Arbutus Ridge

Arbutus Ridge is an affluent residential neighbourhood in Vancouver's West Side. It is bordered by 16th Avenue in the north, 41st Avenue in the south, Mackenzie Street in the west, and East Boulevard in the east. The neighbourhood is characterized by larger than average lot sizes, with stately homes on tree-lined streets.

File:St Marys Kerrisdale.jpg

St. Mary's Kerrisdale church

One of the catalysts for growth in the neighbourhood was the existence of the Vancouver-Steveston Interurban route of the British Columbia Electric Railway, which ran between 1905 and 1958. The route once followed by the interurban is now part of the Arbutus Greenway.

History

In 1888, the Province granted 2,100 hectares (5,289 acres) of land to the Canadian Pacific Railway, including a large portion of what is now Arbutus Ridge. The land consisted of uplands that surrounded a low-lying marsh area called Asthma Flats. The upland areas were developed first, between 1912 and the 1930s. In the 1940s and 1950s, the marsh was filled in with sand brought in from False Creek to allow the development of houses and shops.

Demographics

Panethnic groups in the Arbutus Ridge neighbourhood (2001−2016)

Panethnic group	2016		2006		2001
	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%
East AsianTemplate:Efn	7,685		7,455		5,955
EuropeanTemplate:Efn	6,175		7,685		7,470
South Asian	290		210		210
Middle EasternTemplate:Efn	225		100		50
Southeast AsianTemplate:Efn	205		100		120
Indigenous	140		65		45
Latin American	75		65		50
African	45		40		40
Other/MultiracialTemplate:Efn	250		120		95
Total responses	15,075		15,835		14,040
Total population	15,295		16,145		14,515
Note: Totals greater than 100% due to multiple origin responses

Education

Prince of Wales Secondary School is located in the neighbourhood, along with Carnarvon Elementary School and Trafalgar Elementary School, which offers a French immersion program.

Businesses

Arbutus Ridge is a predominantly residential area with small businesses clustering along Arbutus, between Broadway and W. 16th Avenue.

Houses

Most of the lot sizes are large (50-foot frontage by 120-foot depth), with stately homes on tree-lined streets. In the spring, the area becomes a mecca for cherry blossom enthusiasts, with its many blocks full of blossoms.

Heritage

The Curry Residence at the intersection of Arbutus Street and West Eighteen Avenue is a one-storey and basement single-family residence. The house is a relatively rare example of Mission Style domestic architecture in Vancouver.

Accommodation

There are no hotels, however, there are a few bed and breakfast in the area, including Vancouver Traveller Bed and Breakfast on West 21st Avenue, between Arbutus Street and Yew Street.

External links

• City of Vancouver – Arbutus Ridge
• Vancouver Heritage Foundation.org /house-styles/