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Vancouver (pronounced ) is a Canadian city in the province of British Columbia. It is the largest metropolitan centre in western Canada and the third largest in the country. Vancouver is one of the cities of the Greater Vancouver Regional District (GVRD) and of the larger geographic region commonly known as the Lower Mainland of B.C. The Port of Vancouver is significant on a world scale, and Vancouver is the third largest film production centre for US-based productions in North America after Hollywood and New York.

The city's population is estimated to be 602,231 (2005) and that of the metropolitan area 2,186,965 (2001 census)Statcan 2001 Census. Some predict that by 2020, the population of the metropolitan area will be 2.6 millionUrban Statistics - 2020 projection. A resident of Vancouver is called a "Vancouverite." The current mayor is Sam Sullivan. In 2006, Vancouver has been ranked the 56th most expensive city to live among 144 major cities in the world, and the 2nd most expensive in Canada (below Toronto).

Vancouver will be the host city for the 2010 Winter Olympics, the 2006 United Nations World Urban Forum , the 2007 Memorial Cup and the 2009 World Police and Fire Games. Vancouver will host some games for the 2007 FIFA U20 World Cup.

Geography

Vancouver is adjacent to the Strait of Georgia, a body of water that is shielded from the Pacific Ocean by Vancouver Island. It is in the Pacific Time Zone (UTC-8), and the Pacific Maritime EcozonePacific Maritime Ecozone. The city itself forms part of the Burrard Peninsula, lying between Burrard Inlet to the north and the Fraser River to the south. Those unfamiliar with the region may be surprised to learn that Vancouver is not on Vancouver Island. However, both the island and the city (and its U.S. counterpart) are named after Royal Navy Captain George Vancouver of Great Britain, who explored the region in 1792.

Vancouver has an area of 114.67 km² (44 sq. miles), including both flat and hilly ground. Vancouver has a wet climate and is surrounded by water; while early records show that there may have been as many as fifty creeks and streams in the area, currently only four are left.

Climate

Vancouver's climate is unusually temperate by Canadian standards; after Victoria, it is the second warmest major city in Canada during the winter, with daily minimum temperatures falling below 0°C on an average of 46 days per year and below -10°C on only two days per year. Precipitation varies from about 1,100 mm (43 inches) at Point Grey to 3,500 mm or more (137 inches) near the north shore mountains. Summer months are generally sunny and dry, with moderate temperatures. The daily maximum averages 22°C in July and August, and temperatures rise above 30°C only about once every five summers on average. Thunderstorms are rare, with about four to six per year. Rainfall is frequent in winter; more than half of all winter days record measureable precipitation, snowfall much less so, with only 9 winter days averaging any snowfall, and only 3 days with amounts greater than 5 cm.

Flora

The original vegetation of most of Vancouver and its suburbs was dense temperate rain forest, mostly conifers with scattered pockets of maple and alder, plus large areas of swampland (even in upland areas due to poor drainage). The conifers were the usual coastal BC mix of Sitka spruce, Western red cedar, Pacific hemlock and Douglas fir and yew, and were reckoned to be the greatest concentration of the largest of these trees on the entire British Columbia Coast; only those of Seattle's Elliott Bay rivalled those of Burrard Inlet and English Bay in size, and there too sawmills and lumbering sprang up to exploit the gigantic trees which were within an "easy" drag of the shoreline, and therefore markets. The largest trees in Vancouver's old-growth forest were in the area of what is now Gastown, where the first logging occurred, and on the south slopes of False Creek and English Bay, especially around Jericho Beach. Stanley Park, which to most people appears to be first-growth, is actually mostly second and third growth and evidence of old-fashioned logging techniques such as springboard notches can be seen throughout the park.

A diverse range of plants and trees were imported from other parts of the continent and from points across the Pacific and can be found growing throughout Vancouver and the Lower Mainland. Various species of palms have proven to be hardy to this climate, and are a common sight as are large numbers of other exotic trees including the Peruvian monkey puzzle tree, the Japanese maple and various flowering exotics such as magnolias, azaleas and rhododendrons. Many rhododendrons have grown to immense size as with other species imported from harsher climates in Eastern Canada or Europe; although the native Douglas maple can attain tremendous size. Also, streets in large areas of the city are lined with varieties of flowering Japanese cherry which were donated by Japan in the 1930s and make an impressive show every spring. Certain areas of West Vancouver which have the right balance of sunlight and rainfall are home to the arbutus (Arbutus menziesii), which is more associated with the climate of the Gulf Islands, Greater Victoria, and northern Puget Sound.

