Brightside Community Homes Foundation
#300 – 905 West Pender Street,
Vancouver, B.C.
V6C 1L6

P: (604) 684 3515
F: (604) 684 3677

Timbre & Harmony

About Timbre & Harmony

1425/1451 East 12th Avenue

1425 and 1451 East 12th Avenue are located in the Grandview-Woodland neighbourhood. This redevelopment will replace 57 existing units with 157 new units of affordable, secured rental housing for independent-living seniors and people with disabilities. 

The project is also pursuing Passive House certification. Passive House is a standard for energy efficiency and yields a reduced carbon footprint. It results in ultra-low energy consumption buildings that require little energy for space heating and cooling. 

Although Brightside has taken steps to maintain the buildings at 1425 and 1451 East 12th Avenue at a high standard, the properties are  aging and do not offer accessibility features such as elevators, often required for seniors aging in place. We at Brightside place a high priority on ensuring the homes we provide and the communities we foster meet the needs of our residents in the long-term. After many renovations and upgrades to the building, the need to redevelop 1425 and 1451 East 12th Avenue is clear in order to best meet the needs of our residents.

 

60 years after the first affordable seniors housing was erected on the site, Brightside is working to continue the legacy of providing affordable and accessible homes for seniors and people with disabilities. Improved accessibility features and amenities such as elevators will help support seniors living independently to age in place. Building to Passive House Certification standards means higher efficiency and lower costs, and contributes to Vancouver’s Greenest City vision.

Adding approximately 157 new homes to the site will help keep seniors within their communities and near their social supports. All residents currently living at 1425 and 1451 E 12th Avenue will be offered the chance to move into the new building once it is ready for occupancy and will continue to pay rents calculated according to their household income.

 

Why Timbre & Harmony?

All of Brightside’s residents, staff and Board, and select stakeholders had the opportunity to first provide thoughts and suggestions on possible names for the new buildings. The names were then shortlisted and put to a vote in the Brightside Community. The community chose the names Timbre and Harmony to represent the new buildings.

Timbre refers to the tone, colour and quality of sound that distinguishes instruments or singers from one another. Harmony refers to the sounding of two or more notes at the same time. Together, these two terms play off each other to suggest both uniqueness and togetherness, a reflection of both the buildings and the community.

We are grateful to all of the Brightside residents, staff, and Board members that took place in our community engagement process, and are truly excited to see these new names adorn the entryways of our new buildings once complete.

History: Edward Byers House & Loyal Orange Manor

Edward Byers House

 

In 1960, Brightside (then known as the British Columbia Housing Foundation) purchased 1451 East 12th Avenue from a private citizen with financial aid provided by the Coordinating Council of Lions Clubs. The donated funds enabled Brightside to develop 36 affordable rental homes for seniors.

The building was completed in 1962, and named “The Edward Byers House for Senior Citizens” after Edward Byers, dedicated past president of the BC Housing Foundation and long-time member of the Vancouver Central Lions Club.

Loyal Orange Manor

 

Key in the decision to develop on the 12th Avenue site was the possibility of one day acquiring the adjacent City-owned land. In 1968, the land was purchased with funds from the Loyal Orange Benevolent Association, and with additional provincial grant funding the development of the site was possible.

The new building, built to accommodate 21 residents, would be completed in 1971 and named “Loyal Orange Manor” as a nod to the women’s organization that was instrumental in securing the purchase and development of the new seniors home.

 

APPROVED

Brightside’s Rezoning Application for 1425/1451 East 12th Avenue was approved unanimously by Vancouver City Council on July 21, 2020.

 

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