Are you looking for a new neighbourhood to call home? Look no further than Point Grey, Vancouver. With a rich history dating back to the ancient Musqueam village of Ee'yullmough, Point Grey has become one of the most sought-after neighbourhoods in the country.
Located on the western side of Vancouver, Point Grey is bordered by water & north west Marine Drive to the north. Its southern border is West 16th Ave, while Alma marks its eastern edge. To the west, the neighbourhood is bounded by Blanca, Drummond Drive, and Belmont Ave.
Point Grey's history dates back to the 18th century when Jose Narvaez named the area Langara Point in 1791, one year before Captain Vancouver arrived. English Bay and Spanish Banks were later named in 1792 by captains Galiano, Valdez, and Vancouver.
The first logging camp was set up in the area in 1865 by Jeremiah Rogers, cutting down the giant fir trees that stood there and naming them the best spars in the world. Whaling stations were established in the 1870s, and in the 1890s, the government set up military operations in what is now UBC and the Jericho army base.
During the war years in the 1920s, Point Grey became a strategic location for an air station and anti-submarine reconnaissance base. It was also used to track rum-runners, map the coastline, and track illegal immigrants.
The Municipality of Point Grey was established in 1908 when it broke away from the Municipality of South Vancouver. The newly elected council that year pushed to give the area an identity. Water services came to Point Grey, and the scenic NW Marine drive was constructed. The Jericho golf and country club also opened that year.
Today, Point Grey offers some of the most expensive real estate in the country. By 1897, only 54 homes had been built in the area. However, in 1912, to spur new development, a tax was levied on all unimproved land in the area, and that year $250,000 of building permits were issued, beginning a building boom. In 1924, commercial development began with 40 shops lining West 10th Avenue between Tolmie and Trimble.
The first zoning bylaw in Canada was passed by the Municipality of Point Grey in 1922, which prevented development of anything but homes and their related outbuildings. Today, the neighbourhood's real estate trends show active lot sizes ranging from 2,013 SqFt to 125,000 SqFt, with an active list price range of $1.9m to $59m. Over the past 24 months, sale prices have ranged from $1.3m to $20m, with sold lot sizes ranging from 2,700 SqFt to 66,000 SqFt
.Point Grey offers many amenities to its residents, including three beaches: Jericho Beach, Lacarno Beach, and Spanish Banks. The oldest building in Vancouver, which was the first industrial building in the city, can be found here. The building served as the general store for the mill, Vancouver's first post office, library, and community center. It is now a museum and was moved to its current site at Old Pioneer Park in 1930.
Residents of Point Grey can also enjoy shopping and dining along West 10th Ave and Alma Street. The neighbourhood boasts excellent schools, including Queen Mary Elementary, Jules Quesnel French Elementary, Lord Byng High, O.L.P.H, West Point Grey Academy, and Pacific Spirit School.
Finally, Point Grey has several beautiful parks, including Hastings Mill Park, Jericho Beach Park, Trimble hill & west mount parks.In conclusion, Point Grey really offers you the best of the best that Vancouver has to offer. Its not cheap to purchase a home here, but if you are looking for something extra special, this is the spot for you!