Vancouver, British Columbia |
This article refers to the city in British Columbia,
Canada. Vancouver can also refer to Vancouver, Washington, USA, a suburb of
Portland, Oregon. For other uses, see Vancouver (disambiguation)
Vancouver (49n16, 123w07 PST) is a Canadian city, in
the Province of British Columbia. It is a major seaport and the largest metropolitan centre
in western Canada, home to 545,000 people in 2001 in the centre city. Vancouver is the main
city of the Greater Vancouver
Regional District (GVRD) and of the larger region commonly known as the Lower Mainland, where 1,986,965 people (2001) live. The current mayor
is Larry Campbell, Coalition of Progressive Electors.
Location
Vancouver is situated at 49 degrees, 16 minutes north, and 123 degrees, 7 minutes west, in the Pacific Time Zone (UTC-8). It is adjacent to the Strait of Georgia, a body of water that is separated from the Pacific Ocean by Vancouver Island.
History
A settlement called "Wu'muthkweyum," (Musqueam), meaning "people of the grass," near the mouth of the Fraser River, dates from at least 3,000 years ago. Vancouver's ecosystem, with its
abundant plant and animal life, provides a wealth of food and materials that have probably supported people for over 10,000
years. At the time of European contact the Musqueam and Squamish peoples had villages in the area now called Vancouver. There is
also evidence of a third group, the Tsleil'wauthuth, ancestors of today's Burrard Band in North Vancouver. These were Coast
Salish First Nations sharing cultural traits with people in the Fraser Valley and Northern Washington. Halkomelem was the common language of the
river people; the Squamish spoke a different language.
The Native peoples of the Northwest Coast achieved a very high a level of cultural complexity for a food gathering base. As
Bruce Macdonald notes in Vancouver: a visual history: "Their economic system encouraged hard work, the accumulation of
wealth and status and the redistribution of wealth..." Winter villages, in what is now known as Vancouver, were comprised of
large plankhouses made of redcedar wood. Gatherings called potlatches were common in the summer and winter months when the spirit powers were active.
These ceremonies were an important part of the social and spiritual life of the people.
Spanish Captain Jose Maria Narvaez was the first European to explore the Strait of Georgia in 1791. In the following year,
1792, the British naval Captain George Vancouver (1757-1798) from King's Lynn in Norfolk joined the Spanish
expedition based at Nootka Sound on Vancouver Island's west coast and further explored the Strait of Georgia, as well as Puget
Sound.
Lumbering was the early industry along Burrard Inlet, now the site of Vancouver's port. The first sawmill began operating in 1863 at Moodyville (in
1915, renamed "North Vancouver"). The first export of lumber took place in 1865; this lumber was shipped to Australia. By 1865
the first sawmill, Stamp's Mill, started in what was to become the City of Vancouver.
In 1870, the colonial government of British Columbia surveyed the community officially known as Granville. It was sited
immediately west of Stamp's Mill and commonly known as Gastown, a name that survives
today.
In 1885 Granville was selected by the Canadian
Pacific Railway to be the western terminus of the transcontinental railway commissioned by the government of Canada under the
leadership of Prime Minister Sir John A. MacDonald. (This led to
Vancouver's infrequently used nickname, Terminal City). The CPR selected the new name "Vancouver", in part because the existence
of Vancouver Island nearby would help identify the location to
easterners. On April 6, 1886, the city was
incorporated under that name; the first regular transcontinental train from Montreal arrived at a temporary terminus at Port
Moody in July 1886, and service to Vancouver itself began in May 1887.
A fire devastated much of the city on June
13, 1886, but with the arrival of the railway, Vancouver soon recovered and began to
grow rapidly due to access to Canadian markets. Additionally, as part of the agreement to join the Confederation, British
Columbia's debt of approximately $1,000,000 was paid in full by the Canadian government, creating additional business
opportunities.
Scenery
Vancouver is home to North America's third largest urban park (Canada's largest), Stanley Park. Despite having all the urban amenities of a big city, Vancouver has quick access to the Pacific
Ocean and the mountains of the Coast Range. Due to the enclosure of mountains and water, buildings in downtown Vancouver are
similar to highrises found in central Hong Kong. On a clear day one can see Mount
Baker (a volcano in Washington state) to the southeast.
Vancouver sunset
Climate
Vancouver's temperate climate goes against the Canadian stereotype and it is typically the warmest major city in Canada in the
winter. The temperature and weather are similar to that of Seattle, Vancouver's nearest major US neighbour. Summer months are usually sunny and the temperature
hovers above 20 degrees Celsius. Spring and autumn are typically rainy and windy. Winter is very rainy and stormy. Snow is common
in the surrounding mountains but not at sea level. Vancouverites however usually see one major snowfall every winter. The average
winter temperature is 3 degrees Celsius.
