Victoria Community

The area boundaries for Victoria are West 16th south to 41st Avenue, and Argyle Street East to Nanaimo. It has been called one of Vancouver’s “heart cities” because of its central location to the rest of the city.

Located in the centre of East Vancouver, Victoria mixes together different nationalities and cultures. In this lovely community you can enjoy the outstanding city and mountain views that seem to be everywhere. There are also a large number of parks in the area.

COMMUNITY FACILITIES & BUSINESS

High Schools: Gladstone High School

Elementary Schools: Tecumseh, Cunningham, and Selkirk Elementary Schools.

Community Centres: Kensington and Trout Lake are a couple community centres in or near the area.

Business Centres: Pacific National Exhibition and Vancouver Public Library

Recycling / Garbage: There is a community garbage disposal and recycling centre just South of the intersection of Cambie and Marine drive.

VICTORIA HISTORY

Victoria’s history is very similar to its neighbouring community, Knight. This area was settled in 1888 when a man named Arthur Wilson bought a portion of the land and built the Cedar Cottage Nursery. Soon, more people were buying land around the area for farming and when the interurban line was built in 1891, it drew more farmers and merchants to the area that opened their own shops around the local tram stop. By 1910, this small community had a post office, 40 stores, and schools all in the area. After the Second World War, the community was the beneficiary of more than 4 million dollars through the federal government’s Neighbourhood Improvement Program. The neighbourhood continued to improve and grow with the city’s first library near Kingsway and Knight, the Trout Lake Community Centre, and the beautification of Commercial Street.