Lions Bay Historical Society
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About Us - A Historical Perspective
Lions Bay has transformed from a small, remote village in the twentieth century to a community hub as it stands today.
The Elliot House, the first building constructed in the early 1900’s at Brunswick Beach, signaled an incentive to develop the community of Lions Bay in the 1960's. An original two-lane, rough logging road leading to Lions Bay along Howe Sound meant the village was quite secluded and geographically isolated from Vancouver before the 1950’s. This all changed shortly after.
Lions Bay was transformed in 1958 when the new highway was paved, marking a transition from cabin retreats to urban living. Vancouver continued geographically to expand throughout the 20th century, and the pristine, rural and urban feel Lions Bay offered attracted permanent residents in the early 1960’s. With better accessibility and faster commutes to the village from the Lower Mainland, the population in the community grew and consequently, Lions Bay Marina was built in the spring of 1965 and Lions Bay Primary School opened in April of 1977.
Lions Bay’s first Mayor, Mr. A. M. (Curly) Stewart and the first elected council in 1971 gave the community its official incorporation as a village the same year. Incorporation meant Lions Bay as a municipality in the Metro Vancouver region, and transit service to the community followed in the next decade on November 2, 1987, when the first bus route started between Lions Bay and West Vancouver. The C12 Bus started in September 2005 with the service extending to Brunswick Beach in October of 2009. People were excited, Lions Bay was on the map.
The Lions Bay Historical Society was founded in 1995 to reflect the rich and invigorating history that the village has established recently and throughout the previous decades.
Tony Cox, current chairman of the Lions Bay Historical Society, highlights how the organization has benefited the community positively. The opening of the Centennial Trail, which connects the communities of Kelvin Grove, Lions Bay, and Brunswick Beach, was just one event that the organization was involved in, creating brass plaques at each end of the trail to commemorate and remember the official linkages of the Village together.
The Lions Bay Historical Society also held a flag contest for the village leading up to the 25th Anniversary. The contest was won by Victor Miles out of 37 entries. The flag consists of blue lines and white stripes conveying ocean waves, the lion representing the two iconic mountains above the village, and the seagull, a popular bird in the area.
By creating over 25 DVD’s and two historical booklets, the Lions Bay Historical Society has captured many iconic events and is dedicated to recording many more exciting times ahead with the Lions Bay community.