This 100-year old Shaughnessy mansion has been carefully restored and will be one of the highlights of the 10th annual Vancouver Heritage House Tour.
The Vancouver Heritage House Tour celebrates its 10-year anniversary with perhaps its best-ever series of open houses during a one-day tour on Sunday, June 3 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
This year's tour includes eight homes, a church and one amazing makeover of a turn-of-the-last century Cedar Cottage corner store into a live-work space for coffee lovers and artists.
Perhaps the showstopper is the 100-year old Shaughnessy mansion known as the Disher House. Completed in the summer of 1912, it has been painstakingly restored and includes a heritage-themed but modern kitchen. The designer and owners will be on hand to explain what was done.
The tour also includes two unique conversion projects. An old church in the Main Street area was converted into condominiums; and the original Bank of Hamilton, which dates to early in the last century in the Commercial Drive area, was also converted into stylish condos. Two of the condominiums in each of the projects will be open during the tour.
There are many other delightful surprises in this year's tour, according to Diane Switzer of the Vancouver Heritage Foundation. This includes a Strathcona house where, when old wallpaper was removed, it revealed stunning murals painted on all of the walls.
Some of the owners have also used innovative ways to increase energy efficiency in the old homes, Switzer said.
These include the addition of heritage-style storm windows, and carefully installing radiant floor heating beneath original hardwood. "These are examples of adding modern energy- saving concepts while retaining the home's character," she explained.
"You have to take the tour to appreciate the work has been done to restore these priceless heritage houses," Switzer said.
The tour is self-guided from a map and explanatory brochure. The cost is $40 per person, with all proceeds going to the Heritage Foundation. For details, phone 604-264-9642, or visit www.vancouverheritgefoundation.org.
