IN THIS CHAPTER
- Street Scenes
- English Bay
- Sunset Beach
- Eugenia Place
- West End history
- Mole Hill
In many ways, the West End is an ideal community. Canada’s many cultures are represented in this area, living harmoniously in an extremely dense but geographically small area. People can be seen in the streets late into the evening - walking along enjoying the sights, dining out, shopping and taking in the nightlife along Robson, Denman and Davie Streets. Proximity to beaches and Stanley Park, with its many attractions, also make the West End a popular destination for tourists. This ambience helps make it a vibrant community.
Interestingly, it was not created out of the rigid urban planning processes that are in place today. Its evolution has been guided largely by trial and error, particularly in the early days. Time has also played a role, allowing buildings to age, trees to grow, and architectural styles to come and go.
The city planning department rezoned the area in 1956 to allow highrise buildings. In the next thirteen years 220 highrises were built. As a result, the West End became the highest-density apartment neighbourhood in Canada, currently with a population of 45,000 in just over two square kilometres.
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