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The MLS neighbourhood of South Granville travels through Vancouver's Kerrisdale, Oakridge and Marpole areas. Here is information about these three areas:
Kerrisdale is primarily a residential area, and has many long-time residents. Its residential streets are lined with sweeping, grand old trees. Kerrisdale Village is the main shopping area, and one of the first to introduce specially designed street furniture to beautify the main shopping streets. Kerrisdale is in the south-western section of the city, sloping down to the Fraser River.
The first settlers in Kerrisdale were the Irish McCleery brothers, who came to the area in 1867 to farm the meadows where the golf course now bearing their name is located. When the Steveston fish canneries began to flourish, a need for workers prompted the CPR to construct a railway from Vancouver to Lulu Island. The "Sockeye Special," as it was called, went through the heart of Kerrisdale, providing transportation for the first influx of people.
Kerrisdale acquired its name in 1905, when the B.C. Electric Railway took over the line from the CPR. Mrs. MacKinnon, one of the area's earliest residents, was asked by the line's general manager to name the tram stop at Wilson Road (now 41st). She chose "Kerrisdale" after her old family home in Kerrydale, Scotland.
In 1908, the area joined the new municipality of Point Grey and the first election was held January 11, 1908. As the geographic centre of the area, Kerrisdale became the political hub. The present Kerrisdale Centennial Park was the site of the original City Hall which at that time contained the Council chamber, municipal offices, the police court and a two cell jail.
From 1904 to 1912, Kerrisdale boasted a general store and post office, a hardware store and a real estate office, at the intersection of Wilson Road and West Boulevard. In 1912, Frank Bowser and Frank Burd built the Bowser Block, which still occupies the southwest corner of the intersection.
Streetcar service arrived on 41st Avenue in 1912, passing through the developing commercial area at 41st Ave. and West Boulevard. Kerrisdale joined the City of Vancouver in 1929 when it amalgamated with Point Grey.
Kerrisdale retains the basic development pattern of the early years, established by the Wilson Road and Vancouver-Lulu island train tracks.
Early settlers in Kerrisdale, attracted by the semi-rural setting, developed many homes in a variety of styles which still remain today. Architectural styles include English Arts and Crafts, Spanish Colonial Revival, Tudor Revival and the Beaux Art. Kerrisdale has retained many of its original homes and remains one of Vancouver's most pleasant neighbourhoods.
Among the estates lining Southwest Marine Drive are a number of gracious mansions from a bygone era. The Barton Home, at 2194 Southwest Marine Drive, was designed by prominent architects Maclure and Fox in 1913 and is an excellent example of the Tudor Revival style. The Rio Vista and Casa Maria Estates (2170 and 1920 Southwest Marine Drive), both built for members of the Reifel family, are impressive examples of the Spanish Colonial Revival style. Ryerson United Church, located on West 45th Avenue, is a neighbourhood landmark with its steeply-pitched gable roof and prominent corner tower. Built in 1927 in Gothic Revival, the church continues to be an important focus for community events.
The elegant Shannon Estate on Granville Street is another community landmark. This palatial Beaux Arts home was originally built for Benjamin Tingley Rogers between 1915 and 1925, and was later owned by well-known financier Austin C. Taylor. The property was redeveloped following Taylor's death in 1965. Condominiums were added to the site, but the main house, with its columned porticos, balustrades, outdoor terraces, and significant landscape features and gardens, still remains.
Detailed information on the city's heritage and a complete list of heritage buildings is available at City of Vancouver Heritage.
Additional information is available through the City of Vancouver Archives.
Source: http://vancouver.ca/news-calendar/kerrisdale.aspx
Oakridge is a bustling area—a mix of residential neighbourhoods, a busy shopping mall, and Langara College. This area is also a hub for the city's Jewish community. For almost a century, Langara Golf Course has drawn golfers to the area. Oakridge is in south-central Vancouver, south of the gorgeous VanDusen Botanical Gardens.
