Taylor Manor

The building was designed by Vancouver architects Richard Thomas Perry and Charles Busteed Fowler. Their largest project was the Vancouver Old People’s Home. This project epitomized their strength in combining nostalgic British influences with more modern building forms.

The surrounding open space, now Adanac Park, once housed the farming and garden operations for the home, which generated fruit, vegetables, eggs and other farm produce for the residents.

Taylor Manor represents the emergence of Vancouver’s social conscience, to begin caring for a formerly new city’s aging population. In 1912, Vancouver taxpayer support ratified funding for construction and operation of a city-run old people’s home. The sitting mayor of Vancouver when the home opened in June 1915 was L.D. Taylor, after whom the building was re-named “Taylor Manor” in 1947.

L.D. Taylor was a self-made man who owned the left-leaning Vancouver Daily World newspaper. Taylor served five terms as mayor, had strong socialist inclinations, emphasizing concerns popular with working people. He died in poverty in 1946.

In March 2015, Taylor Manor reopened as supportive housing for homeless individuals with mental illness or addictions.

Source

Canada's Historic Places

More information

http://www.thekettle.ca/taylor-manor/