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Renfrew–Collingwood

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Renfrew–Collingwood is a large neighbourhood that lies on the eastern side of Vancouver , British Columbia, Canada, on its boundary with Burnaby and encompassing an area that was one of the earlier developed regions of the city. It is a diverse area that includes a substantial business community in several areas, as well as some of the fastest-growing residential sectors of Vancouver. In 2011, the neighbourhood had a population of 50,500, 38.4% of whom claim Chinese as their first language.

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29-398: Renfrew–Collingwood is a large city neighbourhood, with an area of 8.2 km², that is bordered by Broadway to the north, East 41st Avenue to the south, Nanaimo Street to the west, and Boundary Road to the east. Kingsway runs through the southern part of the neighbourhood. Grandview Highway runs through the middle of Renfrew–Collingwood, carrying much of the traffic entering Vancouver from

58-526: A hillcrest, the station provides riders with a view of the west side and Downtown Vancouver. Nanaimo station was opened in 1985 as part of the original SkyTrain system (now known as the Expo Line). The Austrian architecture firm Architektengruppe U-Bahn was responsible for designing the station. The station is the westernmost station on the Expo Line that sits atop of the former Central Park Line of

87-528: A more cosmopolitan air. Commercial establishments originally spread out around the intersections of Cambie and Main Streets, while the character of the rest of the route remained predominantly single-family dwellings. By the 1970s, the length of Broadway had become a major arterial route in Vancouver, conveying commuters from downtown to the neighbourhoods of the west and east sides. With the growth of UBC and

116-611: A private high school in the form of the Vancouver Formosa Academy, a school designed to meet the specific needs of students new to Canada. Finally, Renfrew–Collingwood features certain specialty stores which attract shoppers from across the Lower Mainland: at the corner of Kingsway and Earles, for example, the Purdy's Chocolate Factory sits across from Harvey's Appliances, and the site of the former Avalon Dairy

145-485: Is a major east–west thoroughfare in the city of Vancouver , British Columbia, Canada. In Vancouver's numbered avenue grid system, it runs in place of a 9th Avenue, between 8th and 10th. The street has six lanes for most of its course. Portions of the street carry the British Columbia Highway 7 designation. The route begins as "West Broadway" at the intersection of Wallace Crescent and 8th Avenue, in

174-543: Is also nearby, just outside the Renfrew–Collingwood boundary at 43rd Avenue and Wales Street, where the original farmhouse still stands, bearing a heritage plaque. Renfrew–Collingwood has seen a large amount of development in the past two decades, much of it coming thanks to the construction of the SkyTrain and its related stations. Three stations – Nanaimo , 29th Avenue and Joyce-Collingwood – were constructed on

203-553: Is controversial: the city claims that density is better for the Earth's environment, but many residents do not want their neighbourhood to lose its single-family home character. The commercial area is anchored by a Safeway supermarket adjoining which is the Eldorado Motor Hotel, and features a wide array of businesses, including a variety of ethnic-owned and ethnic-themed businesses. The area includes Kensington Gardens,

232-502: Is in Vancouver . Cape Horn Interchange Nanaimo Station Nanaimo is a partially elevated station on the Expo Line of Metro Vancouver 's SkyTrain rapid transit system. The station is located on Nanaimo Street between Vanness Avenue and East 24th Avenue in Vancouver , British Columbia, Canada. The station takes its name from Nanaimo Street, which is named after the city of Nanaimo on Vancouver Island . Situated on

261-826: Is that the Collingwood name derives from Royal Navy Admiral Cuthbert Collingwood , for whom Collingwood Channel in Howe Sound is named. In 1913, a small town was growing quickly along Joyce Street. To the north, the Renfrew district—formerly the southern part of an area known as the Hastings townsite—began to see population arrive in the 1920s. Over the years, the two areas have grown together, with extensive commercial development along Kingsway, Grandview Highway and Boundary Road and growing numbers of condominiums and multi-family residential developments sprouting up around

