Two B.C. heritage buildings finalists in competition
A heritage school in Vancouver's Chinatown and a lodge built in 1938 in Qualicum Beach are two of 12 finalists for the National Trust for Canada's Next Great Save competition.
The competition helps communities save and restore heritage buildings with a grand prize of $50,000. There are also runner-up prizes of $10,000 and $5,000 to be won. The money is awarded to projects that protect, adapt, renew or improve heritage places for the future.
Mon Keang School in Vancouver's Chinatown is the oldest operating school in its original building. It was the first school to provide a Cantonese secondary school education and continues to preserve the Cantonese dialect as the demographics shift in favour of Mandarin, according to a news release from the Mon Keang School.
Mon Keang School is located in the Wongs' Benevolent Association Building at 123 East Pender St. The school opened in 1925.
The other B.C. finalist is St. Andrews Lodge Historical and Cultural Society, which stewards the St. Andrews Lodge along the waterfront in Qualicum Beach. The society was formed in late 2020 following a campaign by local residents to save the historic lodge from demolition.
St. Andrews Lodge was designed in 1938 by Sam Little and run for many years by his daughter Elizabeth Little, according to the Qualicum Beach Museum. The prize money would go to the restoration of the lodge, which was a popular tourist stay for people visiting Vancouver Island for 80 years.
The society has entered into a lease agreement with the Township of Qualicum Beach and has undertaken the task of restoring the lodge to create a gathering place that will host various functions and local events, according to the society's website.
Finalists were selected based on the team's ability to save their historic place, and address current issues like climate change, diversity and inclusion, along with the contributions they make to their communities.
The public can start voting at 9 a.m. today. Voting runs until May 6 through the Next Great Save website. Last year's winner was the Duncan Train Station.