LYNN VALLEY MASONIC HALL

The history of Lynn Valley Lodge began on September 3, 1931, when it was duly constituted by our Founding Master, Worshipful Brother J. Nicholson. The Honorable Simon F. Tolmie was Premier of British Columbia of the day, and Canada would win the gold medal in hockey at the Olympics the following year. The District of North Vancouver was only 40 years young.

The acquisition of a meeting hall was the prime concern, one that occupied most of the efforts of members during the early years. From May 20, 1923, to May 30, 1930, the Brethren had been trying to create an identity for the Lodge.  During that time they held their meetings wherever they could find space available. The original meeting place, the hall above Brother Morris' store, on Ross Road at Centre Road, served as the main location of the meetings for the first two years.

The Building Committee looked into other buildings in the area, but none were satisfactory. The possibility of buying a piece of land and building their own hall was considered.  There were two cleared lots available on the east side of Centre Road, near the school, belonging to J. H. Fromme. The price for the lots was $250.00, but the fledgling Lodge had no treasury as yet, and they needed a hall immediately.  The basement of the Methodist church on Institute Road was considered next. An estimate was made of the cost of alterations necessary to make the church basement suitable for Lodge meetings. On April 19, 1923, the only meeting held there took place. They returned to the hall over the store for the meeting on September 2, 1923, and at that time, Brother Harris offered the use of the premises for free, if the members would make the changes that were needed.

The cost of these repairs was estimated, but the idea did not proceed, even though the meetings continued to be held there for another year. On August 29, 1926, the Brethren purchased the Fromme lots on Centre Road, but the hall was never built. In April 1928, the School Board purchased the lots for $650.00 - less the current taxes of $20.00.  Two new lots were then purchased for Lodge construction, for $58.00 on Lynn Valley Road.  These lots were retained until the early 1930’s, when hard times and greater pressure maintaining a hall, resulted in their loss through defaulted taxes. During 1925, the Social Club was using Institute Hall, on Institute Road, for their whist drives and dances, and the April 25 meeting was held there.

1926 was a year of many moves for the Lynn Valley Brethren: the January meeting was held at Institute Hall; the next two meetings in February and April were held at the Foresters Hall on Lynn Valley Road at Harold Road. They went back to Institute Hall for two meetings, then in May, the Brethren moved to the Masonic Temple, on Lonsdale Avenue in North Vancouver, to conduct one meeting of their own, and to take the chairs at a Duke of Connaught meeting.  The Municipal Hall on Lynn Valley Road was the location of the meetings during 1927. Meetings in January and April 1928 were held, once again, at Institute Hall.

The idea of Lynn Valley Lodge started long before dispensation was granted. Records show that on May 20, 1923, 18 Master Masons gathered to discuss the possibility of establishing a new Masonic Lodge on the North Shore.  In April, 1929, the current building at 1371 Lynn Valley Road was leased and renovated.  The Grand Lodge of British Columbia granted the new Lodge a place for Freemasons to meet in 1932 after the Lodge was purchased for $1100.

On May 30, 1930, dispensation was finally granted. The first meeting of Lynn Valley Lodge was June 9, 1930.  Of the original 31 members of the new Lynn Valley Lodge, 16 were from Burrard Lodge.  Lynn Valley Lodge was granted its charter June 18,  1931. Constituted September 3, 1931. The first Worshipful Master was Worshipful Brother Nicholson and his designated Senior and Junior Wardens were Worshipful Brother Shoemaker and Brother Norton.

The library of the Masonic Temple on Lonsdale became the last temporary home of the Brethren forming the Lynn Valley Lodge. Meetings were held there until May 1930, by which time the granting of dispensation had been assured and the Foresters Hall had been leased.  Repairs were well underway when the Brethren met for the last time in the "Foresters Hall" on May 20. By June 9, Foresters Hall had a new name and the new lodge had a home. In 1991, Eastgate Lodge #176, amalgamated with Lynn Valley Lodge.

As a meeting hall for local Freemasons, there are three separate Lodges that meet here.  Lynn Valley Lodge 122, King David Lodge 93 and Hollyburn Lodge 135.  Freemasons from the North Shore and beyond meet regularly and welcome visiting Freemasons from all over the world in friendship and harmony. Our membership includes men ranging in age from their early 20s to their late 90s. As a fraternity, all three Lodges continue to support the community through charitable acts and contributions.

We welcome all enquiries from local men in the community who are interested in learning more about Freemasonry, our history and the importance of this building.