Living
Vancouver is a relaxed city with many diversions and easy access to outdoor activities such as hiking, cycling, boating and
skiing. There is a lively cultural scene. Some have called it a "city of neighbourhoods," each with its own distinctive
character.
Vancouver can be an expensive city, as housing prices are among the highest in Canada. Various strategies aim to lessen
housing costs. These include cooperative housing, suites, increased density and smart growth. Nevertheless, as with many other cities on the west coast of North America, homelessness is a
concern, as is the growing gulf between rich and poor. A major problem neighbourhood in Vancouver is the Downtown Eastside, with its poor and displaced populations, high
substance abuse, and crime.
People
Vancouver is home to people of many ethnic backgrounds and religions. It contains the second largest Chinatown in North America, (after San Francisco's) and many ethnic neighbourhoods including Little India and
the Punjabi Village, Japantown, and Greektown. Street signs written in Chinese and Punjabi (with
original English names) can be seen in those respective cultural communities. Prior to the hand-over of Hong Kong to China many Chinese immigrants made Vancouver their
home. Since then, immigrants from all around the world have flocked to call Vancouver home as well.
Vancouver has many progressive elements, including a bustling music and art scene and innovative approaches to drug issues.
The Four Pillars Drug Strategy combines harm reduction (needle exchanges, safe injection sites) with prevention, treatment and
enforcement. Marijuana laws are generally unenforced within the city region
allowing several "marijuana cafes" to open, earning it the name the Amsterdam
of the North.
Industry
Vancouver is Canada's largest port and North America's gateway for Asia-Pacific trade. It ranks second in North America in
total foreign exports and second on the West Coast in total cargo volume.
"Hollywood North," as the city has been called, typically hosts 10% of Hollywood's movies. Many American television series are
filmed exclusively in Vancouver.
Tourism is a vital industry in Vancouver. Whistler, BC, 126 kilometres north of Vancouver, has often been designated as having the best
skiing mountains in North America. Grouse Mountain, Mount Seymour, and Cypress Mountain, each with a variety of summer and winter sports, are within thirty
minutes drive of downtown Vancouver. The city's beaches, parks, waterfront and mountain backdrop, combined with its cultural and
multi-ethnic character, all contribute to its unique appeal.
In an International Olympic Committee meeting in Prague, Czech Republic, in July 2003, Vancouver received the right to host
the 2010 Winter Olympics. Vancouver was also the site of
the 1986 World Exposition.
Transportation
The Greater Vancouver Regional District (GVRD) operates a regional rapid transit system, under the auspices of TransLink, an organization which is responsible
for all aspects of municipal transportation, including roads and ferries within the GVRD. There is frequent bus service
throughout Greater Vancouver. A passenger-only ferry service (known as SeaBus) crosses
Burrard Inlet to North Vancouver, while a two-line automated light rail metro system, the SkyTrain, links the downtown to Burnaby, New Westminster, and
Surrey. West Coast Express, a commuter rail train serves Port Moody, Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam, Pitt Meadows, Maple Ridge and Mission. All these services have an integrated ticketing system, making public transport
cheap and efficient. In addition, private companies operate leisure-oriented passenger ferry services, around False Creek. HarbourLynx provides passenger-only ferry
service from Vancouver harbour to Nanaimo harbour on Vancouver Island.
Bus service operates throughout the region. Most buses are wheelchair accesible and a large number carry bike racks, able to
carry two wheelchair and bycycles respectivley. Frequency in Greater Vancouver ranges from every few minutes within the City of
Vancouver to virtually non-existant in Maple Ridge and Aldergrove. Bus service frequency by area is
shown below.
Average Bus Frequency
Vancouver: Under 10 minutes
Burnaby/North Vancouver: 15 to 30 minutes
Richmond/Delta/Surrey/White Rock/West Vancouver: 30 minutes
Coquitlam/Port Moody/Port Coquitlam/Langley: 30 to 60 minutes
Maple Ridge/Aldergrove/Lions Bay: 2 to 3 trips a day / 60 to 120 minutes
There is an extensive network of bike paths that provide east/west and north/south routes from one end of the city to the
other. Each of the major bike paths has signal control to permit cyclists easy crossing of major arteries.
Municipal bylaws and geography have protected Vancouver from the spread of urban freeways, and the only freeway within city limits is Highway 1, which passes through the eastern edge of the city.
