Favorite Vancouver area Neighborhoods to Live in

We (couple, no kids) moved here 8 years ago from Montreal. We did a lot of research into different areas and ended up choosing Lower Lonsdale. We’ve been renting the same 1-br the entire time. We like the area for its walkability, easy access to seabus, waterfront/pier, Spirit Trail.

We both did the seabus commute to downtown for a while and I bike commuted to downtown every once in a while via Spirit Trail, Lions Gate, Stanley Park, seawall. One of the nicest bike commutes in the world! Now we both work on the North Shore. Me from home, my wife a short walk up Lonsdale.

Riding to Seymour trails Is doable or short drive to any of the Shore trails or Deep Cove for kayaking. Never had any issues with bridge traffic because we never have any reason to cross them at rush hour.

We do feel Lower Lonsdale is getting busier and more hipsterized / yupified lately. On the other hand the Shipyards development and all the outdoor patios have really improved the vibe. We’ll probably stay here for a while.

Posted by: [email protected]

We (couple, no kids) moved here 8 years ago from Montreal. We did a lot of research into different areas and ended up choosing Lower Lonsdale. We’ve been renting the same 1-br the entire time. We like the area for its walkability, easy access to seabus, waterfront/pier, Spirit Trail.

We both did the seabus commute to downtown for a while and I bike commuted to downtown every once in a while via Spirit Trail, Lions Gate, Stanley Park, seawall. One of the nicest bike commutes in the world! Now we both work on the North Shore. Me from home, my wife a short walk up Lonsdale.

Riding to Seymour trails Is doable or short drive to any of the Shore trails or Deep Cove for kayaking. Never had any issues with bridge traffic because we never have any reason to cross them at rush hour.

We do feel Lower Lonsdale is getting busier and more hipsterized / yupified lately. On the other hand the Shipyards development and all the outdoor patios have really improved the vibe. We’ll probably stay here for a while.

What CNV has done with Lonsdale as a whole in the last 10 years has been great. We moved from LoLo about 3 years ago to Lynn Valley and have to say I miss the area quite a bit. Although with the new bike routes it's a pretty easy bike ride down there.... Even with the munchkin on board. Now I'm a 10 min ride from the Trail head, that works for me.

Good input guys, Lonsdale will definitely have my eye when the time comes, especially after hearing the E-bike commute is a good one.

Posted by: XXX_er

Favorite place is anywhere that is not in the GVRD

No kidding. Just spent two days off grid on Gambier and all it took was the drive from the marina to east Van to feel the hate.

Steveston is nice but it is a long way out there

You been lately? Completely overrun. Finn Slough maybe.....

I used to drive literaly everywhere in the GVRD/ up to squamish for work but now the place drives me nuts, when I leave I can feel the stress drop away till I cross the bridge and I am beyond hope

I used to come down go to steveston maybe 8 yrs ago & stay in those town houses right at the very tip and that was along way out there

lots of new peeps moving up here for the life style

Posted by: JBV

in Van for the weekend. it's Halloween night. holy fuck do you people like fireworks. i feel like i'm in a war torn city. fucking hours of blowing shit up in all directions. it's fucking brutal. 

my buddy said it's the Chinamen. they love that shit apparently.

I'm not there these days, that said, ten year neighbors of ours are saying it's like WW3... never been this bad

Don't think it has anything to do with chinamen - this huge increase in fireworks and bombs is happening all over the lower mainland.  Probably due to kids not able to trick or treat and parents making up for it with fireworks.  Also a lot of teenage angst.

I heard that next year some of the municipalities will be banning this stuff.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OYOzUHnPJvU

Posted by: JBV

my buddy said it's the Chinamen. they love that shit apparently.ch

Insomuch as they're the vendors making high dough as a sideline once a year. Growing up in 'merica fireworks were never associated with Halloween. 

The origins of Vancouver’s tradition of lighting fireworks during Halloween are unclear. Hagemoen suggests it may have to do with the influence of early Chinese migrants.

“The use of firecrackers and fireworks has a long history in China (they invented them), so it was only natural that they would bring these customs with them to B.C.,” she writes. 

“It wasn’t long before the Anglo community co-opted fireworks and firecrackers (and their purported ability to ward off evil spirits) for their own use at Halloween.”

https://nationalpost.com/news/canada/why-vancouvers-longstanding-and-chaotic-ritual-of-halloween-fireworks-could-soon-fizzle-out

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

For years B.C. children have had bang up fireworks displays as part of their Halloween celebrations. Often it was a frontyard show after trick or treating and sometimes it was a community affair. This custom is not part of the Halloween heritage for children from many other Canadian provinces.

The most reasonably deduction is that in our province’s attempt to be very British, we took on the incendiary aspect of England’s Guy Fawkes Night and fused with it our country’s love of fireworks.

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/firecrackers-became-vancouver-halloween-tradition

They were still going at 4 am in my neighborhood.  Assholes

Posted by: Brocklanders

They were still going at 4 am in my neighborhood.  Assholes

Nice! I got a lot of mileage outta the $20 I paid those kids to light that shit off.

Posted by: switch

Don't think it has anything to do with chinamen - this huge increase in fireworks and bombs is happening all over the lower mainland.  Probably due to kids not able to trick or treat and parents making up for it with fireworks.  Also a lot of teenage angst.

I heard that next year some of the municipalities will be banning this stuff.

Vancouver was the last municipality in the LM to allow fireworks as far as I know. 2020 was the last year for 'legal' fireworks during halloween. Im hopeful that it will make the upcoming years quieter, but Im not all that optimistic.

You guys think that was a lot of fireworks? Spend a new year's eve in Holland, it pretty much turns into a war zone. Each year there are multiple deaths and many many serious eye and hand injuries. Usually at least one building burns down after some fireworks land on its roof. My uncle is deaf on one side after some kids threw some fireworks at him that exploded right next to his ear. Great fun.

Posted by: shoreboy

Vancouver was the last municipality in the LM to allow fireworks as far as I know. 2020 was the last year for 'legal' fireworks during halloween. Im hopeful that it will make the upcoming years quieter, but Im not all that optimistic.

DNV council will discuss/vote tonight on a bylaw to ban sale & use of consumer fireworks year round.