Although Coal Harbour is technically considered part of the West End by the City of Vancouver, it has a distinctly different feel than the rest of the neighbourhood. Though its perimeters are a little loose, Coal Harbour falls on the northern shore of the Downtown peninsula, with high rises extending to the entrance of Stanley Park to the west, up to Georgia Street to the south and bordered by the financial district on the east.
When high-rises and condos first started going up in the Coal Harbour area, the neighbourhood really had no cohesive feel or personality, beyond its spectacular views of the harbour, Stanley Park, and the North Shore mountains. Recently, with the construction of the Coal Harbour Community Centre in 2000 and the implementation of greenspace, storefronts and walkways along the shoreline, Coal Harbour is developing into a community unto itself.
Condo prices in Coal Harbour are some of the highest in the city, and so shops and stores in the new neighborhood tend to be upscale- gourmet restaurants that cater both to tourists and locals,organic grocery stores and high-end boutiques. The community is a popular choice for “empty nesters” moving back into the city, as well as overseas investors who know that Coal Harbour properties are likely to appreciate.
Coal Harbour is a popular spot for tourists and, despite an increasing amount of residences, the waterfront and parks are still accessible to all Vancouverites and visitors.
Though the community of Yaletown technically is defined as part of Downtown by the City of Vancouver, really it is a neighborhood all to itself with unique traits and residents. Set along False Creek, this area is one of the youngest in Vancouver, mainly only an industrial area until the Expo 1986 World's Fair. At that time, Yaletown began to turn residential, with high-rise apartments and converted warehouses turning the area into one of the most densely populated neighbourhoods in the city.
Yaletown earned a reputation for affluence in the 1990s, when a number of Dot Com Boom companies set up shop there. Film offices, art galleries, gourmet restaurants and expensive boutiques followed, and by the end of the '90s Yaletown was known to be the ritziest area Downtown.
Despite the Dot Com Bust in the beginning of the 21st century, Yaletown remains a very affluent neighbourhood, the area of choice for pro athletes, film stars and, young, successful couples. Because of this, locals often joke about the excessive lifestyles of residents, about sighting pilates-toned, beautiful women carrying dogs in purses, and immaculately dressed bachelors dropping small fortunes in one of the areas many bars.
Yaletown is a great place for shopping (even if it's just window shopping) and an even better place for people watching. Whether you've got tons of money to spend or just a few bucks for a coffee on a patio, there's certainly a lot to do and see in this bustling 'hood.
Strathcona
Strathcona is a vibrant community of seniors, working families, professionals and artists. A multi-cultural centre, the area is comprised of more residents with Chinese and Vietnamese heritage than average for the City of Vancouver. Chinese is the dominant household language for area residents. Household sizes in this area are smaller than the City or GVRD average. With a higher proportion of apartment type housing, the area is home to a greater percentage of renters than average for the City, including a significant proportion of those living in non-market housing.
Reflecting their older age, lower education levels and smaller household size, Strathcona exhibits lower household incomes than the Vancouver or GVRD average. However, with an increasing number of families as well as young singles with higher disposable incomes, the face of Strathcona is changing. Building on its cultural heritage, the Strathcona area is also increasingly attracting young singles with artistic and cultural employment and interests.
Strathcona residents in the work force are primarily involved in sales and service as well as employment related to industry, including “trades, transport and equipment related” and “processing and manufacturing.” A significant percentage of residents also tend toward employment in art, culture, recreation and sport.
West End
The West End of Vancouver extends west from Burrard Street, east of Denman Street, and south of West Georgia Street. Historically the term referred to everything from Burrard Street to Stanley Park, and many residents still view is thusly, even though Coal Harbour and areas west of Denman having a slightly different, more affluent population.
The West End is a popular neighbourhood for young people, new immigrants, travelers and retirees, and so the area, which is very densely populated, boasts a diverse mix of peoples. With its proximity to the downtown core, Stanley Park, and the beach, the neighbourhood is always bustling with visitors and tourists, but still maintains a residential feel, thanks to traffic calming initiatives and a multitude of small parks in the area. The West End is also home to the Davie Street village, Vancouver's most visible gay neighborhood.
