In 1929 the old Hastings Mill Store building was towed by scow from Vancouver's inner harbour to its present location near Spanish Banks in Point Grey. In the following two years, the Native Daughters of British Columbia transformed the old building in to a museum to preserve historical relics of the early days of Vancouver. Their museum recounted pioneer histories of journey to, and settlement in, British Columbia in order to celebrate European development of the region, promote Vancouver's connection with the British Empire, and encourage future economic growth in the city. Today, the Native Daughters continue to operate this quirky and curious museum. Their exclusive tale of European pioneer history has been preserved in its original form, untouched by decades of museological change and post-colonial critique of cultural representation. The thesis uses the Hastings Mill Museum as a case study in heritage preservation in British Columbia. It claims that the museum itself is an artifact. It is a material remnant of an important movement in local history when such groups as the Native Daughters used the preservation of the past to address contemporary political and social concerns. Representing an idealized pioneer past provided an important source of political and social power for the Native Daughters. Through the Hastings Mill Museum, the Native Daughters helped its members - and the province's community of native-born, Anglo-European - affirm their status as a genealogical and historical elite. The Native Daughters used a variant of the North American "pioneer myth," a nostalgic interpretation of local history that distilled the city's history into a simple narrative of anglo-European settlement, sacrifice and development, to document their claim to the region's political, institutional, and economic power. Their use of heritage preservation as a source of power was shaped by gender. The Daughters used their position as "guardians" and "nurturers" of the region's heritage in order to promote and strengthen the position of their community of white, native-born British Columbians.

Downtown Vancouver is becoming a spectacular place. Reflecting dominant trends found in many restructuring Canadian cities, its landscape has become increasingly aestheticized, privatized, consumption-based, and regulated. Since the late-1960s, boosters have worked to strengthen Vancouver's position in the international scene by staging it as a world class city, an inviting and exciting destination. To attract desired publics, downtown has been framed as the alluring gateway, the spectacular centre, the glittering jewel of Vancouver. Making this convivial centre—which I call Happyland—has involved remaking and reimaging downtown to 'upgrade' its perceived 'decay'. Like many North American central cities in the 1960s, with the advent of suburbanization and general economic decline, downtown Vancouver's role as the major shopping and entertainment centre of 'respectable' citizens seriously waned. New landscapes took shape as into the marginalizing spaces new publics made their places and inscribed their cultures. Parts of downtown became widely stigmatized as degraded and neglected, as taken over by 'undesirables'. Thus, making Happyland has largely been about 'civilizing' downtown—involving not only dramatic redevelopment, but also heavy marketing and increased policing. I read the remaking of downtown—Robson and Granville Streets in particular—by analyzing the changing landscape, local media, City decisions, place marketing, and the voices of various actors from multiple sources, including personal interviews. While the dominant narrative celebrates an urban renaissance, I argue that downtown is being purified, whereby a tightly scripted order is being fixed in which certain people, cultures, signs are 'out of place' and subjected to increasing levels of regulation. In particular, street youth have been identified as 'pests' who 'spoil' the desired clean, ordered, happy image. I see the demonization of street youth as reflecting wider relations of power. I argue that the narrative of Happyland, the dominant public culture being fixed downtown excludes other narratives, experiences, visions. Street youth narratives—from personal interviews and their own writings in a local 'zine—are testimony of this diversity. I argue that for this city and society to be truly inclusive and livable, as the rhetoric claims, such voices of citizens have to be given space and validity.

