Van City Grind

‹ Van City Grind

Six neighbourhoods

Every place you can walk into

Built from OpenStreetMap, with streets in their real order. Real partner places are named; everything else wears a made-up name.

Downtown

Granville · Robson · Hamilton · Water

Gastown's steam clock, Robson Square, the Yaletown patios and a seawall that goes on and on. Where most people land, and where The Annex hosts Sounds of the City.

  • Brew & BeanA barista shift in Gastown, with a very good corkboard.
  • English BayWalk the seawall; sunset on the logs.
  • Robson SquareThe dome, the stairs, the skaters. Tour-guide shifts.
  • The AnnexSounds of the City. Evenings only.
  • Central LibraryStudy, or work a shift as a library page.
  • Science WorldGet curious.
  • The RoundhouseDrop-in classes and a train.
  • Stanley Park seawallRun the whole seawall loop.
  • Hornby Street CouriersRide the real downtown grid.
  • Hamilton Street KitchenA line-cook shift in Yaletown.
  • Waterfront StationStation host shifts.
  • Vancouver Black LibraryA community library in Chinatown.
  • Hamilton Street tea roomA hundred tins and no hurry.
  • Georgia Street bike hubMore courier shifts, right on Granville.
  • Richards Street language caféTry a new language, badly, with friends.
  • The chess tables in YaletownA lunch-hour game with the regulars.
  • Seymour Street bun windowA warm cinnamon bun and a bench.
  • The street pianoPlease play. Some should.
  • Nelson ParkDogs, dogs and a bit of grass.

Mount Pleasant

Main · Quebec · Ontario · Kingsway

Taprooms on Brewery Creek, mural alleys, a community garden and Main Street's record shops. The kind of place where Dev knows your order.

  • Dev's recordsDig through the crates.
  • The taproom on Brewery CreekPour five pints.
  • The community gardenHelp Grace with the beds.
  • The mural alleyHold Kai's ladder.
  • Please! Tasting HouseCocktails on tap, in a former auto shop.
  • Quebec Street donut windowStill warm, with some confidence.
  • Sophia Street ball hockeyTwo nets and an orange ball.
  • Brewery Creek routeFollow a creek that now runs underground.
  • Letterpress shopSet type, mind your fingers.

Kitsilano

West 4th · Yew · Arbutus · Cornwall

Volleyball nets as far as you can see, a very long saltwater pool and the Granville Island market. Basement suites, mostly. Damp, but lovely.

  • Kits BeachVolleyball nets as far as you can see.
  • Kitsilano PoolA very long saltwater pool.
  • Granville Island marketBuskers and bread.
  • Vanier ParkKites on a windy day.
  • Yew Street coffee windowA hatch in a wall, and a flat white for four credits.
  • The corner book boxTake one, leave one, no questions.
  • Maple Street board-game caféCatan, tea and strong opinions.
  • Maple Street yoga loftDrop-in classes under a skylight.
  • Arbutus GreenwayThe old rail line, now tomatoes and bikes. Park crew shifts.
  • Cypress Street bike co-opSpanners, spare tubes and a kind volunteer.
  • The seed-swap tablePaper envelopes and one confident zucchini.

False Creek

Cambie · Ontario · West 1st · Columbia

Olympic Village, a small real wetland at Hinge Park, dragon boats and herons. Everything is a little bit on the water.

  • Olympic Village squareThe village square and the dragon boats.
  • Hinge ParkA small, real wetland.
  • The creek dockPaddle or ferry.
  • Charleson ParkHerons, plots and picnics.
  • Crowe Street wool shopKnit, natter, drop a stitch.
  • Public art on Columbia StreetA walk with plaques and opinions.
  • Ontario Street bikewayA quiet green route with bells.
  • Manitoba Street roasterySmell it before you see it.
  • Columbia Street orchardPlums in season; park crew shifts all year.
  • The food-truck podFour trucks, a few picnic tables.

Commercial Drive

Commercial · Victoria · East 1st

The espresso machine older than the café, bocce at Grandview Park, a drummer somewhere and the Saturday market at Trout Lake.

  • The café on the DriveAn espresso machine older than the café.
  • Trout LakeThe Saturday market.
  • Grandview ParkSomeone is always drumming.
  • Britannia Community CentreSwim, skate and read, all in one bag.
  • Backgammon cornerDice, tea and old friends.
  • The empanada windowHot from the back, passed through a hatch.
  • Community kitchenPasta night at a long table.
  • The soccer pitch on VictoriaPick-up games, jackets for goalposts.

Riley Park

Cambie · Main · Ontario · East 30th

The highest point in the city at Queen Elizabeth Park, a conservatory of talking birds, the old ballpark and a pub in the veterans' hall.

  • Queen Elizabeth ParkThe highest point in the city.
  • The ConservatoryBirds that talk back.
  • The old ballparkHot dogs matter as much as the score.
  • Hillcrest pool and rinkCurling sheets and lap lanes.
  • Hero's WelcomeA pub in the old veterans' hall on Main.
  • Talisman veg stallWonky carrots; grower shifts in season.
  • Laundromat caféWash, coffee, and a corkboard of lost socks.
  • Columbia Street deli counterDouble-meat, wrapped in paper.
  • The blocks round Riley ParkMaples, plums and strong views on hedges.

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