West Vancouver Oral History

We are trying to capture something before it is lost.

The West Vancouver Stories project began as a formal collection of the memories and experiences of long time West Vancouver residents. Stories were collected and interviews were professionally videotaped. Once they have been digitized, they will be available in the municipal archives as a record of our history.

West Vancouverites will have a new way to participate in West Vancouver Stories Community Oral History project this year. Let’s call it learning by doing. To create one oral history, many skills must converge. Interviewing and research are primary. They rest on the foundations of organization and planning, technical knowledge of recording and cameras, sound and lighting, outreach and communication, and above all, empathy and interest. You may have experience in these areas. You may want to learn new skills. You are interested in the social history and cultural heritage of our community.

West Vancouver Historical Society, in company with our neighbours, North Shore Volunteers for Seniors, will offer training in all the elements of creating a finished oral history interview. West Vancouver Stories oral history project collects and preserves the stories and memories of the people who built our community, in their own words. These oral histories will be a legacy for local families and for future generations and a unique resource for historians and researchers in a range of disciplines.

West Vancouver Stories is grateful for support from the New Horizons for Seniors Program, the District of West Vancouver, West Vancouver Community Foundation, the Ambleside Tiddlycove Lions Club, West Vancouver Care Centre, Geller Properties, and the Bosa Film and Animation Centre at Capilano University.

For more about participating in West Vancouver Stories, please contact us.