The thesis analyzes policies and programs appropriate in responding to the decline of the Victory Square Concept Planning Area, which was once at the heart of Vancouver. This topic is important in light of similar situations throughout North America. Victory Square is located within the larger Downtown Eastside, whose fractious political climate may reduce the likelihood of success in future community undertakings. The thesis reviews relevant economic theory and the merits and methods of public sector intervention. Questions are raised as to how seriously the City has taken the problems of the Square area from an historical perspective, how effective its current policies are and whether the VSCPA is a legitimate planning area. A Community Economic Development approach is advocated due to the shortcomings of "traditional strategies. Vancouver's unique post-Fordist economy has encouraged the growth of the Victory Square Concept Planning Area's creative design sector, which has been accompanied by an increase in cultural and educational institutions. In order to increase retail activity, three strategies are available. Retailing is important not only for individual entrepreneurs and potential employees but because it also businesses and ancillary services, while serving the increasingly integrated production system. A larger population would include some higher-income singles, more working women and career-oriented professionals/managers with greater disposable incomes and pursuit of leisure and cultural activities. The author advocates legalization of illegal and lower-rent artists lofts, the encouragement of residential development and heritage conversion as well as limited tourism. Although heritage conservation activities are often viewed as precursors to gentrification and cost benefit evidence is non-conclusive, it can create youth employment and a diversity of social and mixed-income housing and commercial space. The main issue for heritage property developers is whether the value of a structure after rehabilitation exceeds the hard, soft and rent-up costs of acquisition, rehabilitation, operation and disposition. While increased economic activity will hopefully raise the income of all local residents, this cannot be assumed nor would such change be immediate. Effective public policy-making, partnerships and private sector initiatives should be mobilized to restore and renovate a judicious mix of heritage structures into a viable combination of mixed-residential, retailing, office and public space, while striving to maintain services and accommodation for the low-income population.

In 1929 the old Hastings Mill Store building was towed by scow from Vancouver's inner harbour to its present location near Spanish Banks in Point Grey. In the following two years, the Native Daughters of British Columbia transformed the old building in to a museum to preserve historical relics of the early days of Vancouver. Their museum recounted pioneer histories of journey to, and settlement in, British Columbia in order to celebrate European development of the region, promote Vancouver's connection with the British Empire, and encourage future economic growth in the city. Today, the Native Daughters continue to operate this quirky and curious museum. Their exclusive tale of European pioneer history has been preserved in its original form, untouched by decades of museological change and post-colonial critique of cultural representation. The thesis uses the Hastings Mill Museum as a case study in heritage preservation in British Columbia. It claims that the museum itself is an artifact. It is a material remnant of an important movement in local history when such groups as the Native Daughters used the preservation of the past to address contemporary political and social concerns. Representing an idealized pioneer past provided an important source of political and social power for the Native Daughters. Through the Hastings Mill Museum, the Native Daughters helped its members - and the province's community of native-born, Anglo-European - affirm their status as a genealogical and historical elite. The Native Daughters used a variant of the North American "pioneer myth," a nostalgic interpretation of local history that distilled the city's history into a simple narrative of anglo-European settlement, sacrifice and development, to document their claim to the region's political, institutional, and economic power. Their use of heritage preservation as a source of power was shaped by gender. The Daughters used their position as "guardians" and "nurturers" of the region's heritage in order to promote and strengthen the position of their community of white, native-born British Columbians. / Arts, Faculty of / History, Department of / Graduate

This thesis focuses on communicative participation processes and the mutual understanding that can occur amongst participants. This mutual understanding can often lead to better sustainability planning outcomes. It analyzes both the process and the outcomes of the process through a case study. The principle research question addressed is: does communicative participation in development processes, by a broad range of interests, contribute to social, environmental, and economic sustainability? The research instruments include: action research conducted by the author in the Southeast False Creek Model Sustainable Community Planning Process case study, which took place in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; twenty qualitative interviews with the members of a policy Advisory Group, staff of the local civic government, and political representatives; and analysis of the key planning documents generated by the process and other contextual documentation. The findings from the action research are presented, followed by the qualitative interview findings. These two types of results (which were conducted independently of each other) were then compared, analyzed, and contrasted with the literature in an iterative manner. The literature consulted includes: communicative action, communicative action in planning, public participation, sustainable development and sustainable urban development (ecological, social, and economic). Two sets of criteria, one for the process and the other for the outcome, were derived from the literature review. The research findings indicate that this case study is an example of a reasonably good communicative participation process that was deep and long-term, but did not involve the broader community as well as it could have. The analysis concludes, however, that power played a significant role in this case study. This highlights the need for communicative action theory in planning to be supplemented, extended, and revised. Communicative action theory could be strengthened by being supplemented by political economic theory, progressive planning theory, mobilization theory, and postmodern trans-cultural planning theory. The process outcome, the policy for Southeast False Creek, was found to make marked progress towards ecological sustainability, and marginal movement towards economic sustainability. The policy was found to be quite lacking in terms of social sustainability, although it was given more consideration than in previous development policy in Vancouver. A lack of focus on social sustainability was found in the process, and this was reflected in the policy. Although the sustainability policy was found to be quite weak overall, it did lead towards greater sustainable urban development in Vancouver, and increased awareness about sustainability in the development policy community. This thesis makes a significant contribution to communicative action theory by analyzing a case study that put this theory into practice. It may also improve planning practice by recommending ways to improve communicative participation processes. / Science, Faculty of / Resources, Environment and Sustainability (IRES), Institute for / Graduate

