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Archival description
Only top-level descriptions British Columbia. Dept. of Public Works
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Deputy Minister general office files

  • GR-3310
  • Series
  • 1958-1992

Series consists of general files created by George Giles in his capacity as an employee of the Department of Public Works and as Deputy Minister of the Department and later Ministry of Public Works. The files cover the period from 1958 to 1992 and include records relating to daily affairs of the ministry as well as files relating to major public works projects including the British Columbia building in Vancouver, the Vancouver court house and the Legislative precinct in Victoria. In addition there are files relating to the formation of the British Columbia Buildings Corporation (BCBC), files relating to the Ministries of Deregulation, Recreation and Culture and Highways and Public Works, and files relating to the Provincial Capital Commission and its work. There are also some personal files interspersed throughout the series. The records are not arranged according to any particular filing or classification system.

British Columbia. Provincial Capital Commission

Deputy Minister day files

  • GR-3308
  • Series
  • 1973-1979

Series consists of day files created by George Giles as Deputy Minister of various British Columbia ministries and departments from 1973 to 1979. The day files are arranged chronologically by year and month and contain copies of each month's outgoing correspondence from the deputy minister or minister. From 1973 to December 1975, the day files are for the Dept. of Public Works; from January 1976 to October 1977, they are for the Dept. or Ministry of Highways and Public Works; from November 1977 to December 1978 they are for the Ministry of Recreation and Conservation and from January to December 1979 they are for the Ministry of Deregulation.

British Columbia. Ministry of Deregulation

Deputy Minister photographs

  • GR-3339
  • Series
  • 1973-1979

The series consists of photographs, 1973-1979, acquired by George Giles as Deputy Minister of Highways and Public Works and its predecessor body, the Department of Public Works. There are photographs taken of the legislative precinct area in 1973 as part of the precinct '73 project as well as a photographic inventory of Victoria properties in 1976 and of models of the proposed Vancouver courthouse ca. 1974. Most of the photographs are colour prints taken during the renovations of the legislative buildings in Victoria 1978-1979, known as project 0490. This project took place after Giles had left Public Works and moved on to the Ministry of Recreation and Conservation. It is not clear how he obtained the photographs, however they are clearly numbered prints made from the same numbered negatives created by the British Columbia Buildings Corporation (BCBC) and described as GR-3267.

British Columbia. Ministry of Highways and Public Works

Public works building plans : negatives

  • GR-4108
  • Series
  • 1969-1978

The series consists of approximately 23,000 photographic negatives created by the Dept. of Public Works between 1969 and 1978, to manage historic building plans and drawings of public buildings throughout British Columbia. The plans include those for law courts, highways maintenance yards, police buildings, hospitals and health centres, government office buildings, liquor stores, correctional centres and camps, sewage treatment plants, fire halls, civil defence buildings, vocational schools, universities, mental health institutions, provincial schools and the Provincial Legislative buildings.

The negatives were made from original plans sent to, and filmed by, the Reproductions Laboratory in batches. If the Dept. of Public Works did not hold an original plan, it was borrowed from consultants and returned after filming. The laboratory made two negatives for each plan and assigned them the same negative number. Negatives in each filming batch were arranged in batches in negative number order, from number 22,000 to 229,581, but numbering between batches was discontinuous. Each negative was housed in an envelope on which was recorded the negative number, Public Works plan number, date of filming, camera setting and density. The Reproductions Laboratory retained one negative from each pair and sent the other to the Public Works Plan Library. The negatives were then used to produce microform reference copies of the plans, in the form of aperture cards, which were then distributed throughout the Department.

The series also contains ca. 2300 negatives arranged by Public Works drawing number (DPW). These four boxes of negatives probably duplicate those arranged by negative number as well as the aperture cards in GR-2176.

Use the indexes to Public Works building buildings plans (GR-2184) in order to determine the negative numbers for specific buildings.

British Columbia. Dept. of Public Works

Public Works building plans : aperture cards

  • GR-2176
  • Series
  • 1969-1978

The series consists of approximately 23,000 aperture cards created by the Dept. of Public Works between 1969 and 1978, to manage historic building plans and drawings of public buildings throughout British Columbia. The plans include those for law courts, highways maintenance yards, police buildings, hospitals and health centres, government office buildings, liquor stores, correctional centres and camps, sewage treatment plants, fire halls, civil defence buildings, vocational schools, universities, mental health institutions, provincial schools and the Provincial Legislative buildings.

