Victoria, Vancouver Eastside | Neighbourhood Profile

This is Family Living at its Finest.

Victoria is a vibrant suburban neighbourhood on Vancouver’s Eastside that offers a distinctive, multi-cultural flavour to its residents.

Schools

As an area originally settled by families, there are many educational opportunities available to Victoria residents.

Some of the Elementary schools in and around the immediate area of Victoria are John Norquay Elementary, Laura Secord Elementary, Tecumseh Elementary, Tecumseh Annex, Lord Selkirk Elementary, Cunningham Elementary and McBride Elementary. Middle and secondary students also have a number of different schools to choose from: Vancouver Technical, Gladstone Secondary, John Oliver Secondary and Sir Charles Tupper (both to the east) and Killarney Secondary to the southwest. Private and independent institutions are also well represented. These include St. Joseph’s School and Stratford Hall. Located over the northern border is Fraser Academy, and to the east is Our Lady of Sorrows. Khalsa School and St. Andrews School are also within an easy commute for Victoria residents.

Location

The area known as Victoria is bordered on the north by 16th Avenue. The western border starting at 16th Avenue is Perry Street which turns into Argyle Street at 33rd as it moves south towards Victoria’s southern edge framed by East 41st Avenue. On the north-eastern corner, 16th Avenue meets Victoria Drive and continues south to 24th avenue, where the border veers further east and follows Stainsbury Avenue to Nanaimo Street, which leads to the south-eastern border at East 41st Avenue and Nanaimo Street.

Housing and History

Most of the dwellings in the Victoria neighbourhood consist of single-family dwellings built in two stages – the first being pre-1946 and the second during a resurgent interest in the neighbourhood between 1981 and 1990. The surge in new construction during this time was mainly due to the influx of successful middle-class families, who quickly realized the benefits of being close to the downtown core and the outlying bridges, while still maintaining a suburban neighbourhood environment that catered to its residents. In more recent years, there has been an upswing in the construction of multi-unit buildings – both low-rise and mid-rise – as well as townhouse developments. The neighbourhood is filled with young couples established families, but this is becoming enhanced with an influx of young families who are now discovering Victoria.

Recreation

Victoria, on its northern edge, sits right beside the beautiful John Hendry Park and Trout Lake.

All the facilities, programs, and activities offered by the newly renovated community centre and field areas are within an easy commute and available to any of Victoria’s residents. Victoria itself has many areas of green space and park area. Brewers Park, located at Victoria and East 26th Avenue, is a diverse terraced park broken into three areas: one that features tennis and basketball courts; a second grassy area with a playground and wading pool, as well as open space for dog walking, jogging and picnicking. The park was named for William Brewer, the first “reeve” (president of a village or town council) of South Vancouver in 1892. Clark Park just over the Victoria border at Commercial and 14th Avenue is the second-oldest park (after Stanley Park) in all of Vancouver. The land was donated to the city by E.J. Clark in 1889. It is over 4 hectares of urban oasis featuring a ball hockey field, soccer field, basketball court, softball diamond, tennis courts, playground and a water park.

Shopping and Restaurants

There is a shopping “hub” at the area in and around 41st and Victoria. Here, neighbourhood stores, restaurants and coffee shops stretch over a 4 block area offering many amenities and speciality items to its residents. Victoria is in the enviable position of being near the neighbouring areas of Killarney and Champlain Heights that have more of the larger chain grocery stores, drug stores, banks and liquor outlets.

Transportation

The north/south route of Victoria Drive, combined with the east/west routes of 41st Avenue and 16th Avenue, provides residents of Victoria quick and easy access to the majority of the Lower Mainland, including Downtown, North Shore, UBC, south to the major bridges over the Fraser River and destinations in the valley. Victoria is well serviced by public transportation with numerous intersecting routes and excellent frequency.