Vancouver

Unlike most North American cities, Vancouver, the heart of Greater Vancouver, is a people place. The downtown’s West End has one of Canada’s highest population densities. The best way to take in the sights and sounds of downtown is by walking, biking, or tours by bus or trolley. Vancouver’s downtown is surrounded by water on three sides and you can walk along the water around almost the whole of downtown.
 
History

Here, in a nutshell, are some of the highlights of Vancouver's sometimes oddball history:

16,000 to 11,000 BC: Segments of the Coast Salish people- the ancestors of the Squamish, Burrard, Tsleil-Waututh, Musqueam (Xw'muthk'i'um), Tsawwassen, Coquitlam (Kwayhquitlam), Katzie and Semiahmoo Indian bands- arrive from Asia. They seem to be quite satisfied with the beaches teeming with seafood, and they name what is now English Bay 'Ayyulshun', which means 'soft under feet'. There are forests teaming with wildlife, and nearby is the mouth of a big river emptying into a vast ocean, where big, fat, silvery salmon swim by six months out of every year.

1592 - 1774 AD: The Spaniards cruise by as part of their exploration of Canada's west coast. Spain claims the west coast of North America by virtue of the Treaty of Tordesillas, which occurred in 1494. Their presence is still felt today even though the Spanish felt Friendly Cove at the entrance to Nootka Sound was a better place for a town. The City of Vancouver has a number of streets named after Spaniards: Cordova, Cardero, Valdez and Narvaez (Galiano Street in Coquitlam.)

1792: Captain George Vancouver arrives. He spends one day here, which is long enough to discover the Spanish have already claimed the place and headed off again. During the day, Captain Vancouver meets with Spanish captains Valdez and Galiano (one of Vancouver's best beaches, Spanish Banks, is named for the meeting place).

1808: Simon Fraser, an explorer and fur trader, arrives here, following an overland route from Eastern Canada by a river he thought was the Columbia. Even though he was wrong about his travel plan, the river is still named for him.

1827: The Hudson's Bay Company builds a trading post on the Fraser River. It is the first permanent non-native settlement in the Vancouver area. Since 1893, the company has occupied a prime location at the corner of Georgia and Granville in Vancouver's downtown core and they're still trading.

1867: A talkative chap nicknamed "Gassy Jack" opens a saloon for forestry workers on the shore of Burrard Inlet. It becoms so popular that a community builds up around the place and calls itself Gastown.

1870: Gastown is incorporated as the town of Granville.

1884: The Canadian Pacific Railway moves its terminal from the head of Burrard Inlet to the area of Granville (now known as Coal Harbour). Port Moody is miffed, but Granville grows rapidly. That same year, the vessel 'Robert Kerr' leaves England with Seraphim Fortes aboard. Seraphim, from Barbados, has been living in Liverpool working as a bath attendant and swimming instructor, and is heading for Victoria when the ship founders. It is towed into English Bay and Fortes thinks, "Well, what the heck, I might as well stay and do the same kind of work here." He soon becomes known as 'Joe'.

1886: Now that it has 1,000 people, Granville is incorporated as the City of Vancouver. The first mayor is realtor M.A. McLean. On June 13 a brush fire gets away and burns the city to the ground in less than 30 minutes. McLean, knowing the value of real estate, gets rebuilding going in a matter of days.

1887: The CPR's first train arrives; the final stop of the first transcontinental trip.

1898: Sand is added to English Bay Beach. Up to that time, you had to walk through bushes to get to it. A large rock on the beach separates men and women bathers. The Nine o'clock Gun was placed at Brockton point. People still set their watches by it.

1915: The Vancouver Millionaires become Stanley Cup champions.

1922: Joe Fortes dies of pneumonia. The City pays for his funeral, and thousands of people, many of whom learned how to swim with Joe's meaty hands holding them up in the lukewarm waters of English Bay, line Granville and Hastings Streets to say goodbye.

1936: The new City Hall at 12th Avenue and Cambie opens. The same year, the Denman arena is destroyed by fire.

1964: For the first time the BC Lions win the Canadian Football League's Grey Cup.

1970: The Vancouver Canucks play their first game in the National Hockey League. They face the Los Angeles Kings (and lose).

1986: Vancouver's centennial is marked by the highly successful six-month fair Expo '86, on the north shore of False Creek.

1994: The Vancouver Canucks reach the Stanley Cup finals, but lose in the final moments of game 7. The BC Lions football team win the Grey Cup for the second time in the team's history.

2003: Vancouver is selected as the Host City for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. GM Place broadcasts the announcement live to a sold-out crowd, while celebrations take place across the city.
 
Location

Vancouver is located on the mainland of North America, in the southwest corner of British Columbia, which is the westernmost of Canada's ten provinces. Greater Vancouver is made up of 18 municipalities that occupy 2,930 square kilometres on and around the Fraser River delta. The City of Vancouver is one of them.