290-618: The British Columbia Electric Railway . This line formerly ran just west of Nanaimo station to where New Westminster station is located today. In 2002, Millennium Line service was introduced to the station, which provided outbound service to VCC–Clark station (originally Commercial Drive ) via Columbia station in New Westminster. This service was discontinued and replaced with an Expo Line branch to Production Way–University station in 2016. In

319-517: The Trans-Canada Highway during morning and evening rush hour. While much of the natural features of the area have been changed by recent development, portions of Still Creek continue to run through the area, which is built on rolling hills. The southeast corner of Renfrew–Collingwood near the intersection of Boundary Road is adjacent to Swangard Stadium and the northwest corner of Central Park . In 1861, Colonel Richard Moody made

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348-597: The 1986 Expo Line, while the Millennium Line brought the Renfrew and Rupert stations to the area. Joyce-Collingwood Station has turned into the centre of a booming residential area with condominium developments still being built around it; this area has encompassed the former Collingwood town centre, which continues to be a popular shopping area. To the north, Grandview Highway has drawn some large "big-box" stores and turned into an economic engine for that portion of

377-795: The Joyce Skytrain Station, offers programs for children and families. Norquay Park, Slocan Park and Renfrew Community Park all feature playgrounds and sports fields, and in recent years the Renfrew Ravine Moon Festival – a lantern festival – has taken place in Slocan and Renfrew Ravine parks in September. Graham Bruce, Grenfell, Carleton, Norquay, Nootka, and Renfrew are the public elementary schools in Renfrew–Collingwood; Windermere, and Vancouver Technical are its public high schools. Renfrew–Collingwood also features

406-493: The Joyce station of which is located on Joyce Street a few blocks north of Kingsway. The wooded area around Still Creek has been preserved as Renfrew Ravine Park, and features walking trails, footbridges, and a meditation labyrinth. The neighbourhood features two public library branches (Collingwood and Renfrew), as well as a community centre and public pool at the Renfrew site. In addition, Collingwood Neighbourhood House, located at

435-558: The Norquay Village Neighbourhood Centre Program, one of several neighbourhood centre programs it plans to implement as part of its Eco-Density initiative. If the program goes ahead, much of Renfrew–Collingwood will be re-zoned from single-family homes to duplexes, with areas along some of the busier streets zoned for rowhouses. The idea is to increase density and encourage the development of shopping centres along Earles and Rupert streets. The plan

464-614: The Vancouver– Burnaby boundary, where it becomes the Lougheed Highway . Broadway was created at the turn of the 20th century, along with other gridded roads south of False Creek , to meet the needs of an expanding population in Vancouver. The name of the route was changed from 9th Avenue to Broadway in 1909, at the behest of merchants around Main Street (at that time the hub of Vancouver commerce), who felt that it bestowed

493-641: The affluent residential neighbourhood of West Point Grey , a few kilometres east of the University of British Columbia (UBC). Past Alma Street, Broadway takes over from 10th Avenue as one of Vancouver's major thoroughfares, as it enters the West Broadway (or Greektown ) section of Vancouver's Kitsilano district. East of here are several blocks of upscale shops interspersed with low-rise apartment blocks and small supermarkets. The surrounding neighbourhoods generally consist of large, older homes dating from

522-406: The area in 1878 and settled on an area bordered by Wales Street, Kingsway and East 45th Avenue. By 1891, the interurban railway tram running along Vanness Avenue had opened the area to new residents, and a thriving community started near the junction of Vanness and Joyce Street. The name Collingwood was likely selected by some former residents of Collingwood, Ontario . However, another possibility

551-472: The area. Construction of the two SkyTrain rapid transit lines through the area (the original Expo Line in 1986 and the more recent Millennium Line to the north) has brought even more interest in development. The area had its beginnings and owes its name to a station on the now-defunct Central Park Line of the British Columbia Electric Railway , the route of which is now paralleled by the Skytrain line ,