This project posits the need for a design approach to the use of urban sub-infrastructural spaces as public space. The potential held within these neglected parts of the city presents opportunities for the integration of architecture and landscape. The site beneath the infrastructure of the downtown Granville Bridge is one of the last remaining undeveloped parts of downtown False Creek. Surrounded by extreme residential density, the site is formed by the infrastructure creating a unique space unlike any other in the city. Artists involved in small scale industrial production such as textile, fashion, film, and furniture, rely on the city for survival. The design, prototype, production, display, consumption, and involvement of these activities within the public realm are important components to the identity and vigor of any metropolitan city. This project will explore, capture, and capitalize on the unique landscape qualities of partial enclosure provided by the bridge structure. This existing condition provides a spatial quality that is suggestive of opportunities for the integration of interior and exterior functions. With appropriate design intervention this place can become a unique public space while fulfilling the need for a production and entertainment space in downtown Vancouver / Applied Science, Faculty of / Architecture and Landscape Architecture (SALA), School of / Graduate

Downtown Vancouver is becoming a spectacular place. Reflecting dominant trends found in many restructuring Canadian cities, its landscape has become increasingly aestheticized, privatized, consumption-based, and regulated. Since the late-1960s, boosters have worked to strengthen Vancouver's position in the international scene by staging it as a world class city, an inviting and exciting destination. To attract desired publics, downtown has been framed as the alluring gateway, the spectacular centre, the glittering jewel of Vancouver. Making this convivial centre—which I call Happyland—has involved remaking and reimaging downtown to 'upgrade' its perceived 'decay'. Like many North American central cities in the 1960s, with the advent of suburbanization and general economic decline, downtown Vancouver's role as the major shopping and entertainment centre of 'respectable' citizens seriously waned. New landscapes took shape as into the marginalizing spaces new publics made their places and inscribed their cultures. Parts of downtown became widely stigmatized as degraded and neglected, as taken over by 'undesirables'. Thus, making Happyland has largely been about 'civilizing' downtown—involving not only dramatic redevelopment, but also heavy marketing and increased policing. I read the remaking of downtown—Robson and Granville Streets in particular—by analyzing the changing landscape, local media, City decisions, place marketing, and the voices of various actors from multiple sources, including personal interviews. While the dominant narrative celebrates an urban renaissance, I argue that downtown is being purified, whereby a tightly scripted order is being fixed in which certain people, cultures, signs are 'out of place' and subjected to increasing levels of regulation. In particular, street youth have been identified as 'pests' who 'spoil' the desired clean, ordered, happy image. I see the demonization of street youth as reflecting wider relations of power. I argue that the narrative of Happyland, the dominant public culture being fixed downtown excludes other narratives, experiences, visions. Street youth narratives—from personal interviews and their own writings in a local 'zine—are testimony of this diversity. I argue that for this city and society to be truly inclusive and livable, as the rhetoric claims, such voices of citizens have to be given space and validity. / Arts, Faculty of / Geography, Department of / Graduate

