North Vancouver, British Columbia
Encyclopedia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, that use the name North Vancouver. These are:
- The City of North VancouverNorth Vancouver, British Columbia (city)The City of North Vancouver is a waterfront municipality on the north shore of Burrard Inlet, directly across from Vancouver, British Columbia. It is the smallest of the three North Shore municipalities, and the most urbanized as well...
(44,303 residents – 2001 Census) - The District of North VancouverNorth Vancouver, British Columbia (district municipality)The District of North Vancouver is a district municipality in British Columbia and is part of the GVRD. It surrounds the City of North Vancouver on three sides.-Geography:The District of North Vancouver is separated from Vancouver by Burrard Inlet...
(82,310 residents – 2001 Census)
While the City and District are separate entities, each with its own mayor, council, and operations departments, they share several core services such as the North Vancouver School District, the North Vancouver Recreation Commission and the North Vancouver detachment of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police
Royal Canadian Mounted Police
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police , literally ‘Royal Gendarmerie of Canada’; colloquially known as The Mounties, and internally as ‘The Force’) is the national police force of Canada, and one of the most recognized of its kind in the world. It is unique in the world as a national, federal,...
. These two municipalities, along with the district of West Vancouver are commonly referred to as the North Shore
North Shore (Greater Vancouver)
"Vancouver's North Shore" is a term commonly used to refer to several areas adjacent to Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada:*the District of West Vancouver;*the City of North Vancouver;*the District of North Vancouver; and...
.
The differences between the two municipalities are most apparent to their respective residents. For the most part, other Lower Mainland
Lower Mainland
The Lower Mainland is a name commonly applied to the region surrounding and including Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. As of 2007, 2,524,113 people live in the region; sixteen of the province's thirty most populous municipalities are located there.While the term Lower Mainland has been...
residents rarely distinguish between the District and the City, referring to both collectively as "North Vancouver". The same is true for commercial advertising, and even for certain government departments, including Canada Post
Canada Post
Canada Post Corporation, known more simply as Canada Post , is the Canadian crown corporation which functions as the country's primary postal operator...
. There have been several proposals over the years with regards to merging the two municipalities, but none have progressed beyond the concept stage.
There are, however, some distinct differences between the two municipalities, both physically and socially:
Capilano River
The Capilano River flows from north to south through the Coast Mountains on Vancouver's North Shore and empties into Burrard Inlet, opposite Stanley Park. The river is one of three primary sources of drinking water for residents of Greater Vancouver. The Cleveland Dam, built in 1954, impounds a...
to the west, Indian Arm
Indian Arm
Indian Arm is a steep-sided glacial fjord adjacent to the city of Vancouver in southwestern British Columbia. Formed during the last Ice Age, it extends due north from Burrard Inlet, between the communities of Belcarra and the District of North Vancouver , then on into mountainous wilderness...
to the east, Burrard Inlet
Burrard Inlet
Burrard Inlet is a relatively shallow-sided coastal fjord in southwestern British Columbia, Canada. Formed during the last Ice Age, it separates the City of Vancouver and the rest of the low-lying Burrard Peninsula from the slopes of the North Shore Mountains, home to the communities of West...
to the south, and the North Shore Mountains
North Shore Mountains
The North Shore Mountains are a mountain range overlooking Vancouver in British Columbia, Canada. Their southernmost peaks are visible from most areas in Vancouver and form a distinctive backdrop for the city....
to the north, it sprawls in an east-west direction across the mountain slopes, characterized by rugged terrain, frequent rain and steep and winding roadways. The District is primarily made up of single-family residential housing, with an industrial base along the shoreline of Burrard Inlet. It has more than twice the population of the City, but with a much lower population density. There is no clearly defined "downtown"; instead, a series of commercial areas such as Edgemont Village
Edgemont Village
Edgemont Village is a small commercial area in the District of North Vancouver, in British Columbia, Canada. It is centred around the intersection of Edgemont Boulevard and Highland Boulevard in the north-western part of the District...
and Lynn Valley
Lynn Valley
Lynn Valley is a neighbourhood of North Vancouver, British Columbia. Located at the northern edge of Metro Vancouver, it is nestled between the forested slopes of Mount Fromme and Mount Seymour...
serve as local community hubs.
The City of North Vancouver, on the other hand, has a much more urban feel. Surrounded to the west, north, and east by the District, the City is home to the majority of the North Shore's high rise buildings, rental properties, and commercial operations. As with the District, there are industrial sites along the shore of Burrard Inlet, although in recent years several of these have begun to convert to residential and commercial areas. The City also has the Lonsdale Quay
Lonsdale Quay
Lonsdale Quay is a major transit hub for Vancouver's North Shore municipalities, as well as a public market and tourist destination. Located at the foot of Lonsdale Avenue in the City of North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, it is the northern terminal for the SeaBus passenger ferry...
public market and the northern terminal for Vancouver's Seabus
SeaBus
The SeaBus is a passenger-only ferry service in Metro Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. It crosses Burrard Inlet to connect the cities of Vancouver and North Vancouver. The SeaBus is owned and operated by the Coast Mountain Bus Company and is an important part of TransLink's integrated public...
transit ferry. Regional planners have identified the City, and specifically its Central Lonsdale and Lower Lonsdale neighbourhoods, as the "downtown" of the North Shore
North Shore (Greater Vancouver)
"Vancouver's North Shore" is a term commonly used to refer to several areas adjacent to Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada:*the District of West Vancouver;*the City of North Vancouver;*the District of North Vancouver; and...
