West Point Grey
Point Grey Real Estate Development list
General Location:
This older Vancouver 455 hectare neighborhood is bounded by Alma Street on the east and Blanca Street as well as the meandering Drummond Drive in the west. Pacific Spirit Regional Park lies immediately west of West Point Grey. The ever popular 16th Avenue forms the southern border of the area while to the north lies the natural sights and scenes of beautiful Jericho and Locarno parkland and beaches. North West Marine Drive follows the shore west from Trimble Street through to the UBC Endowment lands.
Popular Traffic Routes through the area:
Alma Street is a major north-south route, as is Blanca St for the southern portion of the western boundary. The main east-west routes are 4th Avenue, Broadway (9th Ave.), 10th Ave and finally, 16th Avenue. All these carry the daily traffic, both public transport and private cars, on their way to and from the University of British Columbia and its Endowment Lands. Fourth Avenue is the favorite route for getting to the favorite beaches lining the north shore.
Main attractions:
The outdoor beauty of the parks in West Point Grey bring local residents and the seasonal tourist population out in the sun to enjoy the health-promoting green space year-round. The Old Hastings Mill / Pioneer Park at 1575 Alma and Point Grey Road is the site of the old heritage post office, library and first community center in the area. The well-appointed Royal Vancouver Yacht Club sports great facilities and a fabulous view of English Bay. Jericho Beach Park is spectacular, and besides accommodating jogging and bike paths, dog walking and adequate parking for picnickers, this idyllic outdoor venue has long been home to the annual Jericho Folk Festival. Singles and families gather to enjoy their BBQs, walk out on the sand banks or catch the sun perched on a log. Further to the west lies the Jericho Sailing School. Locarno Beach (4445 NW Marine Dr. at Trimble St) and Spanish Banks (4801 NW Marine Dr. at Blanca St.) both can be reached by car. They also provide an unbroken sea walk along the shore of the bay. The buildings of the Dept of National Defense, as well as the CNIB, lie inside the green, along the south side of 4th Ave between Highbury and Trimble Streets.
Livability and Amenities:
The desirability of this strategic location was immediately recognized as a major recreational opportunity for both land and water based activities. Many roads lined with trees, sewers, schools and community based services continued to develop over time. The heritage mansion of Aberthau (formerly called Rear House) is now part of the local Cultural Center. The Senior Center and a restaurant are situated in Brock House at Jericho Beach.
Shopping is readily accessed along Broadway (9th Ave), with clusters of small multi-service shopping districts at the nodes of 4th Ave and Alma Street, Broadway and Alma, as well as in the 16th Ave and Dunbar St area. Primarily residential and recreational in nature, there are no big-box commercial establishments, lending a homey and peaceful flavor to the neighborhood.
Residential housing in the West Point Grey Community:
The early European settlers began to arrive in the late 1800s, building amongst the First Nation Musqueum peoples. Today the district is home to over 14,000 people, with the age group between 40 – 64 years comprising the largest group, at approximately 40%. Many young adults, UBC students and working folks also live here. About 35% of the locals are under 19 years or over 65 years, making the area a great mixed-family settlement. West Point Grey is still home to many of its original houses, about 40% having been built before 1946. Over 40% of the dwellings are single detached houses, near 25% are detached duplexes, and apartments over 5 stories supply 23% of the housing opportunities. A sprinkle of apartment blocks over 5 stories make up most of the remaining homes. The median household annual income is near $80,000 plus, making this an affluent Vancouver neighborhood which also sustains its share of social housing to round out a healthy social mix.
