Welcome

The last few decades have seen Fairview transformed from an industrial area fronting False Creek, to a family-oriented, inner-city neighbourhood offering waterfront living in the heart of the city.

Fairview stretches from Burrard Street to Cambie Street, and from 16th Avenue to False Creek, and includes the neighbourhoods of False Creek, Fairview Slopes, Burrard Slopes and Fairview Heights.

Fairview residents are just steps away from several of Vancouver's most popular shopping destinations: South Granville and Granville Island. Located along Granville, from the Granville Street Bridge to 16th Avenue, South Granville offers sophisticated, upscale shopping, art galleries, antiques, restaurants and coffee bars. To the north, the old warehouses and factories that once lined False Creek have been transformed into Granville Island; the area's heart and soul. Granville Island is a lively thriving mix of shops, theatres, studios, and its centrepiece, the public market.

Did You Know?

In 1916, Granville Island was created by dredging False Creek and building up an existing sand bar.

In 1909, the England home at 2300 Birch Street was built from stone quarried less than one block away.

Stamps Landing is named after Captain Edward Stamp, who established the Hastings Mill on Burrard Inlet in 1865.

History & Heritage

History

Less than 100 years ago the False Creek and Fairview Slopes area were a forest of huge fir trees. Fairview was named in 1886 by CPR Land Commissioner L.A. Hamilton. Hamilton's survey established the numbered system of east-west avenues and named the cross streets after trees.

In 1887, the CPR, at the request of Vancouver City Council, agreed to locate its Pacific terminal yards on the north side of the Creek. The forest was replaced-by shipbuilding yards, sawmills, shingle mills, and various woodworking plants. In 1916, Granville Island was created from soil dredged from False Creek.

In 1928, the CPR and the provincial government swapped land to give each consolidated holdings, the CPR on the north side and the province on the south side. Another land swap in 1968, through which the City acquired the land from the province, prepared the way for the present residential and recreational development and marked the beginning of another transformation.

Fairview Slopes, which overlooks False Creek from the south, began to develop following the construction of the Fairview Beltline (a streetcar loop built from downtown through Fairview along Broadway) and the opening of the Granville and Cambie Street bridges. In 1902, the City purchased 5.5 acres (two city blocks) from the CPR for $5,500 for a new hospital at 10th Avenue and Heather Street. Land was in demand for residential development during these years and a number of substantive homes were built in the area.

From the early 1920s to the early 1960s, Fairview Slopes was zoned for 3 storey apartments and throughout the 1950s, the area south of Broadway developed as an apartment district. Broadway, as well as Granville and Cambie Streets, became important neighbourhood commercial strips. At the same time, the Slopes were rezoned to industrial use, and some houses were replaced with small industries.

The 1970s were a time of dramatic change for both False Creek and Fairview Slopes. Based on the recommendations by citizens, two advisory review panels, and City staff, policies which laid out guidelines for redeveloping False Creek were adopted by City Council in 1973. The new City policy required a range of housing to provide a social mix that reflected the City's income and social composition. The City also decided to keep ownership of most of South False Creek.

Concurrent with the planning for South False Creek, plans to redevelop Granville Island were also being considered. In 1972, administration for the 15 hectare (37 acres) island, was transferred from the National Harbours Board to Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation and a movement to rejuvenate the site started to gain momentum. Early in 1976 the Granville Island Trust was formed to advise on the Island's future. The first phase of the Island's redevelopment, the Public Market, opened in 1979, soon followed by the Maritime Market, Emily Carr College of Art, theatres, artist's studios, craft galleries and restaurants.

As the City's plans for False Creek took shape, pressure arose to redevelop the Slopes for high density uses. The area was rezoned in 1972 from industrial to residential/commercial. Fairview Heights, a small fifteen-block area extending south of Vancouver Hospital and Health Sciences Centre (formerly Vancouver General Hospital), was rezoned in 1984 from a duplex to a low-rise apartment zone. Since then the area has been extensively redeveloped providing additional housing opportunities for those employed in the downtown core and with Vancouver Hospital.

Heritage

Hodson Manor is one of the oldest surviving houses in Fairview. Built in 1894 for Vancouver Ice and Cold Storage Company founder Captain James Logan, the home was moved two blocks in 1974. Today, the city-owned building, at 1254 West 7th Avenue, is used as a meeting place for non-profit societies.

The Seaforth Armoury on Burrard Street was built in 1935/36 to house the Seaforth Highlanders. Some of the drill hall's design features include stepped gables, round towers, cast thistle and finials.

Other notable heritage buildings include the James England House, at 2300 Birch, and the 1889 Fairview House, built at 1151 West 8th Avenue for Sir John and Lady Reid. The 1929 Dick Building and the Stanley Theatre, are both local landmarks located on Granville Street. Nearby, the 1912 Chalmers United Church sits at 2801 Hemlock Street.

City Square Mall is an example of the adaptive reuse of heritage buildings. In this case, the 1905 Model School and the 1908 Provincial Normal School were incorporated into a new shopping mall.

Transportation

Each year, as more and more cars make their way to, from, and through Vancouver neighbourhoods, concern about safety and livability increases. Traffic calming solutions such as stop signs, traffic circles, speed humps, corner bulges, and diverters - are tools used to reduce traffic speed and volume. The City of Vancouver's Engineering Services Transportation Division works with residents interested in reclaiming their streets and introducing traffic calming.

To learn more about current special projects, ongoing programs, and safety improvement initiatives in Vancouver, check our Transportation Highlights webpage to find out what's happening.

For information about how the City of Vancouver plans transportation solutions and land use in relation to those solutions, while maintaining a livable and workable city, visit our Planning Department's Insights into Transportation webpage to learn more.

To find out what mode of travel residents of your community choose to go to/from work, check the 'Statistics' link, located in the link menu to the left under the 'Profile' section.

Source: City of Vancouver