{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2025}}
{{Infobox building
{{Infobox building
| name = Vancouver City Hall
| name = Vancouver City Hall
| architectural_style = [[Art Deco]]
| architectural_style = [[Art Deco]]
| structural_system =
| structural_system =
| cost = [[Canadian dollar|$]]1 million<ref name=”CoV”>{{Cite web |url=http://vancouver.ca/ctyclerk/mayorcouncil/cityhall.htm |title=Learn about Vancouver City Hall |access-date=2010-09-16 |archive-date=2010-12-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101201190646/http://vancouver.ca/ctyclerk/mayorcouncil/cityhall.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref>
| cost = |1million<ref name=”CoV”>{{Cite web |url=http://vancouver.ca/ctyclerk/mayorcouncil/cityhall.htm |title=Learn about Vancouver City Hall |access-date=16 |archive-date=2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101201190646/http://vancouver.ca/ctyclerk/mayorcouncil/cityhall.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref>
| ren_cost =
| ren_cost =
| address = 453 West 12th Avenue<br />[[Vancouver]], [[British Columbia]]<br />V5Y 1V4
| address = 453 West 12th Avenue<br />[[Vancouver]], [[British Columbia]]<br />V5Y 1V4
==History==
==History==
Between 1897 and 1929, the Vancouver City Hall was located on [[Main Street (Vancouver)|Main Street]], just south of the [[Carnegie Community Centre|Carnegie Library]]; that building had previously served as a public market and an auditorium. In 1929, City Hall moved into the Holden Building (built 1911), while the Main Street building became an extension of the Carnegie Library.<ref>{{Cite web |title=1929 – The History of Metropolitan Vancouver |url=https://vancouverhistory.ca/chronology/chronology-1929/ |access-date=2022-10-05 |language=en-CA}}</ref>
Between 1897 and 1929, the Vancouver City Hall was located on [[Main Street (Vancouver)|Main Street]], just south of the [[Carnegie Community Centre|Carnegie Library]]; that building had previously served as a public market and an auditorium. In 1929, City Hall moved into the Holden Building (built 1911), while the Main Street building became an extension of the Carnegie Library.<ref>{{Cite web |title=1929 – The History of Metropolitan Vancouver |url=https://vancouverhistory.ca/chronology/chronology-1929/ |access-date= }}</ref>
After being elected [[List of mayors of Vancouver|mayor]] in 1934, [[Gerry McGeer]] appointed a three-man committee to select the location for a new city hall; choices included the former Central School site at [[Victory Square, Vancouver|Victory Square]], and Strathcona Park at the corner of [[Cambie Street]] and West 12th Avenue (no relation to the current park in the [[Strathcona, Vancouver|Strathcona]] neighbourhood). The panel recommended the Strathcona Park site, and City Council approved the selection in 1935, making Vancouver the first major Canadian city to locate its city hall outside its downtown.<ref>{{Cite book| last = Berelowitz | first = Lance | title = Dream City: Vancouver and the Global Imagination | publisher = Douglas & McIntyre | year = 2010 | pages = 63–64 | isbn = 978-1-55365-170-3}}</ref>
After being elected [[List of mayors of Vancouver|mayor]] in 1934, [[Gerry McGeer]] appointed a three-man committee to select the location for a new city hall; choices included the former Central School site at [[Victory Square, Vancouver|Victory Square]], and Strathcona Park at the corner of [[Cambie Street]] and West 12th Avenue (no relation to the current park in the [[Strathcona, Vancouver|Strathcona]] neighbourhood). The panel recommended the Strathcona Park site, and City Council approved the selection in 1935, making Vancouver the first major Canadian city to locate its city hall outside its downtown.<ref>{{Cite book| last = Berelowitz | first = Lance | title = Dream City: Vancouver and the Global Imagination | publisher = Douglas & McIntyre | year = 2010 | pages = 63–64 | isbn = 978-1-55365-170-3}}</ref>
[[File:Vancouver City Hall 1936.jpg|thumb|left|City Hall a month before opening]]
[[File:Vancouver City Hall 1936.jpg|thumb|left|City Hall a month before opening]]
Construction of the new City Hall began in 1936 (Vancouver’s [[Golden Jubilee]]) on January 3, and the first cornerstone was laid by McGeer on July 2. A {{Convert|8|ft|adj=on|order=flip}} [[Statue of George Vancouver (Vancouver)|statue of Capt. George Vancouver]], by [[Charles Marega]], was placed at the front of the building. It was unveiled on August 20 by the visiting [[Lord Mayor of London]], Percy Vincent. Vincent also presented several gifts to the city, including a civic mace, and a sprig “…{{Nbsp}}from a tree in the orchard where a falling apple gave [[Isaac Newton]] the idea that led to his theory of [[gravity]]”. The mace and the statue still reside at city hall.
Construction of the new City Hall began in 1936 (Vancouver’s [[Golden Jubilee]]) on 3, and the first cornerstone was laid by McGeer on 2. A {{Convert|8|ft|adj=on|order=flip}} [[Statue of George Vancouver (Vancouver)|statue of Capt. George Vancouver]], by [[Charles Marega]], was placed at the front of the building. It was unveiled on 20 by the visiting [[Lord Mayor of London]], Percy Vincent. Vincent also presented several gifts to the city, including a civic mace, and a sprig “…{{Nbsp}}from a tree in the orchard where a falling apple gave [[Isaac Newton]] the idea that led to his theory of [[gravity]]”. The mace and the statue still reside at city hall.