Each card contains a 35 mm microfiche copy of a plan or drawing made from a negative of an original plan, along with Public Works Drawing number and the negative number assigned to the 105 mm version of the plan or drawing. The cards are arranged numerically by the PWD number. Use the indexes to Public Works building buildings plans (GR-2184) in order to determine the PWD number.
Three groups of numbers and/or letters were used to make up the drawing number. The first group consists of numbers only and indicates the assigned area number. The second group consists of a letter or figure which denotes the type of plan.
When the drawing was used as a site plan, topographical plan or services (utilities) plan one of the following letters was used:
A - Architectural perspectives
E - Electric distribution, exterior floodlighting, street lighting etc. systems
L - Landscaping
M - Mechanical Services distribution systems
S - Site & topographical plans, excavation, levelling, roads, parking areas, sewage, water distribution and collecting systems
When the drawing was used as a building plan, the three part number consisted of area number, building number and sheet number.
The third group consisted of a letter/number group denoting the type of drawing and sheet number using the following letters:
A – Architectural
E – Electric circuitry and detail pertaining to the building
F - Furniture and fixtures
M - Mechanical
P – Plumbing
S – Civil/Structural
When an alteration (revision) was made to an existing plan, the new trace bears the same number as the original drawing, followed by an oblique stroke and number indicating the alteration.
When a new wing or extension was made to an existing building, the drawing would bear the first two groups as the original drawing but the third group started at 201. A second wing or addition to the same building would bear sheet numbers starting at 301.

British Columbia. Dept. of Public Works

Central registry files including building and subject file register and index

  • GR-1248
  • Series
  • 1965-1978

The series consists of the Dept. of Public Works central registry files including the building and subject file register and index.

The files are arranged by file code and are stored in over 300 containers (000329-0001 to 000329-0369). In order to access the files, first consult the registers and indexes in GR-1248 boxes A, B and C.

Box A consists of offsite container lists created by Archives staff. These lists provide the offsite container numbers for the original Public Works box and file numbers. Box B contains the original buildings file register, listed numerically with an alphabetical index by geographical area and Box C contains the original subject file register.

British Columbia. Ministry of Highways and Public Works

Indexes to Public Works building plans

  • GR-2184
  • Series
  • 1969-1978

The series consists of indexes created by the Dept. of Public Works between 1969 and 1978 to manage building plans of public buildings throughout British Columbia. The province was divided into areas and then each public building or complex was given a number within the area. The actual plans, which are on aperture cards or negatives, are arranged by PWD number and these indexes can be used to locate specific ones.

The first index is the building file register; which explains the departmental filing system (both for files and drawings) and lists the building numbers and sub-numbers in order of area.

The next index is a four volume cross reference index, arranged numerically by area number. Within each area, the buildings are listed with a brief description, the sheet number (Public Works Drawing number) and the negative number of the building plans.

The most useful index for finding building plans is probably the 16 volume building plan index sorted alphabetically by location. Within each location, there are pages listing the building titles with descriptions of each drawing and its type and sheet number, the dates of the drawings and their negative number. This index was microfilmed in 1978 and a copy of the microfilm reel is in the file.

In addition there is a register listing of the plans in negative number order as they were assigned and filmed, from number 22000 to 44999, 150000 to 159999 and 45795 to 228947. Not all of the numbers were used.

Three groups of numbers and/or letters were used to make up the drawing number. The first group consists of numbers only and indicates the assigned area number. The second group consists of a letter or figure which denotes the type of plan.
When the drawing was used as a site plan, topographical plan or services (utilities) plan one of the following letters was used:
A - Architectural perspectives
E - Electric distribution, exterior floodlighting, street lighting etc. systems
L - Landscaping
M - Mechanical Services distribution systems
S - Site & topographical plans, excavation, levelling, roads, parking areas, sewage, water distribution and collecting systems
When the drawing was used as a building plan, the three part number consisted of area number, building number and sheet number.
The third group consisted of a letter/number group denoting the type of drawing and sheet number using the following letters:
A – Architectural
E – Electric circuitry and detail pertaining to the building
F - Furniture and fixtures
M - Mechanical
P – Plumbing
S – Civil/Structural
When an alteration (revision) was made to an existing plan, the new trace bears the same number as the original drawing, followed by an oblique stroke and number indicating the alteration.
When a new wing or extension was made to an existing building, the drawing would bear the first two groups as the original drawing but the third group started at 201. A second wing or addition to the same building would bear sheet numbers starting at 301.

