This past weekend, Heritage Vancouver released it's Top Ten Endangered Sites for 2007.
Number one on the list is the Burrard Street Bridge, which Heritage Vancouver warns will be 'disfigured' if current plans to widen the bridge's sidwalks are allowed to go ahead.
Other notable structures on the list include St. Paul's Hospital, and the Vogue Theatre. The latter is to be converted into a 1000-seat supper club, which VH fears may lead to 'significant alterations' to the building's interior. On the other hand, the building will also undergo a much-needed renovation and seismic upgrade by the new owners.
As for St. Paul's, there have been longstanding rumours that the hospital may be moved to the False Creek Flats, while the old red-brick building would be turned into condos.
Fortunately, many of the endangered properties are not really in that much danger. It turns out that in some instances, Heritage Vancouver is simply lobbying for heritage status protection of these buildings.
They do make an important point though - there is a danger of losing some of Vancouver's most interesting buildings through neglect.
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