No plans to sell the historic Klee Wyck house: West Van district

The District of West Vancouver says it has no plan to sell the historic Klee Wyck house, or to develop housing on it.

In an update, the district said the property is a park, and it plans to improve the park for recreational use.

“The District has used the property per the agreement with Dr. Erhlyn Trapp and plans to invest in improvements to continue to act per that agreement,” district said.

The District said its Condition Assessment Report clearly shows that the building is not safe to access.

Today, council will receive a report with staff recommendations to remove the four poor-condition greenhouses, the house, and studio, and improve the park.

District said its Arts Facilities Advisory Committee studied the potential future use of the site for arts and culture programming but found it a poor location for such programming.

Besides removing the main house and studio, and greenhouses, district plans to landscape the area for park use, and install signage to commemorate Dr. Ethlyn Trapp.

District also plans to create pathways through the gardens featuring the historical plantings, review the trail network in the area and connections to Klee Wyck, and consultation with the community to determine the level of interest for community gardens.

Local historians and community members have been sharply critical of the district for letting the historic house rot.

Klee Wyck is a rustic estate property situated on the banks of the Capilano river. It has a main house, a gatehouse, a greenhouse and an artist’s studio. The site is landscaped with old growth trees and introduced plant species, some dating from the 1920s through the 1940s.

Dr. Trapp lived here from 1942 until her death in 1972.

Dr. Trapp deeded the property to West Vancouver in 1960 and named it ‘Klee Wyck’ in honour of her good friend and world-renowned artist Emily Carr who wrote her autobiography with that title.