Kitsilano Life
A Vancouver Beach Neighbourhood
The Kitsilano westside neighbourhood of the Canadian City of Vancouver in British Columbia is on the shore of English Bay on the north between the flanking neighbourhoods of Point Grey at Alma Street on the west and Fairview east at Burrard Street on the east. West 16th Avenue is the southern border with the neighbourhoods of Dunbar, Arbutus Ridge, and Shaughnessy. Notable neighbourhood landmarks are the Burrard Street Bridge, a five-lane, Art Deco style, steel-truss bridge constructed in 1932 to connect Kitsilano to Downtown Vancouver, the splendid Kitsilano Beach, and the Maritime Museum and MacMillan Space Centre, both in Vanier Park near the beach. Kitsilano hosts the annual Vancouver International Children’s Festival, Bard on the Beach outdoor Shakespeare festival, and Celebration of Light fireworks competition.
Mostly residential with commercial areas on West 4th Avenue and West Broadway, Kitsilano’s population was 40,595 according to the 2006 Census, a 2.5-percent increase from 2001. English is the dominant language of area residents followed by Chinese; however, French, German, Greek, Japanese, and Spanish are not uncommon. About 75.0 percent speak English as their native language, 4.5 percent Chinese, and 3.2 percent French. The 2006 neighbourhood median household income was $53,455, and 21.3 percent of residents live in low-income households.
Historical Development
Vancouver streetcar lines once had a loop at Arbutus & Cornwall, making the beach area easily accessible from the new city, then still mostly on the small Downtown peninsula on the north side of the Burrard Street Bridge over False Creek. The Lulu Island Railway opened an interurban line from Downtown Granville & Pacific streets to Richmond via Seventh Avenue and Arbutus Street through Kerrisdale in the 1890s, putting more of the neighbourhood within easy range of Downtown.
An inexpensive neighbourhood in the 1960s, Kitsilano attracted many countercultural residents from across Canada and the USA and became with Gastown one of two such city neighbourhoods gentrified in later decades. Easy access to Downtown Vancouver and walking distance to parks, beaches, and ever popular Granville Island in Fairview have made the neighbourhood very desirable. Following the days of the counterculture, many environmentalists came to Vancouver. Greenpeace opened its first office in Kitsilano in 1975 as did the Green Party of British Columbia in 1983.
Information Links:
http://shopwest4th.com/
http://vancouver.ca/green-vancouver/kitsilano.aspx
http://kitscc.com
Parks and Beaches
Kitsilano has seventeen parks, six playgrounds, an off-leash dog park, and one of Vancouver’s finest, most popular beaches with a franchise restaurant, the heated, salt-water outdoor Kitsilano Pool open from May to September, longest (137 metres/150 yards) swimming pool in Canada, and the Kitsilano Showboat, which has operated since 1935 as essentially an open-air amphitheatre with free performances from local bands and dance groups to entertain residents and tourists and showcase amateur talent.
No New Beach Bicycle Trail for Now
After months of vocal opposition and a lawsuit, the Vancouver park board in February 2014 gave up on plans for a new $2.2 million bicycle trail through Hadden Park and Kitsilano Beach and directed its staff to improve safety on the present trail through the parks. Opponents obtained in November 2013 a court order enjoining the board from breaking ground on the project until the case against it could be heard fully. An opposition spokesman said she was happy that “we won’t be putting blacktop through our precious green space.” The discontinued proposed project would have completed the city’s Seaside Greenway route from Coal Harbour to Jericho Beach Park on English Bay in the Point Grey neighbourhood several miles west of Kitsilano Beach.
New Kitsilano Live MLS Listings
Kitsilano Life: A Vancouver Beach Neighbourhood
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1133 CYPRESS Street in Vancouver: Kitsilano House for sale (Vancouver West) : MLS®# R2784899
1133 CYPRESS Street Vancouver V6J 3K8 
$6,980,000Residential Detached- Status:
- Active
- MLS® Num:
- R2784899
- Bedrooms:
- 4
- Bathrooms:
- 6
- Floor Area:
- 4,866 sq. ft.