Residents of the West End are just minutes from the beach, the park, nightlife and shopping, yet still enjoy a relatively quiet neighbourhood. This can change seasonally, as Vancouverites flock to English Bay for a dip in the Pacific Ocean.
The West End plays host to a number of popular events annually, including four nights of the HSBC Celebration of Light in late July and early August, and the Vancouver Gay Prideparade in early August. While the events themselves are a blast, the resulting crowds that descend on the neighbourhood can be troubling for some residents. Also, while the West End has a residential feel, its proximity to the city means accompanying urban problems – panhandlers, drugs, dumpster diving and squatting are prevalent in the area. Most residents find these problems to be fairly mild, however, and an active residents association ensures that any recurrent issues in the area are brought to the attention of authorities.
This vibrant neighbourhood is what many realtors and retailers like to describe as “transitioning”. The area extends from from Cambie Street to Clark Drive and from Great Northern Way and 2nd, to 16th and Kingsway (Vancouver).
The heart of Mount Pleasant is arguably the SoMa (South Main) area, which runs from Main & 7th to Main & 15th, but is mostly centred at the intersection of Main & Broadway. Historically, the neighbourhood was built upon a stream, to which many breweries were attached, (hence the name of the stream “Brewery Creek”) around the turn of the 20th century. A residential neighbourhood sprung up around this industry, and indeed according to some, Mount Pleasant was Vancouver's first sub-urb. In the 1970s and '80s, Mount Pleasant endured a reputation as a hot neighbourhood for drugs and prostitution, but since the early '90s, it has undergone a magnificent transition, with local, hip businesses moving into the area.
Currently, Mount Pleasant is one of the hottest real estate markets in the city, with everything from condos to converted factories to renovated characters homes being snapped up by buyers desperate to live the Main Street lifestyle. Newcomers to Mount Pleasant can expect an eclectic community of artists, young, upwardly-mobile creatives, and , of course, families. A new community centre is planned for Mount Pleasant in 2009, which will feature housing, daycare, a gym, and more.
Check out the community centre's homepage: www.city.vancouver.bc.ca/corpsvcs/facility/1kingsway/index.htm.
Kitsilano
The famously trendy neighbourhood of Kitsilano extends East-West from Burrard Street to Alma St and North-South from English Bay to 16th Ave. Along with wonerful beaches and parks, Kitsilano has many great restaurants and shops, with W 4th, W 10th and Broadway Avenues being particularly packed with great businesses.
Perhaps because of its proximity to two beaches Kits beach roll through Kitsilano on a sunny day and you'll see many residents out for walks with their dogs, dressed up in stylish, form-flattering yoga gear.
Kitsilano's residential buildings are mostly multi-unit dwellings, either houses divided into suites or apartments. In the 60s, the neighborhood was quite affordable, and had a reputation as a haven for “hippie” culture, but nowadays Kits is a pricy area both for renters and buyers. The benefits of living there are plenty, though- between the gorgeous, sandy beaches, spectacular views (both of the landscape and the residents!) and the boutique shops and gourmet restaurants, Kits-dwellers really do enjoy a great standard of living
Kensington-Cedar Cottage
Kensington-Cedar Cottage is a residential, mostly working-class neighborhood, running East-West from Nanaimo St. to Fraser St., and North-South from Broadway to 41st Ave. Containing the upper, more residential end of Commercial Drive, the busy, commercial stretch of Kingsway and perhaps the highest concentration of Vancouver Specials of any neighbourhood in the city, Kensington-Cedar Cottage would be a fairly normal area if not for Trout Lake Park.
Trout Lake Park, containing the Vancouver's only lake, is an oasis in the city, a family-friendly area for picnics, tennis, swimming, walks and more. There is a community centre with an ice rink and a gym, and in the summer there are weekend farmer's markets. Trout Lake also hosts the annual Illuminaries Lantern Procession, a wonderful, free event held each summer, which sees thousands of Vancouverites create wildly imaginative paper lanterns to light up the night sky. Truly, it is one of the most magical evenings on the Vancouver Calendar.
Like most of East Vancouver, Kensington-Cedar Cottage s transitioning from working-class to middle class, as a more affluent, younger demographic moves into the area.
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