British Columbia. Dept. of Public Works

Treasury Board letters

  • GR-3309
  • Series
  • 1973-1976

Series consists of copies of letters sent to the Treasury Board by the Minister and Deputy Minister of the Department of Public Works from 1972 to 1976. The letters were kept in binders by fiscal year and arranged alphabetically by subject. These copies were kept by the Deputy minister George Giles and consist of requests to Treasury Board for the approval of funds to complete various projects.

British Columbia. Dept. of Public Works

Miscellaneous photographs

  • GR-3290
  • Series
  • 1962-1975

Series consists of photographs created by the Department of Public Works for various uses. The files contain photographs from 1962-1975 of various public works buildings from around the province, mostly Vancouver courthouse complex, including views of building repairs, building models, interior and exterior shots of buildings and accompanying material.

British Columbia. Dept. of Public Works

Public building opening ceremony photographs

  • GR-3284
  • Series
  • 1964-1975

The series consists of photographs taken at the official opening of various public buildings in British Columbia for the Dept. of Public Works between 1964 and 1975. The series includes photographs of the following occasions: Premier W.A.C. Bennett planting a dogwood at the opening of the Kelowna Vocational School on June 27, 1964; Minister of Public Works, William Hartley, and other officials opening the provincial government buildings in Smithers on August 8, 1974, in Dawson Creek on October 28, 1974 and in Fort St. John on June 2, 1975.

British Columbia. Dept. of Public Works

Architectural proposals and consultants reports

  • GR-0386
  • Series
  • 1967-1974

This series consists of architectural proposals and consultants reports on topics connected with the construction of public buildings, urban development, siting, traffic patterns, and design requirements. Reports have been created for the Department of Public Works by various sources, including Arthur Erikson Architects, The Environmental Analysis Group (TEAG), UBC School of Architecture, BCIT, Vancouver City Planning Department, and other various architects and engineers.

British Columbia. Dept. of Public Works

Central registry photograph files

  • GR-3287
  • Series
  • 1929-1973

The series consists of photographs taken by the Department of Public Works and stored in a central registry, 1929-1973. The photographs are of buildings designed, built and managed by the Dept. of Public Works throughout the province and include views of destroyed or old buildings, buildings in the process of being built or upgraded, interior, exterior, aerial and site shots. The buildings include court houses, schools, hospitals, prisons, universities and vocational schools, general administrative buildings and others. The photographs mostly consist of black and white prints although there are also colour prints, negatives, transparencies and one metal plate negative. A small amount of accompanying material is intermingled in the photograph files. The photographs are arranged by numerical district number and then by building number within the district.

British Columbia. Dept. of Public Works

Highways projects records

  • GR-0709
  • Series
  • 1926-1971

This series consists of project records from the Department of Highways, 1926-1971. Boxes 1-3 contain publications, reports, survey notes, maps and photographs, statistics, correspondence, conference material and other background material assembled preliminary to the construction of the Alaska Highway (1926-1947). These records were organized by the Department of Highways library. Box 4 contains Department of Highways records regarding Federal-Provincial agreements on the Trans-Canada Highway, 1949-1971. Boxes 5 and 6 (a bound volume) are Department of Highways records regarding the following bridges: Alexandria Bridge at Spuzzum, First Narrows, Oak Street, Farwell Canyon and a proposed third crossing of Burrard Inlet (1933-1966). Box 5 also includes commendation and photographs of the Department of Highways Traffic Patrol (1959-1961).

British Columbia. Dept. of Highways

Public building photographs

  • GR-3285
  • Series
  • 1964-1971

The series consists of photographs of public buildings from the Dept. of Public Works. The series includes photographs 1968-1971 of an unused design for the Netherlands Carillion and pictures of the bells before they were shipped to Canada.

The series includes 31 interior and exterior colour prints of the Terrace Vocational School and two oversized matted colour prints of the interior and exterior of the provincial government offices in Oliver.

