District of West Vancouver plans to demolish the historic Klee Wyck house and the four greenhouses in the fall of 2020.
“Subject to budget approval, it would likely take place in the fall of 2020,” said Donna Powers, the communications manager for the district.
Staff is requesting $150,000 in the 2020 budget for the demolition of the main house and the garage.
“The entire house is uninhabitable in its current condition and the District has no life cycle cost provision to maintain this structure,” says a recent district report on West Vancouver assets.
The house was used as an artist studio from 1980 to 2011, but hasn’t been used for that purpose since 2012. The studio was used for storage until 2016, but is currently in poor condition and no longer in use.
The four greenhouses served as the district’s nursery until 2012, but are also in poor condition, according to the report.
In June last year, the District of West Vancouver Arts and Culture Facilities Plan recommended that the District engage a consultant to determine options for the future use of the Klee Wyck site.
That report is being prepared.
The district also created a Klee Wyck subcommittee of the Arts Facilities Advisory Committee last year. It met in November to review the property that was bequeathed to the District of West Vancouver by Dr. Ethlyn Trapp.
A relative of Dr. Trapp, Mr. Smith, has been also been appointed to the subcommittee.
Klee Wyck house, a rustic estate property situated on the banks of the Capilano River on Keith Road, was owned by Dr. Trapp, a physician and a humanitarian who lived there 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. Carr was a frequent visitor and did much of her painting and writing in this house.
From 1980 to 2012, the house was being used to host arts program but the artist studio occupancy agreement was terminated in 2012. After that, it was used for storage.
The district has had several plans to revive the property but much to chagrin of local artists, those plans have never yielded anything of value.
Looks as though it needs to be demolished.
Yeah, multiple mayors and councils intentionally ignored it, allowing it to get to this state. All they want is to sell it to their real estate developer campaign donors to make a tiny bit of money for WV, so they can hire more assistants and secretaries and get more campaign donations from developers in future. WV City Hall feels it is accountable to no citizen because it is morally corrupt.
yo gale didnt you get kicked off the i grew up in west van cuase you went off the rails on some crazy shitif you want it to stay why dont you pay for it and stop complaining about loud concerts over town. you wanna talk about morally bankrupt take a look at yourself
Dr. Ethelyn Trapp
Nor did the history of Klee Wyck before Dr. Trapp rate a mention.
I think Dr. Trapp was the first owner. There was no “Klee Wyck” until she started hanging out with Emily Carr! Carr was the one who named it.
So many amazing stories around the place.
yes, Dr. T was friends with Emily Carr and did re-name her new home Klee Wyck.
originally the property was called Riverside, owned by the Fearnside family,
and subsequently by one and possibly another, owner before Dr T. purchased it.
Those who used the facility as a place to practice their hobby should have been responsible for its maintenance and renovation but the history of the arts community seems to be one of wanting the taxpayers to pay for their hobby. It would have been nice if someone had subsidized the costs of my hobby.
It should be noted that there are three buildings on the property excluding the greenhouses. The house closest to the entrance off Keith road is portrayed in this article and is NOT the ‘condemned building in contention. I believe the house in the photo is still occupied by a long-time, dubiously legitimate ‘groundskeeper’.
Dr Trapp’s house is the larger one that has been allowed to fall into derelict state. I taught drama classes there until it was condemned in 2012 and experienced first-hand the utter negligence from District for repairs and a litany of safety concerns.
The house is not of any architectural value and could have been demolished long ago. Same goes for the small studio on the South side of the main house, where Emily Carr is known to have painted, and where local glass artist Sol Maya worked for many years.
Notable are the wooden sculptures in the field, North of the main house. No artist has ever been credited with this interesting piece of art.
Also notable is a carved Thunderbird totem pole that was the original welcome sign to West Van. It lies tucked under shredded, mouldy tarps on the Southernmost end of the lot, destined to rot in obscurity. As a self-professed ‘artist community’, here is yet another potential for an authentic, restorable project, and a chance to partner with Squamish Nation on valuable historical collateral.
Moreover, it is not the buildings themselves that are of value. It’s the land that Dr Trapp so generously deeded to the District. Her one caveat that it should be used to support the arts. I believe that this vision can and should be upheld and sincerely hope that this will be achieved. The very fact that Carr worked on her manuscripts and canvasses on this idyllic property magnifies it’s significance as a part of our arts and culture heritage. This site should be something to celebrate and share. With so many authentic elements, Klee Wyck has great potential to be a wonderful community amenity!
Meanwhile, why the exorbitant cost of demolition? That number is preposterous!!
Do not leave your estate to WV. This is disgusting, WV accepts the estate and ignores the wishes of the owner. This is not the first time they have ignored the wishes of the estate. They should return the property to the family if their are any heirs.