[[File:George Vancouver statue.jpg|right|thumb|A statue of George Vancouver in front of City Hall]]
[[File:George Vancouver statue.jpg|right|thumb|A statue of George Vancouver in front of City Hall]]
Construction cost $1 million<ref name=”CoV”/> and was completed on December 1, 1936, allowing the building to be opened in the same year as construction began. Each lock plate on the outer doors displays the [[Coat of arms of Vancouver|Vancouver Coat of Arms]], and each door knob bears the monogram of the building. The ceiling on the second floor of the rotunda was made of gold leaf from several British Columbia mines.
Construction cost 1million<ref name=”CoV”/> and was completed on 1 1936, allowing the building to be opened in the same year as construction began. Each lock plate on the outer doors displays the [[Coat of arms of Vancouver|Vancouver Coat of Arms]], and each door knob bears the monogram of the building. The ceiling on the second floor of the rotunda was made of gold leaf from several British Columbia mines.
After winning the civic election on December 9, 1936, [[George Clark Miller]] became the first mayor of Vancouver to occupy the then-new city hall, on January 2, 1937.
After winning the civic election on December 1936, [[George Clark Miller]] became the first mayor of Vancouver to occupy the then-new city hall, on January 1937.
[[File:Address at Vancouver City Hall to mark Canadas entry into Second World War.jpg|thumb|The lieutenant governor of British Columbia announcing Canada’s entry into the war on 10 September 1939]]
[[File:Address at Vancouver City Hall to mark Canadas entry into Second World War.jpg|thumb|The lieutenant governor of British Columbia announcing Canada’s entry into the war on 10 September 1939]]
Construction on a four-storey east wing was begun in 1968<ref>{{Cite web |title=1968 – The History of Metropolitan Vancouver |url=https://vancouverhistory.ca/chronology/chronology-1968/ |access-date=2022-10-05 |language=en-CA}}</ref> (completed in 1970) and in 2012, city staff gradually started moving out when a study found it would not withstand an earthquake.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.news1130.com/2016/08/18/vancouver-city-halls-east-wing-coming-down-gradually/|title=Vancouver City Hall’s East Wing will come down gradually – NEWS 1130|date=2016-08-18|work=NEWS 1130|access-date=2017-11-30|language=en-US}}</ref> In 1969, a coat of arms was added, and the original building was declared a Schedule A heritage building in March 1976.<ref>{{Cite web |title=1976 – The History of Metropolitan Vancouver |url=https://vancouverhistory.ca/chronology/chronology-1976/ |access-date=2022-10-05 |language=en-CA}}</ref>
Construction on a four-storey east wing was begun in 1968<ref>{{Cite web |title=1968 – The History of Metropolitan Vancouver |url=https://vancouverhistory.ca/chronology/chronology-1968/ |access-date=2022}}</ref> (completed in 1970) and in 2012, city staff gradually started moving out when a study found it would not withstand an earthquake.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.news1130.com/2016/08/18/vancouver-city-halls-east-wing-coming-down-gradually/|title=Vancouver City Hall’s East Wing will come down gradually – NEWS 1130|date=2016|work=NEWS 1130|access-date=2017}}</ref> In 1969, a coat of arms was added, and the original building was declared a Schedule A heritage building in March 1976.<ref>{{Cite web |title=1976 – The History of Metropolitan Vancouver |url=https://vancouverhistory.ca/chronology/chronology-1976/ |access-date=2022}}</ref>
==See also==
==See also==
City hall in Vancouver, British Columbia
Vancouver City Hall is home to Vancouver City Council in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Located at 453 West 12th Avenue, the building was ordered by the Vancouver Civic Building Committee, designed by architect Fred Townley and Matheson, and built by Carter, Halls, Aldinger and Company. The building has a 12-storey tower (the point is 98 metres [322Â ft] tall) with a clock on the top.
The building is served by Broadway–City Hall station on the SkyTrain‘s Canada Line.
History
Between 1897 and 1929, the Vancouver City Hall was located on Main Street, just south of the Carnegie Library; that building had previously served as a public market and an auditorium. In 1929, City Hall moved into the Holden Building (built 1911), while the Main Street building became an extension of the Carnegie Library.[2]
After being elected mayor in 1934, Gerry McGeer appointed a three-man committee to select the location for a new city hall; choices included the former Central School site at Victory Square, and Strathcona Park at the corner of Cambie Street and West 12th Avenue (no relation to the current park in the Strathcona neighbourhood). The panel recommended the Strathcona Park site, and City Council approved the selection in 1935, making Vancouver the first major Canadian city to locate its city hall outside its downtown.[3]
Construction of the new City Hall began in 1936 (Vancouver’s Golden Jubilee) on 3 January, and the first cornerstone was laid by McGeer on 2 July. A 2.4-metre (8Â ft) statue of Capt. George Vancouver, by Charles Marega, was placed at the front of the building. It was unveiled on 20 August by the visiting Lord Mayor of London, Percy Vincent. Vincent also presented several gifts to the city, including a civic mace, and a sprig “…Â from a tree in the orchard where a falling apple gave Isaac Newton the idea that led to his theory of gravity“. The mace and the statue still reside at city hall.
Construction cost CA$1Â million[1] and was completed on 1 December 1936, allowing the building to be opened in the same year as construction began. Each lock plate on the outer doors displays the Vancouver Coat of Arms, and each door knob bears the monogram of the building. The ceiling on the second floor of the rotunda was made of gold leaf from several British Columbia mines.
After winning the civic election on 9 December 1936, George Clark Miller became the first mayor of Vancouver to occupy the then-new city hall, on 2 January 1937.
Construction on a four-storey east wing was begun in 1968[4] (completed in 1970) and in 2012, city staff gradually started moving out when a study found it would not withstand an earthquake.[5] In 1969, a coat of arms was added, and the original building was declared a Schedule A heritage building in March 1976.[6]