Scenery

Vancouver is internationally renowned for its scenic setting. Vancouver has one of North America's largest urban parks, Stanley Park. The North Shore mountains dominate the city landscape, and on a clear day scenic vistas include the snow-capped volcano Mount Baker in the State of Washington to the southeast; Vancouver Island across the Strait of Georgia to the west and southwest and the Sunshine Coast to the northwest. The views of the city and its surroundings have made it renowned for its beauty.

Air pollution

While many believe that air pollution is increasing, air quality in the city has improved over the last several decades, largely due to actions by various levels of government (e.g., improved automobile efficiency, cleaner fuels). The British Columbia Lung Association reportedBritish Columbia Lung Association - Air polution that between 2001 and 2003, Vancouver had lower particulate matter pollution than other cities in British Columbia, including Victoria, Prince George, and Kelowna. Air quality in the Fraser Valley often suffers as Vancouver's pollution is blown in that direction and "boxed in" by the mountains. Air quality measurements for the Lower Fraser Valley, including Vancouver, are updated and published every hour online by the Greater Vancouver Regional DistrictGreater Vancouver Area - Air quality measurements.

History

Archeological records indicate the presence of Aboriginal peoples in the Vancouver area for at least 3,000 years. The traces of several settlements around Vancouver, indicate a food-gathering people with a complex social system.

The arrival of ships captained by Jose Maria Narvaez of Spain in 1791 and George Vancouver of Britain the following year, heralded great change for the lives of the First Nations. The first European settlement was established in 1862 at McLeery's Farm on the Fraser River, just east of the ancient village of Musqueam in what is now Marpole. A sawmill established at Moodyville (now North Vancouver) in 1863, began the city's long relationship with lumbering, and was quickly followed by mills on the south shore of the inlet owned by Captain Edward Stamp. Stamp, who had begun lumbering in the Port Alberni area, first attempted to run a mill at Brokcton Point, but difficult currents and reefs forced the relocation of the operation to a point near the foot of Dunlevy Street, known as Hastings Mill.

The settlement of Gastown grew up quickly around the original makeshift tavern established by “Gassy” Jack Deighton in 1867 on the edge of the Hastings Mill property. In 1870, the colonial government surveyed the settlement and laid out a townsite, renamed “Granville.” This site, with its natural harbour, was eventually selected as the terminus for the Canadian Pacific Railway to the chagrin of Port Moody, New Westminster and Victoria, all of which had vied to be the railhead. The building of the railway was among the preconditions for British Columbia joining Confederation in 1871. The City of Vancouver was incorporated on April 6, 1886, the same year that the first transcontinental train arrived.

A fire on Sunday, June 13 of that year destroyed most of the city, which was quickly rebuilt. Due to the advent of the railway, the population increased rapidly from 5,000 in 1887 to 100,000 in 1900. During the first decade of the twentieth century, Vancouver's population tripled and along with it came a construction boom and, as Rudyard Kipling noted on his visit to the new city in 1887, the "curious institution...called 'real estate'" and the speculative buying and selling of property. By 1890 the beginnings of one of the world's first electric street railways were promoting growth along what are now the city's main arterials, powered by ample hydroelectricity generated from nearby rivers and lakes (first at Buntzen Lake, and soon after on the Stave River, and two "interurban" rail lines were built between Vancouver and New Westminster, with one of those lines - all owned and operated by the BC Electric Railway Company, extending through the Fraser Valley to Chilliwack. Another separately-owned interurban line, the Lulu Island Railway, ran via the Arbutus corridor to Richmond from a station near Granville and Drake Streets. The first pavement in British Columbia was the Stanley Park ring road, and was made out of the crushed shells of the large midden at the old native village of Qwhy-qwhy (Lumberman's Arch); it was paved for use by bicycles, which until the introduction of the autmobile later on were a popular form of transportation. Automobiles were scarce until after World War I due to the distance from the industrial centres of eastern North America.

