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Archival description
Only top-level descriptions Public buildings--British Columbia
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Commission of Lands correspondence

  • GR-1039
  • Series
  • 1871-1872

This series contains correspondence inward to the Chief Commissioner of Lands and Works relating to various public works, buildings, bridges and roads, surveys, government reserves, and general land matters. Includes memoranda, minutes, telegraphs, and sketches. Files W2/71 to W218/72, 29 December 1871 to 29 July 1872.

British Columbia. Dept. of Lands and Works

Lands records

  • GR-0829
  • Series
  • 1864-1868; 1876-1879

This series consists of three volumes of miscellaneous land account books. Volume 1, Land Revenue, receipts paid into the Treasury, 26 December 1864 to 30 December 1865. Volume 2, Cash Book, receipts and payments, 8 January 1866 to 2 July 1868. Volume 3, Ledger Book, expenditures for roads, furniture, buildings and government offices generally, 1876-1879. Index in front of vol. 3.

British Columbia. Dept. of Lands and Works

Correspondence relating to safes and locks at the Parliament Buildings

  • GR-1155
  • Series
  • 1874-1894

This series contains miscellaneous correspondence relating to safes and locks at the Parliament Buildings. It includes a letter to F.M. Rattenbury from M.W. Waitt regarding vault door combinations.

British Columbia. Dept. of Lands and Works

Public Works correspondence, plans and specifications

  • GR-0080
  • Series
  • 1872-1896

The series consists of records created by the Dept. of Lands and Works between 1872 and 1896 regarding public works. The records contains contracts, specifications, correspondence, and some plans connected with the construction and repair of schools, government buildings, and smaller works.

A limited number of files contained plans and a few files contained plans only. These files are indicated in the finding aid by * and ** respectively. All plans have been removed from the files and accessioned in the Map Collection as M856047. Appendix 1 of the finding aid lists the plans.

The file list provides the file number assigned by Public Works, the original contract number in square brackets, the name of the building or work, and the date of the contract.

British Columbia. Dept. of Lands and Works

Lands and Works records

  • GR-0832
  • Series
  • 1888-1898

List of public works and the names of those submitting tenders, including accounts bids, 1888-1898. Includes file number references.

British Columbia. Dept. of Lands and Works

Administrative records relating to Government House

  • GR-1051
  • Series
  • 1876-1906

This series contains records relating to Government House. Inventories of household goods, furniture, and effects, 1881-1882, 1899-1900, 1903; lists of goods damaged in the Government House fire, May 18, 1899; one letter regarding Government House fire insurance, July 7, 1899; Government House Insurance Policies, 1876-1906.

British Columbia. Dept. of Lands and Works

Public Works Engineer records regarding courthouses and other government buildings

  • GR-4263
  • Series
  • 1900-1907

This series consists of the records of the Public Works Engineer related to the construction, renovation and maintenance of courthouses and other government buildings, such as gaols (jails), lockups, hospitals, and government offices. The records date from 1900-1907. The majority of the records are correspondence to and from the Engineer. Other types of records include: tenders, contracts, financial records, lists of supplies, specifications, architectural plans, blueprints, sketches, maps, and other plans.

The records cover public buildings in the following locations: Alberni, Ashcroft, Atlin, Chilliwack, Comaplix, Creston, Fernie, Golden, Grand Forks, Greenwood, Lillooet, Moyie, Nakusp, Nanaimo, Nelson, New Westminster, Poplar, Port Simpson, Princeton, Rossland, Sandon, Trout Lake, Vancouver, Vernon, and Victoria.

The records had no discernable original order. The Archivist has arranged the records alphabetically by the name of the relevant town, then chronologically.

British Columbia. Dept. of Lands and Works. Works Branch

Selected Public Works project papers

  • GR-2007
  • Series
  • 1900-1912

Selected papers from the following projects: design and building of the Vancouver Court House, alterations to the Victoria Court House, design and building of Government House, Victoria, B.C., and the design and building of the Parliament Buildings, Victoria, B.C. Originals for some papers in this microfilm may be found in GR-0830.

British Columbia. Dept. of Public Works

New Vancouver Court House correspondence and other material

  • GR-0077
  • Series
  • 1900-1912

The series consists of records created by the Dept. of Public Works engineer between 1900 and 1912. Records include correspondence, memoranda, plans, and specifications concerning the Vancouver Court House.

British Columbia. Dept. of Public Works. Public Works Engineer

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

Records of the Office of the Chief Architect

  • GR-1732
  • Series
  • 1913-1967

This series contains records of the Office of the Chief Architect including project estimates and job cost record books for government buildings, schools, hospitals, court houses, and prisons. The job record is a detailed breakdown of costs by contractor and sub-contractor for each project. Indexes are by town/city and job. Box 1: Estimates 1913-1948 (not indexed); Building Estimates 1949-1955 (indexed); Job Cost Record Book 1955-1964 (indexed); Box 2: Job Cost Record Book 1964-1967.

British Columbia. Dept. of Public Works.  Office of the Chief Architect

Specifications and contracts

  • GR-1985
  • Series
  • [ca. 1930-1970]

Specifications and contracts (filed by area and building number). These records are associated with other unaccessioned hard copy indexes and microform drawings.

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

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

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

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

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

Jim Ryan fonds

  • PR-2163
  • Fonds
  • 1908-1995

The fonds consists of photographs and other records from 1908 to ca. 1995, created or collected by Jim Ryan in the course of his career as a photographer. There are approximately 105,738 photographs, mostly black and white and colour negatives, but also including prints, slides and glass slides. The fonds also includes textual records consisting of news stories, copies of Ryan's publications, a few letters and other such material. The majority of the photographs were taken in the Victoria area and include images of the harbour, the city, buildings, events and parks. There are many photographs of British Columbia politicians, notably W.A.C. Bennett, as well as distinguished visitors, federal and local politicians. There are also photographs of local characters, children and ordinary people. Although most of the photographs were taken in the Victoria area, there are occasional images taken in other areas of Vancouver Island as well as some of Ryan's travel photographs. Some of the earliest material relates to World War I and may be Ryan family photographs or items that Ryan collected out of interest.

The fonds also includes motion picture film material, including completed films, production elements, news stories shot for television, and selected reels of footage.

Ryan, Jim, 1920-1998