Although neighbouring Marpole and Kerrisdale experienced steady growth between 1908 and 1929, the community of Oakridge remained in its natural state until the early 1950s, when the CPR developed its land holdings for residential and commercial use.
Development included the construction of single-family homes and the creation of Vancouver's first shopping center -Oakridge, built on a 32-acre plot of land at 41st and Cambie.
During the 1960s, construction continued and a large number of young families moved into the community. Schools and hospitals were built to meet the increasing demand, and facilities such as the Jewish Community Centre and the Home for the Aged were built to serve the growing community.
Oakridge is a young community, compared with most of the rest of Vancouver. One of the area's predominant architectural forms, the classic bungalow, may not classify as heritage, however it is noteworthy and may be considered a heritage structure sometime in the future. The bungalows are characteristic of the type of dwellings built during the post WWII boom.
Oak Street has a number of interesting churches built along its length, including the unusual Unity Church at 5840 Oak and the Unitarian Church at 49th Avenue, both built in 1964.
Detailed information on the city's heritage and a complete list of heritage buildings is available at City of Vancouver Heritage.
Additional information is available through the City of Vancouver Archives.
Source: http://vancouver.ca/news-calendar/oakridge.aspx
Three bridges and a light rapid transit line across the Fraser River make Marpole a bustling gateway to Vancouver from the south and from the city's international airport. The area has a mix of residential housing, including low-rise apartments, and several major commercial streets, including shopping along Granville Street. Marpole slopes south from Oakridge into the Fraser River.
This area has a community plan that has been recently completed:
It is believed the Marpole area was inhabited as far back as 3500 B.C. Two early village sites discovered along the north shore of the Fraser have been documented by archaeologists. Today, a stone cairn and a plaque in Marpole Park reminds visitors of the Marpole Midden, evidence of Marpole's earliest settlement. The Marpole Midden was discovered by workers in 1889 during the extension of Granville Street. Many tools, weapons and other artifacts were found in what proved to be one of the largest village sites discovered in North America.
First settled by non-natives in the 1860s, Marpole was originally called "Eburne Station" after Harry Eburne, the area's first storekeeper and postmaster. At the time, it was a small town separated from the rest of the city by many miles of forest.
At the turn of the 20th century, Eburne grew and prospered with construction of the Vancouver Lulu Island Railway and the B.C. Electric interurban train line. Business people realized the riverfront's industrial potential, and gradually sawmills, shingle mills, sand and gravel companies came to the area. In 1916, the area was renamed for CPR General Superintendent Richard Marpole. By 1929, when the community amalgamated with Vancouver, Marpole had become one of the city's major industrial centres.
When the Oak Street Bridge opened in 1957 the historic business district along Hudson and Marine suffered a serious decline as traffic shifted to Oak Street several blocks to the east.
In the 1960s, the area south of 70th Avenue was rezoned and low-rise stucco walkups began to replace the original homes. In 1975, when the Arthur Laing Bridge opened to airport traffic, commercial activity focused once again on Granville Street.
A number of heritage buildings remain in Marpole including Lloyd George School, Colbourne House at 8743 South West Marine Drive, Abbeyfield House, and Firehall No. 22.
After the Fire Department outgrew the building the 1924 Firehall No. 22 was converted, with minimal alternation to the exterior, into Marpole Place, a seniors' centre and neighbourhood house.
Abbeyfield House, at 67th Avenue and Hudson Street, was built in 1912 as a private residence. In 1928, the Craftsman-style home was transformed into the city's first Children's Hospital. The home is now an independent living facility for seniors, operated by the Abbeyfield House of Vancouver Society.
Detailed information on the city's heritage and a complete list of heritage buildings is available at City of Vancouver Heritage.
Additional information is available through the City of Vancouver Archives.
Source: http://vancouver.ca/news-calendar/marpole.aspx
