Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
DIPPING INTO THE DRIVE'S PAST
Strolling along bustling Commercial Dr today it's easy to imagine that the coun-
terculture bohemians have ruled this strip forever. But the street has an unexpec-
ted past as one of the city's most historic neighborhoods. Once part of the main
transportation link between Vancouver and the city of New Westminster, street-
cars trundled down the middle of the Drive from the 1890s, triggering many of
the storefronts and housing developments that are still here today. Many of these
shops were later colonized by European families (mostly Italian as well as some
Portuguese) emigrating across the Atlantic in the 1950s. The number of old-
school, Euro-style coffee shops still here shows that this period in the Drive's his-
tory has never been forgotten.
But the Italians were a later addition to the Drive. While main-drag storefronts
catch the eye here today, make sure you take a peek down the side streets.
They're lined with gabled, wood-built homes constructed for Canadian Pacific
Railway (CPR) workers in the first few years of the last century, and many have
been restored in recent decades to their bright-painted clapboard glory. In fact,
this neighborhood is home to one of the largest collections of
heritage homes
in
Vancouver. Architecture fans will likely spot some well-known styles, including
Edwardian, Queen Anne, Craftsman and Arts and Crafts.
In recent years, locals have begun to celebrate the area's rich past and a volun-
teer organization calling itself the
Grandview Heritage Group
(
www.grandviewheritagegroup.org
) has formed to help preserve the Drive's ar-
chitectural treasures. Meeting monthly, the organization's annual
Centenary
Birthday Signs
initiative sees houses and buildings in the area that are more
than 100 years old recognized with cool plaques. Walkers can then trawl the
neighborhood spotting the best examples. There's a map of the included houses
on the website, where you'll also find some evocative vintage images of the area's
past.