The series also includes 17 interior and exterior colour prints (13 in card folder frames and four stamped on the verso with "Williams Bros. Photographers Ltd. 555 Granville St., Vancouver, 2, B.C. Phone Mu. 4-8588") and 43 colour separation negatives of the British Columbia Vocational School (BCVS) in Burnaby and a plaque erected by the Municipality of Cranbrook Centennial Committee in 1967.

British Columbia. Dept. of Public Works

Miscellaneous display prints

  • GR-3298
  • Series
  • 1958-1971

The series consists of miscellaneous photographs from the Dept. of Public Works, intended for display. Many have mats or mounts or have come out of frames. There are six photographs that depict various events such as the 1958 BC Centennial, parades and royal visits. Six are views of members of the BC Legislature and cabinet and six are views or representations of various buildings and projects including the Netherlands Carillon, an aerial view of the site for Simon Fraser University and the BC Pavilion at Expo '67 in Montreal.

British Columbia. Dept. of Public Works

Public works records relating to museum and archives

  • GR-0999
  • Series
  • 1961-1971

This series consists of records of the Deputy Minister of Public Works as Chairman of the Museum and Archives Steering Committee and the Advisory Committee on Applied Arts for the B.C. Museum and Archives, relating to the design, development and construction of Heritage Court. Includes minutes, memoranda, correspondence, reports, plans, clippings, photographs, drawings, plans, etc.

British Columbia. Dept. of Public Works

Annual report photograph files

  • GR-3289
  • Series
  • [ca. 1969-1970]

Series consists of photographs created by the Department of Public Works for use in their 1969-70 annual report. The files contain photographs, including prints, negatives and transparencies, ca. 1969-1970. The photographs are of various public works projects from around the province including interior and exterior views of buildings.

British Columbia. Dept. of Public Works

Public Works correspondence photograph files

  • GR-3288
  • Series
  • 1910-1970

Series consists of photographs created by the Department of Public Works to document buildings and other projects from 1910 to 1970. Although the original series consisted of a set of correspondence files which included correspondence, photographs and other material, the photographs were removed prior to microfilming in 1976. The microfilmed correspondence files were transferred separately and catalogued as GR-1615. The photograph files contain images of government buildings from around the province including interior, exterior and site shots. They are arranged by file number, taken from the original correspondence file. Files without a number are arranged alphabetically by area after the numbered sequence.

British Columbia. Dept. of Public Works

Public Works correspondence

  • GR-1615
  • Series
  • 1910-1970

The series consists of general correspondence files created by the Dept. of Public Works between 1910 and 1970.
The files are concerned primarily with Provincial Government buildings including the Parliament Buildings, Provincial Archives, Provincial Museum, as well as jails, courthouses, hospitals, office buildings, etc. throughout the province. The series also contains files relating to the control of Japanese nationals during World War II.

British Columbia. Dept. of Public Works

Display prints

  • GR-3296
  • Series
  • [ca. 196-?]

The series consists of photographs of engineering projects managed by the Dept. of Public Works. The photographs consist of prints mounted on card, each with a title. The projects photographed include bridges, road works and other public works activities, and were taken sometime in the 1960's. Many of the cards have pinholes, indicating that they were hung on display.

British Columbia. Dept. of Public Works

Engineering branch photographs

  • GR-3433
  • Series
  • 1937-1969

The series consists of 378 photographs created by the Engineering branch of the Dept. of Highways and its predecessor agency, the Dept. of Public Works between 1937 and 1969. The photographs were taken by several private commercial photographers as well as the Government's own photographic branch. Most of the photographs consist of black and white prints of various sizes but files also inlcude some black and white negatives and a few photocopies. The images are of Engineering branch projects around the province and are mostly photographs of bridges and bridge construction but also include ferry and road construction. The photographs are arranged alphabetically by geographical area or name of bridge. The series also includes a portrait of George M Duncan, Chief Bridge Engineer and a 1937 souvenir pamphlet of the Pattullo bridge.

British Columbia. Dept. of Highways

Department of Highways films

  • GR-3357
  • Series
  • [ca. 1935-1963]

The series comprises motion picture film materal shot by and for the Dept. of Highways, mainly in the 1950s and 1960s. There are also a few brief items from ca.1935-1940s, presumably shot for the Dept. of Public Works. Most of the material consists of unedited (or rough-edited) footage documenting highway and bridge construction and maintenance around the province, along with a few items about ferry services. The series also contains a few complete film productions, including prints of "Deas Island Tunnel", "Highway on the Sea", "Men, Mountains and the Challenge", and "Rogers Pass", some of which were produced for Highways by the Photographic Branch of the Dept. of Recreation and Conservation.

