Brian Minter: 50 fabulous years of Bloedel's beauty
Credit to Author: Tracey Tufnail| Date: Sat, 30 Nov 2019 17:00:10 +0000
Much has been written about the Bloedel Conservatory, its creation, near demise and resurrection, but beyond the politics of this iconic entity, it’s really a story about special people and the value the Conservatory brings not only to Vancouver but also to our country. As we near its 50th anniversary on Dec. 6, it’s important to gather a few insights and share some stories.
John Coupar, a current Park Board Commissioner and one of the more Conservatory-connected folks I had the pleasure of speaking with, attended the opening back in 1965 when he was 13 years old. His father, Charles Coupar, was the first Garden Director of the Conservatory. John remembers that it opened the same year the Americans landed on the moon, and the unique nature of the geodesic dome had all the trappings of a moon habitat. To a young boy this was a fascinating connection.
Some of the early Vancouver Parks Board folks, like Stuart Lefeaux, Superintendent, Bill Livingstone, Deputy Superintendent and John’s father, Charlie, had a lot to do with the genesis of the Conservatory. These three, along with many other early gardeners who had a Scottish background, were humorously referred to as the ‘Scotch mafia’ recalled John Coupar. All three gentlemen had great vision and were highly skilled. They were also very influential. Livingstone, for example, shared a passion for rhododendrons with Prentice Bloedel, the retired Vice Chairman of MacMillan Bloedel Ltd., a giant B.C. lumber company. When the City of Vancouver turned down the proposal for constructing a conservatory as a centennial project, that relationship became invaluable. Livingstone successfully convinced Bloedel to fund the 1.5 million dollars to cover the cost of building the conservatory. Not only did Bloedel fund the conservatory, but he and his wife, Virginia, also donated ‘Knife Edge,’ one of Henry Moore’s sculptures, for the plaza.
The Bloedel Conservatory under construction.
This remarkable triodetic geodesic dome and its unique fibreglass panels were manufactured in Ottawa. It had to be located over one of Vancouver’s water reservoirs which required carefully consideration and construction. After much thought, planning and research, it was determined that the Conservatory would feature three climatic zones: tropical, sub-tropical and desert.
Coupar and I discussed how the relevancy of the Conservatory and its plant collection has changed over the years. Initially, it was about discovery as over 500,000 people attended the first year, but as the world transitioned into the era of technology and screen time, the Conservatory became less relevant. It didn’t help that the construction of the Canada Line through the Cambie Street corridor made access far more difficult.
Today, in our very stressful world, the Conservatory has become a peaceful escape. People love to sit on a bench and drink in all the beauty and aromas of the plants and listen to the delightful sounds of the birds. People with medical issues, particularly those suffering depression, find it a wonderful place to visit because it lifts their spirits. It also showcases how plants grow in diverse situations and highlights the need for all of us to be better guardians of our planet.
Anything that generates a little excitement is also highly valued in today’s world and ‘Uncle Fester’ did just that for the Conservatory. Bringing in a corpse flower (Titan arum) attracted over 17,000 visitors, some waiting over four hours to get in. It usually takes 10 years for this amazing plant to flower, but six-year old ‘Uncle Fester’ flowered to everyone’s amazement. Because 72 per cent of the Indonesian rainforest — the copse’s natural habitat — has disappeared, the corpse plant is endangered as well. The importance of saving rare plants and discovering one of Mother Nature’s spectacular creations captured the imagination of so many people. Even the flowers’ bad smell (think dead rats or rotting cabbage) was no deterrent.
Lush tropical foliage fourishes under the dome.
In the early days, it was critical to understand what the true nature of the Conservatory was. It needed to be more than simply viewing plants. After visiting other gardens, especially the New York Botanical Garden, it was determined that there was a need for more entertainment. So, birds were added to the mix of plants. It proved to be the right decision. Birds are so integral to a tropical rainforest, and their introduction was a master stroke. The Conservatory houses over 100 beautiful birds, including macaws, cockatoos and parrots.
Coupar remembered how close Vancouver came to losing this iconic attraction. Over time, the shine on the roof dulled as it had began leaking and needed replacing, the fountains were in disrepair, and by 2007 the annual attendance was down to fewer than 70,000 people. It was then that the Vancouver Parks Board made the difficult decision to close the site in 2010. Thankfully, this was not acceptable to many folks. So The Friends of Bloedel association was formed to both prevent the closure and to raise funds for restoring this important structure. Coupar, who was also a commissioner of the Vancouver Parks Board, became the spokesperson for this group. These folks worked their magic. The decision to close was reversed, and the funding eventually came together for a renewal of this aging beauty.
I spoke with Stephen Shapiro, currently the Executive Director of the Vancouver Botanical Garden Association (VBGA). This great association was created when the Friends of Bloedel merged with the Van Dusen Botanical Gardens Association to form VBGA They worked together, along with the Vancouver Parks Board, on a joint agreement to help both Van Dusen and the Bloedel Conservatory. Their mandate is to deliver high-quality education through many different means, to train volunteers for visitor services, like tours and field trips, and to maintain memberships – I was pleasantly surprised to learn they have over 11,500 members – and to fund raise. Currently, they raise over one million dollars per year.
Van Dusen Gardens has a magnificent new building to help carry out this mandate, but a similar structure is needed at the Bloedel Conservatory. At the present time, they are waiting for word from the Vancouver Parks Board if a portable unit of some type can be put in place for the interim until their vision of a Visitors Centre can be realized.
To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Bloedel Conservatory, on Dec. 1, The Jewel Atop Vancouver will be released. This publication covers the history of the Bloedel Conservatory, provides fascinating descriptions of the 500 species of plants living within the dome and features many wonderful historical images. As scientists continue to learn about the complex connection between plants and people, it is more apparent than ever how forward thinking the concept of creating a tropical and sub-tropical paradise in Vancouver really was back in 1965.
On Dec. 6 there will be a well-deserved celebration of the 50 years the Bloedel Conservatory has been a part of Vancouver’s cultural experience. From its creation and survival to its future, it has been and will continue to be a story of dedicated people who care deeply about their community. Congratulations to all those past and present who have created and maintained this Canadian treasure.