Renfrew Heights Community
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.