THE STORY

Vancouver has been known as a ‘no-fun city’, but it relentlessly pursues sustainability in the form of the Greenest City 2020 Action Plan. Vancouver is divided into 21 neighbourhoods that, in the early 1960s, were planned according to its specific demands and needs, rather than being planned for as a city. This concept of neighbourhood planning has been picked up again by the current elected municipal leaders of the City of Vancouver with several community plans being updated.

However, we must ask whether certain neighbourhoods allow for greater community cohesion than others. Are certain neighborhoods healthier and happier, therefore, more creative, because of their amenities? To the untrained observer, it is obvious that the majority of Vancouverites flock towards the northern neighbourhoods to work, relax, enjoy and mingle with their neighbours.

Is this true? Do certain neighbourhoods in Vancouver have greater opportunity for neighbours to meet each other? Are they better equipped for the creation and maintenance of public spaces?

THE NEIGHBORHOODS

Vancouver has a total of 22 neighborhoods:

Hastings-Sunrise

Grandview-Woodlands

Strathcona

Downtown

West End

Renfrew Collingwood

Kensington-Cedar Cottage

Riley Park

South Cambie

Shaughnessy

Arbutus Ridge

Dunbar-Southlands

West Point Grey

Kitsilano

Fairview

Mount Pleasant

Killarney

Victoria-Fraserview

Sunset

Marpole

Oakridge

Kerrisdale

 

WHY DO WE CARE?

Cities are the arena where policy is realized. It is in cities that consumers consume, people work and children grow up. According to Statistics Canada, as of 2011, 81% of Canadians live in cities. That is a huge number that representations the majority of the audience for which public policy is created and the majority that it affects. Planners and architects have now realized the importance of creating cities that not only provide amenities easily, but also cities that enable citizens to be creative and innovative at their work and home. By this, I mean, cities are required to be healthy and happy places of residence rather than polluted and cramped places to live. Planners and architects are further realizing the importance of urban design in achieving this goal.

This analysis is meant to serve as a resource to planners, architects and urban enthusiasts who have the resources to serve those neighborhoods that require some attention. It is also meant as a resource to learn from those neighborhoods that are able to serve the needs of the demographics that live in them. However, as objective as this research is, it is equally as subjective.