Walk the Historic West End: Davie St. to English Bay

A WALK WITH RUTHAKI

It was too rainy for a walk this Easter Sunday so instead I headed downtown in the sunshine Monday afternoon.  This time I decided to walk in the West End, starting from Burrard St. and walking along Davie St. as far as English Bay.

The rainbow banners hung on lamp posts all the way down Davie St. are a clue that this is the heart of Vancouver’s gay community.  On the left is the venerable brick building at 1022 Davie, once the Embassy Ballroom, now Celebrities , Vancouver’s leading gay night club where top named DJs and performers entertain at one of the hottest gay scenes in town.  A little farther along is Pulse, also a gay nightclub.

All along Davie St. you’ll find unique shops with kinky window dressings and names like: Fantasy Factory and Ultra Love, as well as tanning salons.  And Davie St. has an eclectic choice of eateries catering to a wide variety of tastes.  There’s Takis Greek Taverna,  the Indian Bistro, Mongolia BBQ and falafels, a multitude of trendy coffee shops and sweet shops as well as Chopain’s French Bakery.

As you stroll farther down Davie St. historic buildings and heritage houses stand alongside high rises and condos.  One of the West End’s grandest homes is the B.T. Rogers home surrounded by gardens and flowering threes.  This mansion, known as “Gabriola” was built betweeen 1900 and 1901, designed by architect Samuel McClure for Ben Rogers of Rogers Sugar whose refiinery has been on Vancouver’s waterfront for more than 100 years.  It was occupied as Romanos Macaroni Grill for some time, but now is apparently deserted as I notice the windows are boarded up.

Across the street, the old red brick Holly Lodge, built in 1909 at Davie and Jervis is one of the venerable heritage buildings and right around the corner at 1215 Bidwell, Maxine’s Hideaway, dates back to the ’30′s and harbours a resident ghost.

Just before Denman St. is the Sands Hotel and at the corner, the Sands Bayside Lounge overlooks the vista of English Bay.  There are more popular eateries here on this corner with outdoor patios where people are sitting today enjoying the pleasant Spring weather: the calling pub, Milestones Grill and Bar, and next door the exclusive Boat House Restaurant specializing in seafood and offering valet parking.

At English Bay I go down to the beach to rest awhile.  One thing you’ll notice about Vancouver is that when the sun is shining everyone is out walking, jogging, in-line skating and enjoying the sunshine.  I sit on a log and take in the magnificent view of the snow-capped North Shore mountains and the glistening white-capped bay.  Sailboats ply among the freighters at anchor. On a calmer day you’d see kayakers. Oddly today there’s no wind-surfers.  Perhaps it was a bit too gusty.

There’s refreshments available at the English Bay Beach Cafe but I’ve brought along some snacks of my own and sit on the log watching children building castles in the sand.  There’s a few hardy folk sun-bathing too, and as the tide is out,  the shell  seekers and beach combers are down at the water’s edge.

This is one of Vancouver most popular beaches. Just after the turn of the 20th century, Vancouver’s first self-proclaimed life guard, Joe Fortes, resided in a beachside shack here.

The West End has always been Vancouver’s hub, and one of the most exclusive residential areas.  Nowdays the population is the city’s densest with all the high-rises and luxury condos that cluster around the Bay.

It’s a great place to come for a walk and explore the neighbourhood.  Next time I’ll continue along Denman St. and then head up Robson St.  Or, you can continue along the seawall either into Stanley Park at Second Beach, or walking back toward the city, around by Sunset Beach and the path that leads along False Creek by Yaletown .

http://vancouver.ca/parks/rec/beaches/english.htm

http://vancouverhistory.ca/archives_bcSugar.htm

http://www.seethewestend.com/olderbldgs/