The thesis analyzes policies and programs appropriate in responding to the decline of the Victory Square Concept Planning Area, which was once at the heart of Vancouver. This topic is important in light of similar situations throughout North America. Victory Square is located within the larger Downtown Eastside, whose fractious political climate may reduce the likelihood of success in future community undertakings. The thesis reviews relevant economic theory and the merits and methods of public sector intervention. Questions are raised as to how seriously the City has taken the problems of the Square area from an historical perspective, how effective its current policies are and whether the VSCPA is a legitimate planning area. A Community Economic Development approach is advocated due to the shortcomings of "traditional strategies. Vancouver's unique post-Fordist economy has encouraged the growth of the Victory Square Concept Planning Area's creative design sector, which has been accompanied by an increase in cultural and educational institutions. In order to increase retail activity, three strategies are available. Retailing is important not only for individual entrepreneurs and potential employees but because it also businesses and ancillary services, while serving the increasingly integrated production system. A larger population would include some higher-income singles, more working women and career-oriented professionals/managers with greater disposable incomes and pursuit of leisure and cultural activities. The author advocates legalization of illegal and lower-rent artists lofts, the encouragement of residential development and heritage conversion as well as limited tourism. Although heritage conservation activities are often viewed as precursors to gentrification and cost benefit evidence is non-conclusive, it can create youth employment and a diversity of social and mixed-income housing and commercial space. The main issue for heritage property developers is whether the value of a structure after rehabilitation exceeds the hard, soft and rent-up costs of acquisition, rehabilitation, operation and disposition. While increased economic activity will hopefully raise the income of all local residents, this cannot be assumed nor would such change be immediate. Effective public policy-making, partnerships and private sector initiatives should be mobilized to restore and renovate a judicious mix of heritage structures into a viable combination of mixed-residential, retailing, office and public space, while striving to maintain services and accommodation for the low-income population. / Applied Science, Faculty of / Community and Regional Planning (SCARP), School of / Graduate

For nearly a quarter-century, from 1940 through 1963, Vancouver’s Theatre Under the Stars (TUTS) mounted annual summer seasons of musical theatre in Malkin Bowl, a converted bandshell in Stanley Park. By the early 1950s, TUTS, now a fully-professional company, had become an enormous popular and financial success, attracting crowds of up to 25,000 per week. For various reasons, the company closed down in 1963, yet so ingrained in Vancouver's cultural fabric had TUTS become, that in 1980 an amateur organization re-appropriated the name for its own summer musical productions in Malkin Bowl. Despite its acknowledged importance in Canadian theatre history, very little research has been devoted to this remarkable company. The purpose of this study, therefore, is to document the early history of TUTS, in particular the years 1940 through 1949 when TUTS was directly funded by the Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation and dominated by the colourful, if somewhat erratic, personality of its general manager, Gordon Hilker. Material for the thesis was obtained primarily through sources located at the City of Vancouver Archives, supplemented by newspaper clippings and by personal interviews. Archival matter included programs, handbills, photographs, and Park Board records, especially minute books and correspondence files. This study will examine the circumstances leading to the creation and subsequent development of TUTS as a civic enterprise. Although the work is designed to be comprehensive, certain topics receive special attention: the nature of the programming; the evolution and training of Canadian talent; the development of a professional company; political factionalism in the elected Park Board; and the relationship between Hilker and the Park Board which varied from mutual admiration to mutual loathing. Particularly analyzed are the pivotal events of 1949 that resulted in a complete change of ownership and management.

Just prior to the opening of the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Games, a 21-year-old Georgian luger died after his sled left the Whistler Sliding Centre track travelling at 140 kilometres an hour. The following paper uses Critical Discourse Analysis and the Bahktinian notion of intertextuality to examine how Canadian media discursively constructed social media users and their sharing of the images, video, and opinions following the tragedy. The results show traditional media discursively constructed social media as outsiders, separate from the audience, and further argued they need to follow traditional media norms in order to be responsible citizens. In considering this discursive construction within the political economy of traditional media, it is suggested that one tactic employed is the creation of flak, which attempts to discredit what it opposes. Traditional media discourse, sometimes itself the target of flak, here uses flak against social media which are impinging on the political economy of the traditional media. Keywords: audience, critical discourse, flak, intertextuality, Olympics, political economy, social media, traditional media