Mount Pleasant is a neighbourhood in Vancouver stretching from Cambie Street to Clark Drive and from Great Northern Way and 2nd Avenue, to 16th Avenue and Kingsway. It is home to many of Vancouver's trendiest neighbourhoods, including the stretch of Main Street Know as South Main, or SoMa.
Many first time homeowners and young professionals call Mount Pleasant home. Vancouver's City Hall is located in Mount Pleasant on 12th Avenue between Cambie Street and Yukon Street.
Mount Pleasant owes much of its origins to a former stream and, because of it, developed much of its unique and rich character. The stream attracted a number of breweries from 1888 to 1912, hence it became known as Brewery Creek. In 1890 the first street cars arrived; as far south as 1st and Main. Brewery Creek, in conjunction with the connecting routes of Main and Kingsway, became the centre of industry and commercialism for the district of Mt. Pleasant. By 1897 there was a substantial population growth centred on Broadway and Main Street. The ability to commute to the City Centre and the industries of Brewery Creek and False Creek provided the draw for many working families that now populated the area below Broadway. In a sense, Mount Pleasant can be called Vancouver's "first suburb".
Mount Pleasant is known as one of the most diverse communities in Vancouver. Stretching from Cambie Street East to Clark Drive, from 2nd Avenue and Great Northern Way, to Kingsway and 16th, this community is home to both eclectic character houses from the past and modern homes of today. It is known for its industrial and educational facilities as well as providing many studios for artists to work and live. At the Corner of Glenn Dr. and E. Broadway is the new VCC, UBC, SFU campus expansion. This new class room space (500,000 sqft) is going to draw many new students to the area and help revitalize the struggling retail between Clark Dr. and Fraser St. The Sky train also stops at the door step of the campus for easy commuting. Some new hip shops have opened near Broadway and Fraser St like Exposure, a art gallary for local artist to display, a few great restaurants, produce store and a clothier in the old Lido Building. Check it out, the signs of the Drive and Main St connecting through Broadway are everywhere.
Mount Pleasant was named after the Irish birthplace of the wife of H.V Edmonds, a clerk for the New Westminster municipal council in the 1800’s as well as an original owner of most of this community.
Mount Pleasant holds many old character homes dating back to the 1890’s. Modest houses from the community’s first growth and development these Queen Edwardian style buildings are some of the community’s most outstanding and historical residential buildings in the Vancouver area.
COMMUNITY FACILITIES & BUSINESS
Parks: Jonathan Rogers Park, Mount Pleasant Park, Guelph Park, Robson Park, China Creek North Park, China Creek Park, Sunnyside Park, Glen Park, and Clark Park.
High Schools: Saint Patrick Regional Secondary School.
Elementary Schools: Simon Fraser, Florence Nightingale, Mount Pleasant, and Queen Alexandra Elementary School.
Community Centres: Mount Pleasant Community Centre.
Business Centres: Pacific National Exhibition, Vancouver City Hall, Mount Saint Joseph hospital and Vancouver Public Library are some of the business centres in Mount Pleasant.
Recycling / Garbage: The community garbage disposal and recycling centre is located just South of the intersection of Cambie and Marine drive.
MOUNT PLEASANT HISTORY
Historically, Mount Pleasant was known
for its ideal location due to the closeness of the community to
Vancouver’s business district and its vast availability to good water
supply.
H.V. Edmonds, a clerk on the New Westminster council as well as the original
owner of most of Mount Pleasant, named Mount Pleasant after the Irish
birthplace of his wife.
In 1904, Mount Pleasant was home to two slaughterhouses, four breweries and a
train station and by 1912, it's residential population had grown so rapidly
that construction of schools, hospitals, fire halls and community centres
increased rapidly to meet the demand.
Throughout the 1950’s and 1960’s many of the historical houses were
moved out of the community to accomodate for more businesses, low-rise offices
and warehouses.
Today, most of the original homes that were left in the community have been
beautifully renovated and restored.
To view real estate for sale in and around the Mount Pleasant area, click here.
Useful Links
The following is a list of services in
or near the Mount Pleasant area that could be of use.
If you know of any businesses / facilities that should be listed here,
please let us know!
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Education
Simon Fraser Elementary School
http://fraser.vsb.bc.ca/ - 100 West 15th Avenue, Vancouver Eastside, B.C. V5Y 3B7, Tel: 604-713-4946
Florence Nightingale Elementary School
http://nightingale.vsb.bc.ca/ - 2740 Guelph Street, Vancouver Eastside, B.C. V5T 3P7, Tel: (604) 713-5290
Mount Pleasant Elementary School
http://mountpleasant.vsb.bc.
Queen Alexandra Elementary School
http://queenalexandra.vsb.bc.
Saint Patrick Regional Secondary School
http://www.stpats.bc.ca/ - 115 East 11th Avenue, Vancouver Eastside, BC. V5T 2C1, Tel: (604) 874-6422
Vancouver School Board
http://www.vsb.bc.ca - The Vancouver school district is a large, urban and multicultural school district providing programs to 56,000 students in Kindergarten to Grade 12, over 3,000 adults in adult education programs and over 40,000 in continuing education.
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Parks and Community Centres
Mount Pleasant Community Centre
http://vancouver.ca/parks/cc/
Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation
http://www.city.vancouver.bc.
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Government
Pacific National Exhibition
http://www.pne.ca/ - Captures the spirit, history of the city, its people and its many achievements. 2901 East Hastings Street, Vancouver Eastside, BC, V5K 5J1, Tel: 604-252-3583.
Mount Saint Josephs Hospital
http://www.
Vancouver Public Library
http://www.vpl.ca/branches/Mt.
City Dump and Recycling Depot
http://vancouver.ca/engsvcs/
Shopping
Mountain Equipment Co-op
http://www.mec.ca/index.html - Canada's leading supplier of quality outdoor gear and clothing.130 W Broadway, Vancouver Eastside, BC V5Y 1A1, Tel: (604) 872-7858
Kingsgate mall
http://www.bcshoppingguide.
Restaurants
Ho Tak Kee Wonton House Ltd
http://www.dinehere.ca/
Wing Wah Shanghai Szechuan Restaurant
http://www.dinehere.ca/
Flamingo Chinese Restaurant
http://www.flamingorestaurant.
Mount Pleasant (Vancouver). (2007, August 20). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 22:47, October 4, 2007, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Mount_Pleasant_%28Vancouver%29&oldid=152401566