Vancouver is served by Vancouver
International Airport, located on Sea Island in Richmond. The airport (YVR) is one of the busiest on the West Coast. A heliport and seaplane dock on Burrard Inlet link downtown
directly to Victoria and YVR. Vancouver is
also served by two B.C. Ferry
terminals, one to the northwest near the village of Horseshoe Bay, and one to the south, at Tsawwassen, linking the city to Vancouver Island and other nearby islands.
Rankings
Vancouver ranks second in a worldwide quality of life survey of 215 cities, conducted by Mercer Human Resource Consulting . Vancouver consistently ranks in the top 5 in
most worldwide rankings. Vancouver is almost always ranked number #1 when compared to its Canadian and American peers.
Sites of Interest
Notable buildings within the city include Christ Church Cathedral, the Hotel Vancouver (now part of the Fairmont chain), the Museum of Anthropology at the University of British Columbia (with a world
standard collection of Native American art including work by Bill Reid) and the
Vancouver Art Gallery (notable collections include
illustrations by Chagall and paintings by Emily Carr). There are several striking modern buildings in the downtown area, including the Vancouver Law
Courts and surrounding plaza known as Robson Square (Arthur Erickson,
architect) and the Vancouver Library Square
(Moshe Safdie, architect), reminiscent of the Colloseum in Rome. The
tallest building in the city, One Wall Centre, will soon be eclipsed by the 60+ storey "Living Shangri La" tower[1]
, to be completed by 2007.
Neighbourhoods and other sites of interest within the city include:
- the downtown
peninsula, including:
- Gastown, with brick streets and original buildings reflecting Vancouver's
history
- Chinatown, including the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen classical Chinese garden, the Chinese Cultural Centre, shoppes, restaurants, and open-air
markets
- the West End, one of the most densely populated areas
of North America, including access to English Bay, Sunset Beach, and Stanley Park
- Robson Street, a hip
fashionable shopping and dining district
- Granville Pedestrian
Mall, characterized by blazing neon signs and a 24/7 urban scene the centre of downtown is a hip area of danceclubs, bars,
theatres, concert halls, shoppes, and restaurants. It is also the main transfer area for TransLink busses and has a SkyTrain subway stop.
- Burrard Street, the
busiest street in Vancouver is home to high fashion retail, posh hotels, and interestingly enough - the financial district
- Yaletown, Downtown South, and Coal Harbour neighbourhoods (previously
industrial areas, now reclaimed with high-end residential high-rises, danceclubs,
restaurants, and bars)
- False Creek, one of Vancouver's
first planned condominium neighborhoods, on the site of what was the largest lumber mill in the city.
- Kitsilano, including Greektown, Kits Beach and the Planetarium
- Marpole, originally a farming community
on the Fraser River, now a residential community
- West Point Grey, the
westernmost neighborhood of Vancouver where you can relax on one of the many beaches.
- Queen Elizabeth park (the highest point in Vancouver) known as Little Mountain. The park was at one time a gravel quarry. The
Bloedel Conservatory and the Quarry garden are situated near the peak.
- Van Dusen Botanical Gardens
- Granville Island, including artist galleries and a bustling
fresh food market
- Commercial Drive
("The Drive"), for arts, restaurants, cafes, and "multiethnic" shopping
- Little
India and the Punjabi Market, for Asian continental savors and treasures
- the University of British Columbia
campus and adjacent parklands, including clothing-optional Wreck Beach, the
massive Pacific Spirit Regional Park, the
Museum of Anthropology, and the UBC
Botanical Garden and Centre for Plant Research
Colleges and Universities
Vancouver and its adjacent communities are the home of two major universities, the University of British Columbia (UBC) and
Simon Fraser University (SFU), as well as a number of
community colleges.
List of Mayors of Vancouver
Professional Sports Teams
Former professional sport teams
Municipalities in Greater Vancouver
There are 21 municipalities in the Greater Vancouver Regional District (GVRD). While each of these has a separate
municipal government, the GVRD oversees common services within the metropolitan area such as water, sewage, housing,
transportation and regional parks.
Location Relative to Other Municipalities in Greater Vancouver
References
- Macdonald, B. 1992. Vancouver: a visual history. Vancouver: TALONBOOKS.
See Also
- West End
- Downtown
- Downtown Eastside
- Commercial Drive
- Little
India
- Greektown
- Japantown
- Chinatown
- Koreatown
- Little
Saigon
- Little
Italy
- Davie District
- Granville Arts
District
- Centre
Broadway District
External links
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