Social fabric

Vancouver is considered to be a relaxed city, particularly by North American standards. There is a lively cultural scene, many diversions, and year-round access to outdoor activities such as hiking, cycling, boating, and skiing. Some have called it a "city of neighbourhoods", each with a distinct character and ethnic mix. The city is consistently ranked within the top 3 cities in the world in which to live.

Increasingly, however, this popularity comes with a price. Vancouver can be an expensive city, with the highest housing prices in Canada. A recent survey comparing median house prices to median incomes found Vancouver was the most unaffordable city for housing in Canada -- and the fifteenth worst in the world, just marginally better than LondonVancouver Sun - Article about HousingDemographia - Vancouver housing. The city has adopted various strategies to reduce housing costs, including cooperative housing, legalized secondary suites, increased density and smart growth. Nevertheless, as with many other cities on the west coast of North America, homelessness is a concern, as is the growing gap between rich and poor. The city’s residents are thought (incorrectly) to be affluent, a superficial perception reinforced by the number of luxury vehicles on city streets and the rate at which residential properties sell (median house price $638,000, 1st Quarter 2006), despite a median household income of only C$56,000. The Downtown Eastside district of Vancouver is one of the poorest neighbourhoods in Canada, and is located only six to ten blocks from the expensive downtown "instant neighbourhoods" of Coal Harbour and Yaletown.

Vancouver's population density on the downtown peninsula is as high as 30,000 people per square kilometre. The density of the city itself is third highest of any metropolitan centre in North America, after New York City and San Francisco. (It should be noted that a handful of cities in the New York Metropolitan Area are more densely populated than Vancouver). City planners in the late 1950s and 1960s deliberately encouraged the development of high-rise condominium towers in the West End downtown neighbourhood, which has resulted in a compact, pedestrian/transit/bike friendly urban core. A major and ongoing downtown condominium construction boom began in the late 1990s, financed in large part by a huge flow of capital from Hong Kong immigrants prior to the 1997 hand-over. High-rise residential developments from this period now dominate the Yaletown and Coal Harbour districts of the downtown peninsula, and also cluster around some of the SkyTrain stations on the east side of the city. Vancouver continues to pursue policies intended to increase density as an alternative to sprawl, most recently in the form of Mayor Sam Sullivan's Eco-Density initiative.

Since the 1990s, real estate values gaining as much as 10-15% per year. Due to a recent economic boom, and rise in construction and labour costs, the city has seen house prices rise as much as 20-25%, especially in the suburbs.

Crime

As of 2005, Greater Vancouver (the metropolitan area including its suburbs) had the second-highest crime rate among major Canadian cities (500,000+ population)Statcan - Vancouver crime statistics; second only to Winnipeg. Vancouver's property-crime rate (partially a consequence of drug addiction centred in the Downtown Eastside) is particularly high; ranking among the highest rates of property crime for major cities in all of North AmericaCBC article - Vancouver crime. One of the most common property crimes in the Vancouver area is automobile break-in; thus visitors are advised to conceal all items left in their car, and to use auto-theft protection devices.

Demographics

Vancouver is home to people of many ethnic backgrounds and religions. Chinese are by far the largest visible ethnic minority group in the city. Vancouver has one of the most diverse Chinese-speaking communities, with several dialects of Chinese being represented. Vancouver contains the second largest Chinatown in North America (after San Francisco Chinatown), but arguably has more diversity in the authentic Chinese cuisine made available to consumers. There are also many multicultural neighbourhoods, such as the Punjabi Market, Little Italy, Greektown, Japantown, Commercial Drive, and a series of Koreatowns. Bilingual street signs can be seen at these centres of ethnic concentration.

Many immigrants from Hong Kong made Vancouver their home following the transfer of sovereignty of that former British colony from the United Kingdom to China. This continued a tradition of immigration from around the world that had already established Vancouver as the second most multi-ethnic of Canada's cities (after Toronto) before the Hong Kong influx began. Other significant Asian ethnic groups in Vancouver are South Asians (mostly Punjabis, usually referred to as Indo-Canadians), Vietnamese, Filipino, Korean, Cambodian, and Japanese.

Non-visible minorities, such as newly-arrived Eastern Europeans and the new wave of Latin American arrivals, are also a feature of the city's ethnic landscape. Prior to the Hong Kong influx of the 1980s, the largest non-British ethnic group in the city was German, followed by Ukrainian and the Scandinavian ethnicities. Most earlier immigrant groups are fully assimilated or intermarried with other groups, although a new generation of East Europeans form a distinct linguistic and social community.

