In the 2001 Census, the Oakridge multicultural neighborhood of the City of Vancouver in the Canadian Province of British Columbia had a population of 11,795, 50 percent of whom spoke Chinese as their first language. Oakridge is a geographic rectangle with Granville Street on the west border and Main Street on the east, West 41st Avenue marking the northern neighborhood border and West 57th Avenue the southern. Oak Street and Cambie Street, both busy roads, are also Oakridge north-south thoroughfares with lots of rush-hour traffic.
History
Until after the Second World War, Oakridge remained mostly in its natural, undeveloped, unimproved state except for the Langara Golf Course, which opened in 1926. Then development expanded into the wooded areas as the city’s Jewish community moved south along Oak Street, and the Canadian Pacific Railway opened its lands to development in the 1950s of single-family homes and the Oakridge Centre Mall, Vancouver’s first shopping centre, in 1959 at West 41st Avenue and Cambie Street as a business centre for the residential boom of bungalow homes. In later years larger low- and high-rise multifamily residences replaced many of these small homes.
Langara College, a campus of 21,000 students on the north fringe of the golf course off West 49th Avenue between Cambie and Main, commenced operations in 1994. These three developments, the golf course, the shopping mall, and the campus, are the foremost community features of Oakridge today enhanced by completion in August 2009 of the SkyTrain Canada Line along Cambie Street with stations at 41st and 49th avenues.
Oakridge Centre Redevelopment
In March 2014, the Vancouver City Council approved a massive redevelopment plan for the Oakridge Centre Mall following a week of public hearings. The plan is for new affordable housing, new childcare spaces, a new community centre and library, a new seniors centre, and significant new park space, says the mayor. A joint venture of the mall ownership and developer Westbank Projects Corporation applied for rezoning for the redevelopment project. The developer expressed satisfaction with the council vote and rejected suggestions that there had been insufficient public consultation on the proposal.
Many residents support revitalization of the mall and Cambie Street, but many others say the new residential and business towers, one of 45 stories, are too much for the neighbourhood and will bring excessive density and aggravated traffic conditions despite the recent arrival of the SkyTrain, which plan opponents argue is already overcrowded.
The vertical redevelopment plan for Oakridge exemplifies how Canadian retail shopping malls these days must expand upwardly if at all, according to an August 2012 Toronto Globe and Mail newspaper article reporting that in Vancouver “the last regional malls were built in 1979” and that “Only two enclosed malls have been built in Canada since 1989.” There, development of new malls much more difficult than it is in the USA because of the lack of available land, the restrictions that Canadian cities impose on commercial space, and the demands of provincial highway ministries, and mall developers must be “creative and persistent” for their ambitions to succeed.
Vancouver West Side’s Most Significant Townhome Community West Oak pairs the prestige of West Side Vancouver living with the convenience of a central location at Oak Street and 49th Avenue, just steps from the reinvigorated Oakridge Centre hub with enviable access to parks, notable schools and so much more. The luxurious 3 bedroom homes are suitable for family living, offering all homes direct access from underground parking and garden level entry. Enjoy generous outdoor living with spacious private patios and landscaped garden walkways. Designed with privacy in mind, all homes at West Oak are free of neighbour above or below, with TRIPLE PANE GLASS WINDOWS.More details
ROWE, a rare offering from Bosa Properties; our only boutique townhome collection and an extraordinary opportunity to live on Vancouver’s West Side. Only a 5min walk to Langara Skytrain Station and within 10min walk to Oakridge Centre. This CORNER home boasts thoughtful, open-concept living with ample space to live/work from home. Luxury interiors designed by renowned firm Ste. Marie offer A/C, engineered hardwood flooring, Kitchen island with waterfall gables and wood batten accents, washrooms with granite countertops, smoked mirrors and designer Bocci lighting. Kitchen includes integrated premium Bosch appliances, high-performance Dekton countertops and built-in pantry. Outdoor space includes front yard, back patio and private terrace off of your primary bedroom.More details
Vancouver West Side’s Most Significant Townhome Community West Oak pairs the prestige of West Side Vancouver living with the convenience of a central location at Oak Street and 49th Avenue, just steps from the reinvigorated Oakridge Centre hub with enviable access to parks, notable schools and so much more. The luxurious 3 bedroom homes are suitable for family living, offering all homes direct access from underground parking and garden level entry. Enjoy generous outdoor living with spacious private patios and landscaped garden walkways. Designed with privacy in mind, all homes at West Oak are free of neighbour above or below, with TRIPLE PANE GLASS WINDOWS.More details
Vancouver West Side’s Most Significant Townhome Community West Oak pairs the prestige of West Side Vancouver living with the convenience of a central location at Oak Street and 49th Avenue, just steps from the reinvigorated Oakridge Centre hub with enviable access to parks, notable schools and so much more. The luxurious 3 bedroom homes are suitable for family living, offering all homes direct access from underground parking and garden level entry. Enjoy generous outdoor living with spacious private patios and landscaped garden walkways. Designed with privacy in mind, all homes at West Oak are free of neighbour above or below, with TRIPLE PANE GLASS WINDOWS.More details
SOUTHEAST SUBPENTHOUSE at Park Station. Enjoy mountain views on the east and city views on the south just a few steps away from Langara College, conveniently located near Langara Skytrain Station. This 3 bedroom and 2.5 bath have an extra office area and den, featuring luxurious interiors including Miele appliances, quartz countertops, and functional floor plan with large windows and over 9 ft ceilings. Amenities include a communal lounge with kitchen, 2 side by side parking spots, and storage.More details