580-499: The bus service is at capacity, and will not be eased until a new rapid transit line is built paralleling the street. A 6 km, 6 station extension of the Millennium Line from the current terminus at VCC-Clark station down Central Broadway to Arbutus began construction in 2021, expected completion in 2025. Broadway passes through the following Vancouver neighbourhoods (from west to east): From west to east: The entire route

609-411: The commercial establishments become smaller and somewhat more downscale. At Ontario Street , two blocks west of Main, the route becomes "East Broadway." After bisecting Main and Kingsway , traffic on Broadway eases somewhat, and the character returns to a mix of small-to-medium apartment buildings and commercial establishments, interspersed with older homes – all considerably less affluent than those to

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638-455: The community. Also in that area is the busy Vancouver Film Studios operation. Much of the heritage of both Renfrew and Collingwood has been pushed aside by progress and redevelopment, but certain heritage sites still remain – for now. The Carleton Elementary School , at the southwest corner of Kingsway and Joyce, is one example of those early days of development. The 1896 building is still standing, along with several other school buildings from

667-479: The development of the area. Renfrew–Collingwood is also the home of Vancouver's only remaining craftsman style firehall, Firehall 15, at the corner of Nootka and 22nd avenues. Currently, the City of Vancouver is researching the feasibility of preserving this building, as well the historically significant 2400 motel on Kingsway, though the future of both sites is very much in doubt. In 2007, the City of Vancouver announced

696-620: The early twentieth century, many of which have been subdivided into rental suites. As Broadway approaches Arbutus Street, the commercial establishments become larger before transitioning into a mix of small to mid-size apartment blocks. East of Burrard Street , the apartment blocks get progressively taller, and commercial establishments larger and busier. Between Burrard and Main Street , Broadway can be considerably congested by vehicular traffic. Past Granville Street , Broadway yields completely to medium-to-large commercial structures and high-rise apartments and condominiums. Between Cambie and Main,

725-556: The expansion of the Vancouver General Hospital (one block south of Broadway between approximately Oak and Cambie), traffic demands accelerated. In the 1990s, the agency then responsible for public transit in Greater Vancouver – BC Transit – introduced an express bus route, the 99 B-Line , to help reduce congestion. The Vancouver transportation plan for Broadway notes that congestion is such that

754-416: The first modern attempt to break through the thick forests that covered the areas now known as Renfrew–Collingwood, building a military trail on the route of an ancient First Nations trail that led from New Westminster to English Bay . He then claimed 1.14 km² of land in the heart of the area, where the Collingwood commercial area now exists. The first settler in the area was George Wales, who moved to

783-444: The fourth quarter of 2018, TransLink was scheduled to begin a major upgrade of the station's bus exchange and entrance plaza to "improve safety and comfort for [the station's] passengers and to prepare for future service expansions". Construction began on the expansion of the bus loop on January 4, 2019, and was scheduled to be completed in the fourth quarter of 2019. The completion date was later pushed back to early 2020. The bus loop

812-584: The new master-planned community comprising three residential towers, a supermarket, retail shops, Asian-inspired restaurant, parks and greenspace. It was created by Vancouver-based developer Westbank. Civic services in the area include a branch of the Vancouver Public Library and recreation centre, as well as an official city neighbourhood office. 49°14′33″N 123°02′48″W  /  49.2425°N 123.0466°W  / 49.2425; -123.0466 Broadway (Vancouver) Broadway

841-519: The west. At Commercial Drive , Broadway passes by the Commercial–Broadway SkyTrain station. Past here for several blocks, the neighbourhood consists predominantly of older residential homes. As Broadway travels east of Renfrew Street, the neighbourhood once again becomes mixed, with older homes to the north and larger industrial, commercial, and warehouse establishments to the south. Broadway finally ends at Cassiar Street, just short of

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