There is also a sizable community of aboriginal people in Vancouver as well as in the surrounding metropolitan region, with the result that Vancouver constitutes the largest native community in the province.

Religion

Vancouver, like the rest of British Columbia, has a low rate of church attendance compared to the rest of the continent and the majority of the population does not practise religion seriouslyReligion articleWCR - Religious attendance.

{| class="wikitable" Vancouver religious profile from 2001 Census2001 Vancouver Community Profile from 2001 Census at Statistics Canada 42.2% no religious affiliation, including Agnostic, Atheist, Humanist, Darwinism, and "no religion" 19.0% Catholic 17.4% Protestant 6.9% Buddhist 4.4% other Christian, not identified elsewhere 2.8% Sikh 1.8% Jewish 1.7% Muslim 1.7% Christian Orthodox 1.4% Hindu 0.5% other relgions, including Aboriginal spirituality, Pagan, Wicca, Unity, New Thought,
Pantheist, Scientology, Rastafarian, New Age, Gnostic, Satanist 0.3% Baha'i, Eckankar, Jains, Shinto, Taoist, Zoroastrian and Eastern religions not identified elsewhere

Lifestyle

The city of Vancouver has developed a reputation as a tolerant city that is open to social experimentation and alternative lifestyles as well as being willing to explore alternative drug policies. The city has adopted a Four Pillars Drug StrategyFour Pillars Drug Strategy, which combines harm reduction (e.g. needle exchanges, supervised injection sites) with treatment, enforcement, and prevention. The strategy is largely a response to endemic HIV and hepatitis C among injection drug users in the city's Downtown Eastside neighbourhood. The area is characterized by entrenched poverty, the commercial sex trade, and an AIDS epidemic that in the 1990s became the worst in the developed world. Some community and professional groups — such as From Grief to ActionFrom Grief to Action and Keeping the Door OpenKeeping the Door Open— are fostering public dialogue in the city about further alternatives to current drug policies. The former mayor, Larry Campbell, came to office in 2002 in part because of his willingness to champion alternative interventions for drug issues, such as supervised injection sites. Although it is technically illegal, Vancouver police generally do not arrest people for possessing small amounts of marijuana. Police have, however, been involved in raids on cafes that openly sold marijuana (such as the Da Kine Cafe) and have aggressive programs to shut down hydroponic marijuana growing operations in residential areas.

While not completely free of racial tension, Vancouver is known for having more harmonious race relations than most large multiethnic citiesCity of Vancouver - Multiculturalism. One result is a relatively high rate of intermarriage; mixed ethnicity couples are unremarkable in any neighbourhood. Sushi is one of the most popular foods in the city, with more than 300 sushi restaurants in the metropolitan area. Both the annual Dragon Boat Festival and Lunar New Year's Day Parade are well attended by residents of all ethnic backgrounds. Vancouver has a relatively large music and arts scene and one of the largest gay communities in North America.

The influx of Hong Kong immigrants in the 1980s led to the popularization of a brag invented by new-immigrant Chinese youths from Hong Kong, who dubbed the city "Hongcouver" Hongcouver nickname. It was largely a media phenomenon and was never in wide usage among Vancouverites (who preferred their own name for their city), although it may have become current in other cities and areas of BC for a short time because of the media coverage CBC - usage of the term HongcouverUsage of the term Hongcouver in media.

Rankings

Vancouver consistently ranks in the top five in worldwide rankings of quality of life. Most recently, the city ranked firstBBC - 2002 rankings of quality of lifeBBC - 2005 rankings of quality of life in a worldwide quality of life survey conducted by the Economist Intelligence Unit. In a similar survey by Mercer Human Resource Consulting, Vancouver ranked second in 2002 and 2003CBC article - Mercer quality of life survey and third in 2004. Vancouver has tied for first with the cities of Salzburg and Oslo among the UN chosen cities for highest living standards the last 4 years running. Condé Nast Traveler magazine named Vancouver the "Readers' Choice #1 City in the Americas" for 2005Condé Nast Traveler, Readers Choice Awards 2005. The city generally ranks first when compared to its Canadian and U.S. peers.

