East Vancouver by DArcy Norman
Kensington-Cedar Cottage is a neighbourhood located in east Vancouver. It’s known for its rich mix of inhabitants of all nationalities, cultures, and social statuses. People living in Kensington-Cedar Cottage also enjoy memorable city and mountain views and access to some of the best schools in the city as well as beautiful parks and access to the city’s only lake, Trout Lake.
Location
Kensington-Cedar Cottage is situated in east Vancouver, stretching between the Fraser Street to the west and Nanaimo Street to the east as well as between 16th Avenue and Broadway to the north and 41st Avenue to the south. The central position within the city enables great mobility for the neighbourhood’s inhabitants. The public transit system provides direct links to Downtown Vancouver and Burnaby, and two SkyTrain stations are in close proximity to the area.
History
Trout Lake Ice Rink by Wikimedia Commons
Kensington-Cedar Cottage consists of two historic neighbourhoods: Cedar Cottage (north of Kingsway) and Kensington (south of Kingsway). The name Cedar Cottage comes from the very first business run in the area at the end of the 19th century, the Cedar Cottage Nursery. The first inhabitants settled around the 3500-3600 blocks of Commercial Drive to form a village. However this was soon to be transformed into a suburban area packed with industry and blue-collar residential buildings, just like most areas in East Vancouver. After WWII, the neighbourhood received significant aid from the City, aiming at improving the wellbeing of the community. The library, parks, and Trout Lake community Centre were all built then. In the following decades, Kensington-Cedar Cottage became a popular destination for immigrants, making it the diverse and colourful place it is today.
Real Estate
Kensington-Cedar Cottage features several types of residential housing. Most inhabitants live in detached duplexes, followed by single-detached houses and low-rise apartments. A few of semi-detached houses and row houses can be found too, but they aren’t very typical for the neighbourhood.
Its two most important house development periods in the 20th century occurred before WWII and during the 1990s, when young professionals and investors realized that Kensington-Cedar Mountain could become an interesting residential alternative to pricy downtown areas. Nowadays, out of the more than 44,000 inhabitants of the neighbourhood, over two thirds decided to purchase realty in the area — maybe due to ever-rising rents, at about $790 in 2006.
Parks
Brewers Park
Brewers Park by Jan Zeschky
Terraced into three areas, Brewers Park offers its visitors diverse free-time opportunities such as playing tennis, basketball, or soccer or to refresh themselves in a little wading pool.
Cedar Cottage Park
Take a break from your office work and steal a quiet moment on a bench under beautiful pine trees in this small park near major roads.
Clark Park
Clark Park features an inviting, extensive grassy field, perfect for sporting activities as well as lovely paths through a forest-like area in the middle of the urban jungle.
General Brock Park
Welcoming, gently rolling, grassy hills in General Brock Park greet visitors to this quiet place. Choose General Brock for a picnic with your friends or for sunbathing in the summer.
Glen Park
Glen Park is always full of playing children, as it is used by a nearby school. You can walk around or just daydream here. Secret tip: the grand old chestnut at the east side of the park is an especially good shelter from the sun.
Grays Park
Don’t miss an opportunity to have a nice weekend picnic lunch with your family in a beautifully designed picnic shelter in Grays Park. After your meal, you can take a leisurely stroll through local gardens or sit down for a bit of relaxation in one of the numerous arbours here.
Jones Park
Grand western red cedars surround the playground of Jones Park, a popular spot for all children and even more popular for citizens looking for a calm place with lush green views. The park also includes an off-leash area for dogs.
Kensington Park
Kensington Park by Wikimedia Commons
Kensington Park includes a lively community centre that always buzzes with activity as well as a brand new skate park. Some of its features are designed in retro style, such as bowl that mimics an empty swimming pool.
Kingcrest Park
After renovation in 2005, Kingcrest Park got a new playground, improved playing fields, a picnic area with benches, as well as new paths and more trees. The open spaces on the park’s slopes are perfect for picnics with friends on sunny days.
Schools
Queen Alexandra Elementary
Queen Alexandra Elementary by Wikimedia
Commons
Laura Secord Elementary
Lord Beaconsfield Elementary
John Norquay Elementary
Lord Selkirk Elementary
Tyee Elementary
Charles Dickens Elementary
Vancouver Technical Secondary (French Immersion)
Gladstone Secondary
Events
Community Carnival
Each June, a community carnival full of fun and entertainment for all ages is held in the Cedar Cottage Neighbourhood House. Visitors can enjoy lots of games, a silent auction, a flea market, face painting, and clowns.
Good Neighbours Awards
The Good Neighbours Awards is an annual event organized by the Association of Neighbourhood Houses of Greater Vancouver to celebrate the hard work of the volunteers who made significant contributions to the community.
Eating Out
Cedar Cottage Neighbourhood Pub
Best Burger by Marita
Probably one of the best burger places in the city with affordable prices, their buffet includes mini salmon bagels, salads, eggs, bacon, sausages, bennys, and pancakes — basic, but all we need!
Western Lake Chinese Seafood
The dishes at Western Lake are always delicious and come in huge portions (try some dim sum to check it yourself). The service is also excellent, and customers get tea refills whenever they ask.
El Caracol Café
This Latin American restaurant has earned its name as the place with authentic and delicious food with plenty of vegetarian choices on the menu. Our recommendation: purposas or sopa de mariscos.
Café Kathmandu
Commercial Drive is the place for world cuisines, and the friendly Nepalese owner of this amazing restaurant will prove that there is a reason to choose Café Kathmandu. You can’t go wrong by trying their vegetable steamed dumplings with hot sauce and cilantro chutney.
House of Dosas
Dosas in this restaurant are just like the ones served in southern parts of India: light, crispy, and tasty. If you can’t decide yourself, go for their aloo gobi dosa or eggplant curry.
Pho Quyen
If you’re looking for a true Vietnamese noodle/soup restaurant, Pho Quyen will make your day. Their ingredients are always fresh, and if you don’t get scared by the rather dark atmosphere of the venue, you will surely be satisfied. Our tip: wonton soup with seafood.
Shopping
Kingsway Street by Wikimedia Commons
Kingsway, cutting diagonally through the neighbourhood, is the main shopping street in the area. It features several Korean stores and restaurants and the huge Collingwood-Kingsway Mall at East 41st Street as well as numerous specialty grocery stores for your cooking adventures. Kingsway also connects Kensington-Cedar Cottage to downtown Vancouver.
Other Notable Places
John Hendry (Trout Lake) Park
Trout Lake by Wikimedia Commons
Trout Lake is a popular destination for visitors from all around the city. This huge park with the beautiful and tranquil Trout Lake in its heart offers a wide range of opportunities. An especially great time for a visit is during the annual lantern festival, when the park is filled with magically glowing lights.
Community, Art, and Cultural Centres
Kensington Community Centre
Croatian Cultural Centre
Hungarian Cultural Centre
Statistics
You can take a look at the more detailed statistics on age groups, families or households in the report by City of Vancouver.
