During the early to mid-1940s, Deep Cove was mainly made up of summer homes.
Throughout the late ’40s and ’50s that began to change as young families seeking affordable homes began to buy cottages. They began winterizing them by installing wood/coal or oil furnaces, insulation and indoor plumbing. They sent their kids off to school and the community of Deep Cove as a year-round residence began.
Arthur Coverdale moved into Deep Cove in the mid-1950s, and immediately became a vital part of this growing community. He remained here until the last few years of his life. Arthur passed away on Aug. 15, at age 92. Born in Yorkshire, England, on July 6, 1924, Art grew up and apprenticed in the steelwork industry. He moved to London, Ont., in 1952, working there for a short time before climbing onto his British Motorbike and making the trip to Vancouver. Once here, he worked as senior template maker for Dominion Bridge on the Granville Street Bridge.
Soon he met another British motorbike enthusiast, Vivienne Chalker, who had been a resident of Deep Cove since moving with her family from Bombay, India, as a teenager.
They got to know each other through being members of the British Motorcycle Club and were married in 1955. They lived downtown for a year, then moved to what is now Badger Road in Deep Cove to be near Vivienne’s ailing father, Thomas Chalker. The Coverdales moved soon after her father died into what had been Vivienne’s first home in Canada. It was here they raised their children, Stuart and Lisa.
Both Art and Vivienne became invested in the community of Deep Cove, while raising their children. Vivienne and a friend organized a weekly get-together for mums at the old Deep Cove Community Hall. Later she went to work in the new Royal Bank at Dollarton Shopping Centre. The love of British motorcycles was always with Art; he used to race at Abbotsford Airport before Westwood was built (he was there the day Westwood opened and was there with his daughter, Lisa, the day it closed). The longest ride he took on his bike was from Vancouver to Mexico.
They also loved boating and fishing and, at the suggestion of their friend John Hutchinson, they become members of the Deep Cove Yacht Club. Art was Commodore in 1968 and found himself dealing with a storm that tore the docks apart in 1969. He was always ready to pitch in to work on both the yacht club’s building and docks.
He remained active in the club enjoying the social events until just a couple of years ago.
After leaving his job at Dominion Bridge in the 1970s, Art started his own successful home renovation company and many examples of his work stand strong today.
In the 1990s he became one of the fabulous set building crew for both Deep Cove Stage and First Impressions Theatre. He volunteered countless hours working for many years along with John Hutchinson, Mike Lord, Dave Chetwynd, Brian Stevenson and Michael Smith; they shared great camaraderie, a lot of laughter and more than one beer over the many years. Dave and Brian both passed away some years ago.
After their daughter Lisa and Giovanni Malara were married, the Coverdales experienced the joy of being grandparents when first Nicolas and then Daniel were born. Lisa said that Art was always “very hands on and proud of both the boys.”
Art and Vivienne were lifetime members of the Deep Cove Heritage Society, with both taking part in and spearheading many events over the years, all the while sharing stories of how Deep Cove used to be in the good old days. Deep Cove Heritage’s Janet Pavlik nailed it when she said, “Arthur’s distinctive booming British voice will be missed by all his friends in the Cove. We loved you, Art!”