The City of Vancouver also maintains a running public record of the complete list of city awardsCity of Vancouver awards page that Vancouver has won.

Economy

With its location on the Pacific Rim and at the western terminus of Canada's transcontinental highway and rail routes, Vancouver is one of the nation's largest industrial centres.

The Port of Vancouver, Canada's largest and most diversified, does more than $43 billion in trade with over 90 countries annually. Port activities generate $4 billion in gross domestic product and $8.9 billion in economic output.

Vancouver is the headquarters of forest product and mining companies. In recent years, Vancouver has become an increasingly important centre for software development, biotechnology and a vibrant film industry.

The city’s scenic location makes it a major tourist destination. Visitors come for the city’s gardens, Stanley Park and a combination of mountains, ocean, forest and parklands surrounding the city. The city's numerous beaches, parks, waterfronts, and mountain backdrop, combined with its cultural and multi-ethnic character, all contribute to its unique appeal and style. Over a million people annually pass through Vancouver en route to a cruise ship vacation, usually to Alaska.

Vancouver International Airport (YVR) is Canada's second busiest airport and the second largest gateway on the west coast of North America for international passengers.

The 1986 World Exposition was held in Vancouver. This Worlds Fair was the last to be held in North America and was considered to be a great success.

Government and politics

Vancouver is governed by the ten-member Vancouver City Council, a nine-member School Board, and a seven-member Parks Board, all elected for three-year terms through an at-large system.

Historically, in all levels of government, the more affluent west side of Vancouver has voted along conservative or centre-right lines while the eastern side of the city has voted along left-wing lines. This was reaffirmed with the results of the 2005 provincial election.

Though polarized, a political consensus has emerged in Vancouver around a number of issues. Protection of urban parks, a focus on the development of rapid transit as opposed to a freeway system, a harm reduction approach to illegal drug use and a general concern about community based development are examples of policies that have come to have broad support across the political spectrum in Vancouver.

Municipal representation

In the 2005 Municipal Election elections, City Council moved back to the right after a term dominated by the leftist Coalition of Progressive Electors (COPE). Sam Sullivan of the centre-right Non-Partisan Association (NPA) narrowly defeated Jim Green for the position of mayor and was joined by 5 of his party's members on Council. The moderate left Vision Vancouver (VVN) brought 4 members to Council with the final seat going to COPE. The NPA also won 6 of 9 School Board seats and 5 of 7 Parks Board seats, while the remaining Board seats were won by COPE. Former Mayor Larry Campbell chose not to run for re-election and was subsequently appointed to the Senate of Canada.

Provincial representation

In the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia, Vancouver has ten constituencies: in the 2005 provincial election, the BC Liberal Party and the BC New Democratic Party each won five seats.

Federal representation

In the Canadian House of Commons, Vancouver has five constituencies: in the 2004 federal elections, the Liberal Party of Canada won four seats, while the New Democratic Party won one. In the 2006 federal elections, all the same MPs were re-elected. However, on February 6, 2006, David Emerson of Vancouver-Kingsway defected to the Conservative Party, giving the Conservatives one seat in Vancouver. As of February 2006, the Liberals hold three seats, and the NDP and the Conservatives hold one each.

Infrastructure

Transportation

Municipal bylaws and geography have prevented the spread of urban freeways, and the only major freeway within city limits is Highway 1, which passes through the eastern edge of the city.

TransLink, the Greater Vancouver Regional District transportation authority, is responsible for roads and public transportation within region. It provides bus service, a foot passenger and bicycle ferry service (known as SeaBus), a two-line automated metro system called SkyTrain, and the commuter rail West Coast Express.

Inter-city passenger rail service is operated from Pacific Central Station by VIA Rail to points east; Amtrak Cascades to Seattle, Washington; and Rocky Mountaineer rail tour routes. The city is also served by two B.C. Ferries terminals. One is to the northwest at Horseshoe Bay, West Vancouver, and the other is to the south, at Tsawwassen (in Delta).

Vancouver is served by Vancouver International Airport (YVR), located on Sea Island in the City of Richmond, immediately south of Vancouver. HeliJet and two float plane companies operate scheduled air service from Vancouver harbour.