.
Attributes
The very rugged nature of the North Shore Mountains, including, predominantly, Grouse MountainGrouse Mountain
Grouse Mountain is one of the North Shore Mountains of the Pacific Ranges in North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Exceeding 1,200 m in altitude at its peak, is the site of an alpine ski area in the winter season overlooking Greater Vancouver with four chairlifts facilitating 26 runs...
and Mount Seymour
Mount Seymour
Mount Seymour is a mountain located in Mount Seymour Provincial Park in the District of North Vancouver, British Columbia. It is a part of the North Shore Mountains, rising to the north from the shores of Burrard Inlet and Indian Arm to a summit of above the Indian River and Deep Cove neighbourhoods...
, have contributed to this area's reputation for hiking, skiing, and perhaps most famously, mountain biking
Mountain biking
Mountain biking is a sport which consists of riding bicycles off-road, often over rough terrain, using specially adapted mountain bikes. Mountain bikes share similarities with other bikes, but incorporate features designed to enhance durability and performance in rough terrain.Mountain biking can...
. Many trails are featured in popular mountain biking videos. The Baden-Powell Trail
Baden-Powell Trail
The Baden-Powell Trail is a rugged but well-maintained trail that traverses Greater Vancouver's North Shore region. It was named after Lord Baden-Powell, founder of the world Scouting Movement.- Geography :...
runs 50 kilometres from Horseshoe Bay to Deep Cove
Deep Cove, North Vancouver
Deep Cove refers to both the community in the easternmost part of the District of North Vancouver, in British Columbia, Canada, and also the geographic name of the small bay beside the town. It is affectionately referred to as "The Cove" by local residents. Located at the foot of Mount Seymour,...
. This trail is host to the annual Knee Knackering North Shore Trail Run
Knee Knackering North Shore Trail Run
The Knee Knackering North Shore Trail Run, also known as the Knee Knacker, was established in 1989 and is a 30-mile ultramarathon trail run in that takes place in British Columbia, in the Greater Vancouver area. Due to its popularity, the field is limited to 200 runners, selected by lottery...
(or "Knee Knacker"), which is a half day long run along the entire length of the trail. The District is also home to the Grouse Grind hiking trail, a steep vertical climb sometimes referred to as "Mother Nature's Stairmaster."
The North Shore is also the birth place of "Shore Riding", a specific style of mountain bike riding that involves hand made ladders, bridges and logs. The structures range from the simple to the elaborate, the best being made of cedar. They are used to navigate difficult terrain, rivers, swamps and muddy areas. The Shore is also known for its steep, slippery, wet, technical, rooty and generally nasty terrain.
Other tourist attractions include Lynn Canyon Park
Lynn Canyon Park
Lynn Canyon Park is a municipal park in the District of North Vancouver, British Columbia. When the park officially opened in 1912 it was only in size, but it now encompasses . The park has many hiking trails of varying length and difficulty...
, the Lynn Canyon Suspension Bridge
Lynn Canyon Suspension Bridge
The Lynn Canyon Suspension Bridge is a pedestrian bridge located within Lynn Canyon Park, in the District of North Vancouver, British Columbia. It is high from the bottom of the canyon. The bridge was built as a private venture in 1912....
, the Capilano Fish Hatchery at Capilano River Regional Park
Capilano River Regional Park
Capilano River Regional Park is located in the District of North Vancouver in British Columbia, Canada. It is one of twenty-one regional parks operated by the Metro Vancouver. The park encompasses most of the upstream areas of the Capilano River below the Cleveland Dam. The area north of the dam...
, the Capilano Suspension Bridge
Capilano Suspension Bridge
The Capilano Suspension Bridge is a simple suspension bridge crossing the Capilano River in the District of North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The current bridge is long and above the river...
, the Lower Seymour Conservation Reserve, and the Maplewood Flats conservation area. Indian Arm, an offshoot of Burrard Inlet, is well known for its sea kayak
Sea kayak
A sea kayak or touring kayak is a kayak developed for the sport of paddling on open waters of lakes, bays, and the ocean. Sea kayaks are seaworthy small boats with a covered deck and the ability to incorporate a spraydeck...
ing and is the setting for Deep Cove
Deep Cove, North Vancouver
Deep Cove refers to both the community in the easternmost part of the District of North Vancouver, in British Columbia, Canada, and also the geographic name of the small bay beside the town. It is affectionately referred to as "The Cove" by local residents. Located at the foot of Mount Seymour,...
. The tallest known specimen of Douglas fir tree was once located in Lynn Valley within North Vancouver.
Some of the local drinking establishments in the city and the district were immortalized in "The Crawl," a song by local folk-rock band Spirit of the West
Spirit of the West
Spirit of the West are a Canadian folk rock band, who were popular on the Canadian folk music scene in the 1980s before evolving a blend of hard rock, Britpop, and Celtic folk influences which made them one of Canada's most successful alternative rock acts in the 1990s.-Early years:The band began...
which recounts a pub crawl across the North Shore. The area is also the setting for the 2008 documentary Carts of Darkness
Carts of Darkness
Carts of Darkness is a 2008 National Film Board of Canada documentary film by Murray Siple about a group of homeless men in North Vancouver, who use shopping carts to collect bottles and cans to return for money and also race down the city's steep slope for thrills.The subjects in the film control...
.