West End Downtown Vancouver

The name 'West End' in 1887 emerged from the Vancouver School Board's decision to build a school in the area (Lot 185). The term 'West End' was coined from their newly named facility, the 'West End School'.

In 1887, the lots finally did begin to sell, with prices ranging from $350 to 1000, as people realised the potential of the area. With CPR building rail lines, a hotel was going up, roads were being laid through the area plus the establishment of Stanley Park, lots began to move quickly. By 1888, the area was gaining respectability and had swiftly become an attractive investment to wealthy and elite buyers with fine views across Burrard Inlet and a reasonable distance from the smelly warehouses of Gastown.
For a brief couple of decades the West End catered to the rich. Carriages carted well-dressed women around town in the day and well-groomed horses, carriages or motor cars brought the gentlemen home from their offices and stores along Granville and in Gastown. Tram lines were built along Robson, Denman and Davie and shops were established along the lines. With the Klondike gold rush at the turn of the century, tens of thousands of people were enticed to Vancouver and the West End really began to fill up.

Soon the middle class had discovered the area, and the West End ceased to be exclusive. The wealthy moved to Shaughnessy and the mansions were turned into rooming houses, albeit elegant ones. As the depression hit, these rooming houses became further divided and the once well-to-do West End was no more.

A jumbled mix of many eras, the West End is still Vancouver's playground, home to its most popular beach (English Bay), its most popular shopping street (Robson) and its strong gay community.

A guide to English Bay http://www.englishbay.com/eb/eb.htm