Education

Schools

Vancouver is served by School District 39 Vancouver, the second largest school district in British Columbia District Review Report, School District No. 39 Vancouver (PDF). As in other parts of the province, numerous independent schools are also eligible for provincial funding - including religious schools, non-denominational schools, and special-needs schools, nearly all of which also charge tuition.

Colleges and universities

Vancouver is served by the Lower Mainland's two major public universities, the University of British Columbia (UBC) and Simon Fraser University (SFU). UBC and SFU have satellite campuses within the city, as does the British Columbia Institute of Technology which provides polytechnic education and grants degrees in several fields. Vancouver Community College and Langara College, along with other colleges in surrounding communities, provide career, trade, and university-transfer programs for Vancouver residents. Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design grants certificates, diplomas, and degrees in art and design.

Architecture

Notable buildings within the city include Christ Church Cathedral, the Hotel Vancouver (now part of the Fairmont chain, originally a Canadian Pacific hotel), the Museum of Anthropology at the University of British Columbia (with a collection of First Nations art including work by Bill Reid), and the Vancouver Art Gallery (notable collections include several paintings by Emily Carr). There are several striking modern buildings in the downtown area, including the Vancouver Law Courts and surrounding plaza known as Robson Square (Arthur Erickson, architect) and the Vancouver Library Square (Moshe Safdie, architect), reminiscent of the Colosseum in Rome. The original BC Hydro headquarters building at Nelson & Burrard Streets is a modernist high-rise, now converted into the Electra condominiums. Another award winner was the "concrete waffle" of the MacMillan-Bloedel building on the north-east corner of the Georgia and Thurlow intersection. A prominent addition to the city's landscape is the giant tent-frame Canada Place, the former Canada Pavilion from Expo '86 and including the Trade and Convention Centre as well as a Cruise Ship Terminal and the Pan-Pacific Hotel.

A collection of Edwardian buildings in the city's old downtown core were, in their day, the tallest buildings in the British Empire. These were, in succession, the Province Building, the Dominion Building (1907. both at Cambie & Hastings Streets), and the Sun Tower (1911, Beatty & Pender Streets. The Sun Tower's cupola was finally exceeded as the Empire's tallest by the elaborate Art Deco-flavoured Marine Building in the 1920s (even though its absolute elevation was lower than the Hotel Vancouver and other more uptown buildings). The Marine Building is known for its elaborate ceramic tile facings and brass-gilt doors and elevators, which make it a favourite location for movie shoots. Another famous Edwardian building in the city is the current Vancouver Art Gallery building, designed by Francis Mawson Rattenbury who also designed the provincial Legislature and the original and highly decorative Hotel Vancouver (torn down after WWII as a condition of the completion of the new Hotel Vancouver a block away).

Topping the list of tallest buildings in Vancouver as of June 2006 is One Wall Centre at 150 m and 48 storeys, followed closely by the Shaw Tower at 149 m and 41 storeys. One Wall Centre will be eclipsed by new skyscrapers in the coming years, including the new 196 m tall, 60 storey Living Shangri-La residential tower and hotel, slated for completion in 2008.

Skyline

There are three different skylines in Vancouver, each with many high-rise buildings. The two most prominent skylines, often featured in postcards, are the view of southern shore of Burrard Inlet and the view of the northern shore of False Creek. The southern shore of Burrard Inlet includes Coal Harbour and buildings along the Waterfront Road. It has some of the city's most recognized buildings such as Canada Place, Harbour Centre, the Marine Building, and Shaw Tower. The northern shore of False Creek includes the southern portion of the West End, the three bridges connecting to Downtown Vancouver: Granville, Cambie and Burrard, and Yaletown. This area also has attractions such as General Motors Place and TELUS World of Science. The third and less noted skyline in Vancouver includes buildings along the Broadway corridor to the south of False Creek. This section of the city, although much more "mid-rise" than Downtown (average building height ranging from 50-80 m), contains some of the city's largest institutional buildings, such as Vancouver General Hospital (23rd tallest hospital in the world) and the art deco-styled Vancouver City Hall. The Bowmac Sign, once North America's tallest free-standing sign, is also in this stretch. In the future, False Creek south will play a more important role as the emptied industrial land in Southeast False Creek is developed.

