the Heather Pavilion back to life.
The Heather Pavilion has served the community since 1906, and with your help and support, we will continue to work toward the restoration of this prominent civic landmark.
