Many times when I speak with people who live outside downtown and let them know that I live and work and truly love this neighbourhood, they look at me in disbelief. They view it as living in a concrete jungle; a busy, noisy, fast paced lifestyle where you don’t know your neighbours and can’t raise a family. Nothing could be further from the truth.
This riding offers such a wide array of living options, amenities, educational opportunities, shopping, health care, culture, and recreation which are all within a short walk, cycle, transit ride or water taxi.
Many of these features that make our riding special are a result of our responsible density which is the catalyst to making this a wonderful place to live.
We have great places of learning such as a variety of day care facilities, three elementary schools; Elsie Roy, False Creek and Henry Hudson, as well as the approved new school in International Village which will be completed in 2015 and accommodate 60 kindergarten and 450 grade 1 to 7 pupils.
I spoke with some parents of Elsie Roy a few weeks ago and they shared their thoughts on how special it was to raise families in a neighbourhood where people truly know each other, walk to school and field trips, and look out for each others children.
Simon Fraser University, BCIT, UBC, Vancouver Community College, and Emily Carr, among others, are all represented in our riding, providing nearby post secondary access.
Community Centres such as the Roundhouse, False Creek and the new Creekside in the Olympic Village provide such amazing services.
Grocery access, from the girth of Costco, to the convenience of a corner store, to the variety and freshness of Granville Island. Shopping, from malls to boutiques, is everywhere. BC Place Stadium, Rogers Arena, the Orpheum, the QE, the Playhouse, the Arts Club, the Art Gallery and countless facilities allow us to enjoy entertainment events and culture.
We are also fortunate to have easy access to health care facilities such as medical clinics, dental clinics, treatment centres, and although just outside our riding boundaries, Vancouver General Hospital and St Paul’s Hospital, which was recently announced to be reconstructed by 2016.
These are just a small number of the many features of our riding that make it a wonderful place to live, many of which are not possible without employing a responsible density approach to development.
Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/fboyd/7606473812/