British Columbia. Dept. of Highways

New Archives and Museum report

  • GR-0076
  • Series
  • 1966

The series consists of a report entitled "Specifications for B.C. Archives & Museum, Victoria, B.C. Phase 4." Vol. 2 of 6.

British Columbia. Dept. of Public Works

Pamphlets and brochures from public works files

  • GR-0210
  • Series
  • ca. 1910 - ca. 1960

The series consists of pamphlets, brochures, and advertisements describing products and services offered by diverse companies in connection with Public Works construction and maintenance programmes, from between ca. 1910 and 1960.
The material was culled from the Public Works correspondence files before microfilming.

British Columbia. Dept. of Public Works

Plumbing Department photographs

  • GR-3735
  • Series
  • 1943-[195-?]

The series consists of photographs of social functions and staff relating to the Department of Plumbing, part of the Department of Public Works. The series also contains two holiday greeting cards, one from the plumbing staff of the Department of Public Works (1949) and one from a private plumbing company (1943). The majority of the photographs are not dated. Those that are date to the 1940s, however other photographs look to have been taken later.

British Columbia. Dept. of Public Works

Correspondence and other material

  • GR-0830
  • Series
  • 1900-1913; 1957

This series consists of correspondence and other records from the Department of Lands and Works, and its successor, the Department of Public Works. Records include correspondence inward and tenders for Victoria Court House, 1900-1904, Government House, 1900-1904, and Parliament Buildings, 1900; specifications for Victoria Graving Dock; specifications and agreement for Lytton highway bridge, 1913; and weekly building progress reports, Government House, 1957 (reports 30-75 only).

British Columbia. Dept. of Lands and Works

Miscellaneous engineering photographs

  • GR-3294
  • Series
  • [ca. 1891-1957]

The series consists of photographs of engineering projects managed by the Dept. of Public Works. The photographs consist of both prints and negatives. The projects photographed include bridges and roads and were taken between 1891 and 1957.

British Columbia. Dept. of Public Works

Transportation and Highways library files

  • GR-1146
  • Series
  • 1907, 1933-1957

The series consists of files created by the Dept. of Highways (and its predecessor body, the Dept. of Public Works, Highways Branch) in 1907 and between 1933 and 1957. Most of the files refer to the First Narrows Bridge Company and seem to have been transferred to government when the British Columbia Toll Highways and Bridge Authority acquired the shares in the company and took over the First Narrows Bridge (also known as the Lions Gate Bridge) in 1955. The files concern trust deeds, articles of association, correspondence and various other documents about the company and include two technical drawings of the bridge and its approach through Stanley Park (box 2, folder 4).

The series also includes two files of invitations, received and declined, of the opening of the King George VI Highway in October 1940, a single file with a partial transcript of a 1954 hearing before the Committee of Forestry and Fisheries and a single file from 1907 regarding a proposed bridge at Second Narrows, Burrard Inlet.

British Columbia. Dept. of Highways

Engineering photographs

  • GR-3293
  • Series
  • [ca. 1913-1954]

The series consists of photographs of engineering projects managed by the Dept. of Public Works. The photographs were held in the Office of the Senior Bridge Design Engineer and consist of both prints and negatives. The projects photographed include bridges, roads, ferries, machinery, damage, buildings, topography, culverts, miscellaneous structures, portraits, signs, events and accidents. While almost all of the photographs were taken in British Columbia ca. 1913-1954, there are also photographs of engineering projects in the United States. The photographs, including negatives, were kept in envelopes, either large or small, and were filed by a three part number system. The first part of the number refers to a map square, the second part of the number refers to the classification and the third part is the project number. Details about the project were typed on the envelopes along with the file number. Each envelope contains photographs and negatives of that particular project and each photograph has an individual number, usually a sub-set of the file number.

A card index was used to manage the photographs, see the series Index to engineering photographs. As photographs were taken or acquired, they would be entered in the card index and added to the appropriate envelope. Occasionally photographs were removed by Public Works staff and never returned.

British Columbia. Dept. of Public Works

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