Kerrisdale, Vancouver Westside | Neighbourhood Profile

Everything you want, in a neighbourhood

Named for the old Kerrisdale rail station at West 41st Avenue and West Boulevard, Kerrisdale owes a lot of its character to being a sort of “last stop” before leaving the Vancouver municipality. The CPR’s Vancouver-Lulu Island Railway tracks still run through the heart of Kerrisdale, harkening back to the days when the area was a gateway between the city and fish canneries on Lulu Island. From a few shops built in 1912 to accommodate housing starts in the neighbourhood, West 41st Avenue has evolved into a distinctly appealing shopping hub for the well-established Vancouver Westside community as well as the entire city.

Schools

Schools for all ages abound in and around Kerrisdale. Kerrisdale Elementary and the Kerrisdale Annex both lie within it’s borders. Just over the borders but still within an easy commuting distance are the further elementary school offerings of Quilchena Elementary, Maple Grove Elementary and McKechnie Elementary. The acclaimed Point Grey Secondary School is easily accessible just outside the north boundary of Kerrisdale. The prestigious offerings of the private schools – Crofton House and York House – are also in close proximity.

Housing

Kerrisdale features 50 named Heritage structures, reflecting Tudor, Spanish Colonial and Beaux Arts architectural styles. While the neighbourhood is comprised mostly of single-family detached homes, these are interspersed with a mix of low-rise and high-rise apartments and condominiums.

Location

With 37th Avenue as its northern border and 49th Avenue as its southern boundary line, Kerrisdale is completed by the western boundary of Blenheim over to the eastern border of Cypress until it veers off to move along East Boulevard for a southern triangular jut of land that goes down to 57th and Cypress. The standard direct route from the airport towards downtown is Granville Street, which defines the east side of Kerrisdale. The more scenic route is Southwest Marine Drive, just over the south side of the neighbourhood. This contrast reflects the semi-rural appeal that attracted the area’s first settlers, with its abundant greenery throughout. At the same time, an established shopping and dining core ensures that you are never far from the more cosmopolitan pursuits.

Recreation

Kerrisdale contains two major golf courses, as well as public swimming and fitness facilities in the Kerrisdale Community Centre. For pleasant walks, there are eight city parks, and a wide range of neighbourhood shops, restaurants and cafés.

Shopping

The dazzling variety of shopping and dining options in Kerrisdale feels tailor-made for a wide range of needs and tastes. Along West 41st Avenue and West Boulevard, you can easily find sports and fitness equipment, baby and children’s fashion, bakeries, electronics, seafood, pet stores, a bike store, coffee shops and teahouses, several choices for Asian and Continental cuisine, and much more. Yet as much as shopping and dining define these streets, there’s never a crowded, hurried feeling. Indeed, the laid back village atmosphere provides a welcome alternative to the concentrated buzz of downtown shopping.

Transportation

Major thoroughfares such as Granville Street, Marine Drive and 49th Avenue are easily accessible routes to downtown, UBC or the eastern suburbs.