Fairview

Located on the west side of Vancouver is the neighbourhood of Fairview. The area extends to False Creek in the north, from Cambie Street in the east, from 16th avenue in the south and to Burrard Street in the west.

Originally, the Fairview area as with the majority of the City of Vancouver was initially a rich rain forest location. It had different wildlife and huge lumber until the opening of the Hastings Mills and Moodyville on Burrard Inlet during the 1860s. This green paradise became among the very first areas to be logged.

Fairview was one of the CPR land grants in the city. The location remained largely undeveloped until the city expanded outside the Burrard Peninsula with the new electric railway system built during the 1890s.

The original streetcars within the city included the Granville and Cambie lines that extended along Broadway Street. Also, there was a line called the Fairview Loop, which ran in both directions from downtown up Main Street to Broadway, then making its way to Granville and back into the downtown core. This consistent transportation and easy access resulted in a fast development of the residential and commercial places within the neighborhood.

Fairview got its name from a part of the region north of Broadway which has excellent views of the downtown city core and the North Shore Mountains. On the eastern fringe of Fairview, are some city offices located across Cambie Street from Vancouver City Hall.