Please join us this Thursday, October 24 at 1 pm at 1290 Cartwright Street on Granville Island for the unveiling of a plaque commemorating Alan Clapp and his contribution to the idea and inception of Granville Island. 1290 Cartwright was Alan’s office for over 20 years. From the Deluxe Productions statement on the unveiling: “Alan… read more Unveiling of plaque commemorating Alan Clapp and his role in the inception of Granville Island

Alan Clapp (Feb 10, 1930 – April 9, 2013) In a city famous for its historical amnesia it can be hard to identify anyone as a legend, but if any person is a Vancouver legend, it is Alan Clapp. One of a kind, often controversial, Al undeniably improved the landscape and culture of the city… read more In memory of Habitat Forum’s Al Clapp, February 10, 1930 – April 9, 2013

The UN Habitat Conference on Human Settlements, and its Habitat Forum at Jericho Beach, helped to establish the idea that housing is a human right and that cities and regions must protect access to secure shelter. It’s a cruel irony that 83 year-old Al Clapp and his wife Geraldine are facing eviction from their Victoria… read more Al Clapp, head of Habitat Forum, faces eviction

I’m sifting through a fantastic box of Habitat Forum archival material. It was located by Don Stewart at the amazing McLeod’s Books in Vancouver. In particular there’s a scrapbook of news clippings that is pretty entertaining, not to mention revealing of the politics of Vancouver in 1975-76. It’s typical of Habitat materials that people have… read more Habitat Forum gateway

I still have mine. Do you? Please bring any Habitat mementos you may have to either of this year’s walking tours of the site at Jericho Beach. Details: Walking Tour: April 14, 2012, Saturday at 12:45 pm. By donation. Walking tour of Habitat site! Part of the Artists Walking Home series. Please join us! Please pre-register… read more Habitat dollar coin – “Vancouver dollar”

Jericho wharf, currently under demolition, is visible here through the gap between the two buildings, there where you see the ocean. The beautiful Bill Reid-adorned hangar sits where the chain-link fence sailboat enclosure is located now. There were also two hangars set farther back from the shore, where the parking lots are now (this footage… read more Wishing for an alternative to Parks Board’s new Jericho Beach plan

Jericho Beach Wharf, where so many dignitaries and Vancouverites gathered during Habitat Forum in 1976, is being demolished this week by the Vancouver Parks Board. Once the wharf is gone, the beach will undergo ecological restoration. Despite the merits of removing the creosote-soaked wharf, it still seems a sad event, especially in 2011 which is… read more Jericho Beach wharf demolition

UN Habitat was formed in 1978 after its founding conference in Vancouver in 1976. It seems worthwhile to reprint its history and mandate here. From the UN Habitat website: In 1978, when Habitat was established, after a meeting in Vancouver known as Habitat I, urbanisation and its impacts were less significant on the agenda of… read more History of UN Habitat

These videos, courtesy The Hackery, document the construction of Vancouver’s Habitat Forum site of the 1976 UN Conference on Human Settlements. The beautiful First Nations mural was designed by artist Bill Reid, and the hangar it adorns sat on land now occupied by a chain link fence and sailboat storage at Vancouver’s Jericho Beach, just… read more Happy 35th Anniversary, Habitat Forum & UN Habitat!

It was a very rainy but successful Jane’s Walk at Jericho Beach on May 7, 2011, exploring the site of Vancouver’s 1976 Habitat Forum and remaining signs of the old Flying Boat military base. These urban walks are in honour of the renowned urbanist Jane Jacobs, and I was honoured that Jane’s son Ned, also an… read more Jane’s Walk 2011 – Habitat Forum site

On this hand-drawn site plan from the original Habitat Forum site brochure, do you see the building at upper left marked #15 – Press Centre? Today that building is the Jericho Sailing Club, and it is all that remains of this site (with the exception of the driftwood sculpture on the homepage and the wharf… read more Habitat Forum site

Welcome! For a brief introduction to the history of Habitat Forum, held in Vancouver in 1976, please see About Habitat. If you would like to share your memories and/or archival materials about Habitat for this archival project, please comment here by clicking on the number in the speech bubble, or you can email me. For upcoming… read more Welcome to Habitat Forum – please leave comments here!