West Coast living at its finest in this stunning 4-ensuite bedrooms Kits Point home. With a 120' street frontage and 4878 sqft interior, this home boasts exceptional amenities: radiant heating throughout, an expansive living room with a beautiful custom-designed fireplace, an intimate dining room, a chef's kitchen, a family room, and a newly renovated sunroom. The upper level features vaulted ceilings and expansive windows. Three luxurious bedrooms, including the principal suite with its beautiful greenery views, offer comfort and relaxation. The lower level has a walkout, a full kitchen with a spa bathroom and sauna, a large laundry room, an open plan office ideal for working from home, 1 ensuite bedroom, and an entertainment room that opens to a charming garden with your own hot tub. Complete with two storage rooms and an attached 3-car garage, this home has it all. Located just steps from the beach, parks, and seawall, it's the perfect oasis for those seeking the ultimate West Coast lifestyle. More detailsListed by Engel & Volkers Vancouver and Dexter Realty
- Aedis Realty
- 604-688-8669
- 604-657-1111
- Contact by Email
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3075 ARBUTUS Street in Vancouver: Kitsilano Land for sale (Vancouver West) : MLS®# R2781788
3075 ARBUTUS Street Vancouver V7E 1J7
$6,400,000Land Only- Status:
- Active
- MLS® Num:
- R2781788
A rare Broadway Plan Land Assembly opportunity, boasting a maximum floor space ratio (FSR) of 5.5, ideally positioned along the prominent Arbutus Street. This strategic location offers the potential for the development of an impressive 18-storey rental tower, complemented by retail spaces at the ground level. Notably, the fourth floor and above promise captivating water views of English Bay, adding to the allure of this project. Furthermore, its proximity of a mere 5 minutes to the upcoming Broadway & Arbutus skytrain station enhances its accessibility and desirability. Assemble with R2781823. More detailsListed by Luxmore Realty - Aedis Realty
- 604-688-8669
- 604-657-1111
- Contact by Email
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2115 - 2117 W 15TH Avenue in Vancouver: Kitsilano House for sale (Vancouver West) : MLS®# R2781823
2115 - 2117 W 15TH Avenue Vancouver V6K 2Y4
$6,400,000Residential Detached- Status:
- Active
- MLS® Num:
- R2781823
- Bedrooms:
- 5
- Bathrooms:
- 4
- Floor Area:
- 2,808 sq. ft.
A rare Broadway Plan Land Assembly opportunity, boasting a maximum floor space ratio (FSR) of 5.5, ideally positioned along the prominent Arbutus Street. This strategic location offers the potential for the development of an impressive 18-storey rental tower, complemented by retail spaces at the ground level. Notably, the fourth floor and above promise captivating water views of English Bay, adding to the allure of this project. Furthermore, its proximity of a mere 5 minutes to the upcoming Broadway & Arbutus skytrain station enhances its accessibility and desirability. Assemble with R2781788. More detailsListed by Luxmore Realty - Aedis Realty
- 604-688-8669
- 604-657-1111
- Contact by Email
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2121 - 2125 W 13TH Avenue in Vancouver: Kitsilano Duplex for sale (Vancouver West) : MLS®# R2759115
2121 - 2125 W 13TH Avenue Vancouver V6K 2S2
$5,500,000Multifamily- Status:
- Active
- MLS® Num:
- R2759115
- Bedrooms:
- 10
- Bathrooms:
- 4
- Floor Area:
- 4,340 sq. ft.
LAND ASSEMBLY - BROADWAY PLAN 5.5 FSR 18 STORY DEVELOPMENT SITE. CAN BE ASSEMBLED WITH NEIGHBOURS TO THE EAST OR WEST. More detailsListed by Luxmore Realty - Aedis Realty
- 604-688-8669
- 604-657-1111
- Contact by Email
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2584 POINT GREY Road in Vancouver: Kitsilano Land for sale (Vancouver West) : MLS®# R2782775
2584 POINT GREY Road Vancouver V6K 1A3
$5,499,900Land Only- Status:
- Active
- MLS® Num:
- R2782775
A rare opportunity to build on Point Grey Road. This vacant lot zoned (RT-8) to build single family home or duplex. Bring your imagination and design your dream home on Point Grey. Be part of this exclusive heritage community surrounded by West Coast beauty. Access by appointment only. More detailsListed by Royal LePage Regency Realty - Aedis Realty
- 604-688-8669
- 604-657-1111
- Contact by Email
