5824-5826 Ontario St

5824 Ontario St. is a Gabled Vernacular-style home. Located at the end of W 42nd Ave., the home features a steeply-pitched roof and asymmetrical door placement. This particular home also features a roof skirt, a detail that can commonly be found on many other homes that share a similar style. The original build of the home featured a full-width porch and simple columns on the façade.

Ontario Street was named by Dr. I.W. Powell after the Canadian province of Ontario. In 1903, Ontario Street was extended from its previous limit at 16th Avenue South all the way to the Fraser River. With this, Ontario Street became the eastern extent of the Canadian Pacific Railway land in that area, which subsequently led it to be the boundary between Vancouver’s east and west sides.

The home, built around 1912, was occupied by George A. Hyde, who worked as an insurance agent in the Rogers Building. Other residents include George W. Lucas, who was born in England and immigrated to Canada in 1903. Lucas resided in the home with his wife until 1921. Mrs. Harriet Lucas moved in shortly after George with their five children Guy, Ernest, Thomas, Sadie, and Ellen who were also all born in England. In 1925, a permit was filed by 42-year-old Archibald Grogan for an addition to the front of the home that would convert the porch into an extra room.

Although now part of the city of Vancouver, the neighbourhood of Sunset was formerly located in the then separate municipality of South Vancouver. It remained a small district for many years and it was not until 1911 that the population began to see a significant increase in numbers. Land that had once been cheap was then being subdivided for profit margins far above the cost only 10 years prior. Growth of the area levelled out after the initial boom leading into the 1920s but soon thereafter, the agricultural land became the site of homes for World War II veterans in the 1940s. In the 1950s, the Sunset area welcomed the additions of Wilson Park and John Oliver Secondary School. In the 21st century, Sunset is a diverse, working-class area, home to many independently-owned shops.

Source

British Columbia City Directories 1860-1955, VanMap, Heritage Vancouver Building Permits Database