Hollyburn Lodge No.135 was registered by the Grand Lodge of British Columbia in 1948 to perform Ancient Work and share West Vancouver Masonic Temple with King David Lodge No. 93. The name Hollyburn is attributed to Brother John Lawson of King David Lodge.  Brother Lawson was the first white settler in what would become West Vancouver, and had named the area around where he lived Hollyburn because of a stand of holly trees that he had moved from his earlier home in Vancouver onto or near a burn which ran across his property.

Permission to form this new Lodge was dispensed by Grand Master George Roy Long.  He, in turn, commissioned his IPGM Kilburn K. Reid to conduct the Institution of the Lodge.  This ceremony took place before two hundred and sixty-five Freemasons, the greatest gathering of Freemasons to meet on the North shore.  Grand Lodge ordered the Charter for Hollyburn Lodge No.135 on June 17th, 1948, and with the Grand Master presiding, the Lodge was officially Constituted in the West Vancouver Masonic Temple on August 20th, 1948.

In 2013, Hollyburn Lodge No. 135 and King David Lodge No. 93 together sold their original building in West Vancouver and moved their meetings to the Lynn Valley Masonic Hall in North Vancouver, home of Lynn Valley Lodge No. 122.  On September 20, 2016, Hollyburn Lodge No. 135 amalgamated with Progress Lodge No. 87, strengthening itself, and welcoming a number of fine Masons.

Progress Lodge No. 87 began with a meeting of Freemasons in downtown Vancouver in 1919.  Many of them worked for the CPR and wanted their own Lodge.   It was difficult for these Masons to choose between Canadian Work and American (Ancient) Work due to their nationalism and varied Masonic backgrounds.  Nevertheless, when American Work was eventually decided on, Progress Lodge performed its ritual with zeal.

The lodge first met at the Masonic Hall in downtown Vancouver at Seymour and Georgia Street. Later, when it moved south to 49th and Main Street, it attracted new Masons from that area.  Progress Lodge was well known for its Master Mason Degree Team which traveled to help other Lodges from Abbotsford to Powell River and points between.  In 1949, it began a close relationship with Ferndale Lodge No. 264 in the Grand Lodge of Washington, the warmth of which continues to this day. In 1986, the Lodge moved once again, this time into the Vancouver Freemasons Hall at 8th Avenue and Granville Street.

For many Masonic years brotherly love flourished in Progress Lodge, good Work was done and Brothers were happy.   In 2016, as membership fell, Progress Lodge decided to amalgamate with Hollyburn Lodge No. 135, where the Brothers found new life and brotherly love. The Progress Lodge Ritual, unique and officially “grandfathered” by Grand Lodge in 1972, has since been taken up and reprinted as the Official Ritual of Hollyburn Lodge No. 135.

The beginning of Freemasonry in West Vancouver had its origin as a result of the aftermath of the First World War, when men everywhere struggled towards the light of Peace on Earth: it was only natural that anywhere men could gather in a brotherly spirit was eagerly sought after.  Small wonder, then, that to Freemasonry came a great number seeking admission.  Let it not be forgotten that the impetus then received was a direct result of the shining mark made in the world of Darkness by the Grand Old Lodges that had been in existence for many years, and whose present members were not stepping in to fill the gaps left by the Grim Reaper.  May they continue to be worthy of their memory.

In January 1920, inquiries were sent out to find Brethren who may be interested in the formation of a Masonic Lodge in West Vancouver, where it was difficult, owing to transportation difficulties, for members to attend Lodge either in Vancouver or North Vancouver.  On August 8, 1921, a Warrant of Constitution was granted and King David Lodge No. 93 was instituted by Most Worshipful Brother Wallace S. Terry, Grand Master.

During the period of Dispensation our Lodge held its meetings in an earlier structure, John Lawson's barn to be precise, on the same site upon which the present Masonic Hall now stands.  The old building, at 1763 Bellevue Avenue was demolished to make way for a new one in 1950.  W.B. Hamilton Anderson was the Worshipful Master in that year.  Many prominent citizens of West Vancouver were members of the Lodge. The cornerstone was laid in a colourful and impressive ceremony, and a record of the ceremony in the form of colour transparencies is preserved in the archives of the Lodge.  A time capsule was placed behind the cornerstone which was opened in 2013.

It should be noted that many events were held in the old Lodge building from 1950 to 2013, after which the building was sold, due to high taxes and high maintenance costs.  King David Lodge relocated to the Lynn Valley Masonic Hall.

Most recently, on the same day in March, 2021, our present accommodations were damaged by fire, along with a second lodge hall in North Vancouver, and a third in Vancouver.