Vancouver City is on the western-most part of a peninsula that is a major extension of the Fraser River's delta. The delta juts into a part of the Pacific Ocean, separating Vancouver Island from the mainland, called the Strait of Georgia. Several self-governing urban areas called municipalities make up Greater Vancouver. Six of them - Burnaby, New Westminster, Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam, and Port Moody - are east of Vancouver. Several more municipalities are to the north of Vancouver, separated from it by Burrard Inlet, which is the main waterway for Canada's largest western port. These five municipalities are West Vancouver, Lions Bay, North Vancouver, Belcarra and Anmore, and are collectively known as the North Shore. They are all nestled on the slopes of the majestic Coast Mountain range; mountains that form the northern edge of the Vancouver metropolis, and are a major part of its spectacular views.

The southern boundary of the City of Vancouver is the North Arm of the Fraser River, one of the largest rivers entering the Pacific. On the opposite shore of the Fraser River are the lowland Greater Vancouver municipalities: Richmond, Delta, Surrey, White Rock and Langley.

Thirty-eight kilometres (24 miles) south of downtown Vancouver is the Canada-US boundary.
 
Places to See
• Downtown Vancouver

Sleek, glass-sheathed bank and business towers are tempered by the classical columns of the Vancouver Art Galley, the art deco detail of the Marine Building, and the classical echoes of the new library (a $100 million homage to Rome’s Coliseum). Four blocks east are GM Place and BC Place for pro sports and concerts. Upscale department stores, specialty shops and an underground mall network make for intense shopping in the heart of downtown at Georgia and Granville. Ride to the top of the Harbour Centre tower for a 360° view of the city. For another big picture experience, check the five story high screen at the CN IMAX Theatre® at Canada Place on the harbour.
• Robston Street

Also in the heart of downtown, this is Vancouver’s answer to Rodeo Drive and Worth Ave. Robson Street is shopping heaven for fashion and gourmet fare. It connects to Denman St. in the West End, which has a funkier, more freewheeling air.
• Stanley Park

Just west of Denman is Stanley Park, one of the largest city parks in North America. A walk around the Stanley Park Seawall also gives a pretty view of city and harbour. The Vancouver Aquarium, with fascinating exhibits of marine and terrestrial life, is right in the park.
• Chinatown

Chinatown has been humming busily for more than a century, with vivid colours, exotic cuisine, and a vibrant culture. Rich in history and architecture, this area of downtown boasts North America's second-largest Chinatown after San Francisco. Highlights of a Chinatown visit include the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Gardens, the Sam Kee Building (world's narrowest commercial building) and the Chinese Cultural Centre. Festivals, parades, and the summertime Night Market also spice up the flavour of this neighbourhood.
• Davie Village

Rainbow flags and sunburst banners adorn the utility posts in this lively neighbourhood in the heart of downtown's dense West End. Known internationally for its thriving community of gay and lesbian residents, Davie Village is also home to legendary bookstores and thumping nightclubs known for welcoming people of all persuasions. Residents and visitors hang out in the neighbourhood's coffee shops and cafes every day of the week.
• Gastown

This historic district's cobblestone streets are lined with Victorian buildings that today house everything from souvenir shops and First Nations galleries to stylish clothing boutiques. With informational plaques placed strategically along the street to tell the history behind various buildings and landmarks, Gastown is an excellent area for a walking tour.
• Granville Island

In the early 1900s, Granville Island was home to factories, plants, and sawmills. At one time, its official name was Industrial Island. But today, things couldn't be more different. Activity is centred on the Granville Island Public Market, with its bevy of merchants selling seafood, fresh produce, cheese, and breads. Families gravitate to the nearby Kid's Market with its stores and exhibits tailored towards the little ones, and art collectors will be amazed at the plethora of galleries that permeate the island. You'll want to enjoy a sunset dinner oceanside, where sailboats and other vessels are docked.
• Yaletown

This False Creek waterfront community has experienced some serious revitalization since its rebirth as host of Expo '86. Formerly a warehouse district where textile shops and train yards provided little in the way of beauty or entertainment, Yaletown has been transformed into one of Vancouver's hippest areas, filled with sidewalk cafes, trendy restaurants, a thriving nightlife scene, and intimate boutique hotels.
• Capilano Suspension Bridge

After you've crossed over the Lions Gate Bridge, head north to the Capilano Suspension Bridge, where you can walk across a footbridge spanning a giant canyon 300 feet above the ground. Once you've crossed over the canyon, explore the all-new Treetops Adventure with its series of bridges and tree houses 100 feet above the ground.
• Vancouver Art Gallery

Whether you're a fan of the visual arts or just a casual observer, this museum is a low-stress place to spend an afternoon. Housed in a former courthouse and open year-round, this art museum offers one of the world's largest Emily Carr collections.
UBC Museum of Anthropology

The finest collection of First Nations art is located in this museum on the University of British Columbia campus. There is always a large collection on display, so be sure to schedule plenty of time at this Vancouver treasure.