Description of Historic Place

Located at the edge of Vancouver's Chinatown at 721 Main Street, BC Hydro's Murrin Substation is a large brick building that dominates the west side of Main Street between East Georgia and Union Streets.

Heritage Value

The heritage value of the Murrin Substation is derived from its architecture and from the long history of use of the site for utility purposes. Constructed between 1945 and 1947, the substation is a concrete product of the BC Electric Company's ambitious post-war development plans, which were formulated under President W.G. Murrin and put into action by his successor, Del Grauer.

The substation was built by BC Electric, the private firm that operated Vancouver's electrical and transportation systems up until its nationalization with the creation of the BC Hydro and Power Authority in 1961. The long association of the site with power generation and management purposes dating back to 1906, adds to its heritage value. The proximity of such raw industry to Chinatown is a legacy of historical anti-Chinese feeling causing the placement of the community in an area considered unsuitable for habitation by white Canadians. The longstanding role of the Chinatown area within the larger scheme of Vancouver's transportation and power infrastructure is an important sub-theme in its history that remains, through buildings and various landscape features, inscribed on the area's landscape. The power distributed from Murrin supplies the entire downtown area and for many years a smaller adjacent building (now demolished) fed power to the city's electric trolley buses.

The association of the building with the Vancouver architectural firm of McCartner and Nairne and its construction by Northern Construction Ltd. adds to its heritage value. Both firms have made substantial contributions in their respective areas of expertise and to Vancouver's built environment. McCarter and Nairne are best known for landmark buildings such as the Marine Building, Post Office, and Spencer's department store, but they also designed other substations for BC Electric. The decorative elements are an important reminder of the fact that industrial buildings do not have to be entirely functional in appearance. The use of Art Deco motifs and classical references is very late and could be considered a unique revival of that style in Vancouver.

Source: City of Vancouver Heritage Conservation Program

Character-Defining Elements

The character-defining elements of the Murrin Substation include its:
- location at the edge of Chinatown
- use of the property for utility purposes as part of the larger urban infrastructure
- large mass of brick uninterrupted by windows
- cast stone features including cornice, string course, medallions, overdoor panels, architraves, pilasters and plinth
- small doors to street
- lack of public access
- anonymous yet essential function