Although Vancouver has more high-rises, per capita, than any other city in North America, the city's skyline is relatively "mid-rise" by North Amercian standards. Most buildings in the downtown have a height of around 90m-130m, with the tallest skyscrapers around 150 m tall. This is the result of a strict height restriction to protect mountain views.

The View Protection Guidelines were approved on December 12, 1989 and amended on December 11, 1990. The guidelines established view corridors in the downtown with height limits to protect views of the North Shore Mountains from a variety of locations south of the downtown peninsula. Over the years, the view protection guidelines have succeeded in preserving mountain views. However, some find Vancouver's skyline flat and lacking in visual interest. Many agree that there is a need for some taller buildings to reflect Vancouver's contemporary image. Others are concerned about proposals for much higher buildings. Many believe that the natural setting, and in particular, views of the North Shore Mountains, may be hindered as tall buildings grow in number. In response to these concerns, Council commissioned a "Skyline Study."

In 1997, the Downtown Vancouver Skyline Study concluded that Vancouver's skyline would benefit from the addition of a handful of buildings exceeding current height limits, to add visual interest to Vancouver's skyline. This led to the General Policy on Higher Buildings. The 1997 study noted that the opportunities for such buildings were restricted due to a limited number of large development sites in the downtown. There were at least five sites identified where buildings exceeding the 450 foot height limit are possible and at least two sites in the northwest corner of the central business district where heights up to 400 feet (exceeding the 300 foot limit) might be considered. Eight years later, five of the seven identified sites for higher buildings have been developed or are in the development application process. The tallest of these new buildings is the Living Shangri-La hotel/residential tower, which when completed in 2007 will stand 197 m tall (61 storeys).

Currently, an Urban Design Panel has been set up for the purpose of reviewing building proposals and rezoning applications in the downtown area (especially those that significantly exceed the current height limits).

Arts and culture

The Greater Vancouver Alliance for Arts and Culture

In 1986, Greater Vancouver’s cultural community created the Alliance for Arts and Culture to provide a strong voice for the sector and an avenue to work together. This coalition now numbers more than 320 arts groups and individuals. The Alliances mission is to, "strive towards an environment that recognizes, respects, and responds to the contribution our sector makes to society’s well-being."

Music

Vancouver is a major regional centre for the development of Canadian music. The city's musical contributions include performers of classical, folk and popular music.

The city played an important role in the development of punk rock, perhaps most famously including the band D.O.A., and the seminal industrial outfit Skinny Puppy. Other Vancouver bands who achieved stardom in London during the punk era were The Pointed Sticks, I, Braineater, U-J3RK5 (pron. "you jerk": the five is silent), the Young Canadians (originally the K-Tels) and The Modernettes. Vancouver was also where the punk movie "Terminal City Ricochet" was filmed; the movie's name comes from a hockey team called the Terminal City Ricochets.

Mainstream pop music has featured bands and performers such as Prism, Trooper, Chilliwack, and Bryan Adams. Some music stars whose names were made "at large" have chosen Vancouver as their residence: Joni Mitchell, Jerry Doucette, Randy Bachman, Koko Taylor, Jim Byrnes and more. The city's recording studios and amenable lifestyle have also attracted major recording artists, whose presence in town was so constant as for some to reckon them as locals (e.g. David Lee Roth and Jon Bon Jovi).

Vancouver also hosts an annual International Folk Music Festival that includes folk music from around the world.

Vancouver is home to two professional orchestras: the CBC Radio Orchestra and the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra. It is also home to a major opera company, the Vancouver Opera, and numerous regional opera companies throughout the metropolitan area.

Vancouver's large Chinese population has a significant music scene, which has produced several Cantopop stars. Similarly, various Indo-Canadian artists and actors have a profile in Bollywood or other aspects of India's entertainment industry.

Sports and recreation

The mild climate of the city and close proximity to ocean, mountains, rivers and lakes make the area a popular destination for outdoor recreation. Indeed, Vancouver has a low adult obesity rate compared to the Canadian average. Only 8% of Vancouverites are overweight as opposed to 15.5% nationwideStatCan - Vancouver health statistics.

Vancouver has over 2,700 acres (11 km²) of parks, with Stanley Park being the largest. The municipality also has several large beaches, many flowing into each other, with the largest groups extending from the coast of Stanley Park before reaching False Creek, and on the other side of English Bay, starting in the Kitsilano neighbourhood all the way to the University Endowment Lands, which are separate from Vancouver. The 18kms (11 miles) of beaches that surround Vancouver include English Bay (First Beach), Jericho, Kitsilano Beach, Locarno, Second Beach (Stanley Park), Spanish Bank East, Spanish Bank Extension, Spanish Bank West, Sunset, and Third Beach (Stanley Park). The coastline provides for many types of water sport, and the city is a popular destination for boating enthusiasts.

The nearby North Shore mountains are home to three ski hills - Cypress Bowl, Grouse Mountain, and Mount Seymour - each within 20 to 30 minutes of downtown Vancouver. Mountain bikers have created world-renowned trails across the North Shore. Three rivers - Capilano River, Lynn Creek, Seymour River - each within 20 minutes of downtown provide opportunities to white water enthusiasts during periods of rain and spring melt.

Nightlife in Vancouver had, for years, been seen as restricted in comparison to other cities, with early closing times for bars and night clubs, and a reluctance by authorities to allow for further development. However, in the past few years, Vancouver has experimented with later closing hours and relaxed regulations, and an effort has been made to develop the Downtown core even further as an entertainment district, especially on and around Granville Street.

Professional sports teams
Club Sport League Stadium Logo
Vancouver Canucks Ice hockey National Hockey League General Motors Place
British Columbia Lions Football Canadian Football League BC Place Stadium
Vancouver Canadians Baseball (Single A Short Season) Northwest League Nat Bailey Stadium
Vancouver Giants Ice hockey (Junior) Western Hockey League Pacific Coliseum
Vancouver Whitecaps Soccer United Soccer Leagues (men's)
W-League (women's) 		Swangard Stadium

Former sports teams
Club Sport League Stadium Logo Status
Vancouver Grizzlies (1995–2001) Basketball National Basketball Association General Motors Place Memphis Grizzlies
Vancouver Millionaires (1911–1926) Ice hockey Pacific Coast Hockey Association Denman Arena Defunct
Vancouver Ravens (2001–2004) Lacrosse National Lacrosse League General Motors Place Defunct
Vancouver Voodoo (1993–1996) Roller hockey Roller Hockey International PNE Agrodome Defunct

Media

Trivia

9 O'Clock Gun

Every evening an automated cannon (the 9 O'Clock Gun), situated on the Brockton Point peninsula in Stanley Park facing Coal Harbour and downtown, is fired. It is loud enough to be heard throughout the larger region. Its original purpose was for ship's captains in harbours to regularize their chronometers.

Sister cities

The City of Vancouver was one of the first cities ever to enter into an international twinning arrangement when, in 1944, it twinned with the city of Odessa, which at the time was part of the Soviet Union. This was based on aiding the allied port city during World War II. Since then, the City of Vancouver has created special arrangements for cultural, social and economic benefits with the other following cities: Busan, South KoreaEdinburgh, Scotland, UKGuangzhou, People's Republic of ChinaKaohsiung, Republic of ChinaLos Angeles, California, United StatesMelbourne, AustraliaOdessa, UkraineYokohama, Japan

Nuclear weapons free zone

In 1983, the City of Vancouver was one of the first cities in the world to declare itself a "Nuclear Weapons Free Zone". City Council has amended its policies and erected signage to this effect City of Vancouver - Nuclear weapons free zone. This is mostly a symbolic declaration, as Canadian municipalities have no jurisdiction over what can and cannot be brought into city limits.

Municipalities in Greater Vancouver

There are 21 municipalities in the Greater Vancouver Regional District (GVRD). While each of these has a separate municipal government, the GVRD oversees common services within the metropolitan area such as water, sewage, transportation, and regional parks.

Surrounding municipalities

References

  • Macdonald, B. 1992. Vancouver: a visual history. Vancouver: TALONBOOKS.
  • Matthews, Maj. J.S. 'Skit'. Early Vancouver, Vancouver Archives (1937)
  • Morley, Alan. Vancouver: From Milltown to Metropolis, Vancouver: MITCHELL PRESS (1961)

Footnotes

See also

External links

Coastal cities | Cities in British Columbia | Host cities of the Winter Olympic Games | Host cities of the Commonwealth Games | Vancouver | 1886 establishments

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This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the "Vancouver".

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