Strathcona, Vancouver
| Strathcona | |
|---|---|
| Neighbourhood | |
 Streetmap |
|
 Location within the city of Vancouver |
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| Coordinates: 49°16′45″N 123°5′15″W / 49.27917°N 123.08750°WCoordinates: 49°16′45″N 123°5′15″W / 49.27917°N 123.08750°W | |
| Regional district | Metro Vancouver |
| City | Vancouver |
| Neighbourhood | Downtown Eastside |
| Named for | Donald Smith, 1st Baron Strathcona and Mount Royal |
| Government | |
| • MP |
NDP Jenny Kwan (Vancouver East) |
| • MLAs |
NDP Melanie Mark (Vancouver-Mount Pleasant) |
| Area | |
| • Total | 3.00 km2 (1.16 sq mi) |
| Population (2006) | |
| • Total | 11,823 |
| • Density | 3,900/km2 (10,000/sq mi) |
| Visible minority | |
| • Chinese | 43% |
| • Other | 12% |
| Time zone | PST (UTC−8) |
| • Summer (DST) | PDT (UTC−7) |
| Postal code | V6A |
| Area code(s) | 604, 778 |
| Median income | C$12,495–13,677 (2006) |
| Website |
strathcona-residents strathconabia |
Strathcona is Vancouver, British Columbia's oldest residential neighbourhood. It is bordered by Chinatown to the west, Clark Drive to the east, and Canadian National Railway and Great Northern Railway (now BNSF Railway) classification yards to the south. By some definitions, its northern border is the roads just south of Burrard Inlet, and much of the Downtown Eastside lies within Strathcona. By other definitions, Strathcona's northern boundary is just south of Hastings Street, and the Downtown Eastside is a separate neighbourhood to the north and northwest of Strathcona
Over 11,800 people live in Strathcona, which grew during the city's boom years between the city's founding in 1886 and 1920 due in large part to the choice of early Vancouver as a railway terminus. It emerged from the original settlement that grew around Hastings Mill. Originally called the East End, the neighbourhood adopted the name Strathcona in the 1960s. It has always been a working-class neighborhood, and its residents have always been from many ethnic backgrounds. It is the only neighbourhood where English is not the most commonly spoken language, with 61% of residents reporting Chinese as their mother tongue, followed by English at 24%.
The neighbourhood was earmarked for demolition in the 1950s as part of an urban renewal program. Strathcona would have been transformed into "block upon block of identical apartments buildings and townhouses" for social housing. The redevelopment plans proceeded with the construction of the McLean Park housing development between Union, Keefer, Gore and Jackson, and Stamp's Place on Campbell between Hastings, Union and Raymur some 15 blocks of the neighbourhood were bulldozed including Hogan's Alley, the only area with a concentration of blacks in Vancouver. Development was stopped due to opposition from the community, led by residents such as Bessie Lee and later joined by Mary Lee Chan who banded together to form the Strathcona Property Owners and Tenants Association (SPOTA). Important municipal figures such as mayor Mike Harcourt and the TEAM and later COPE party emerged from this movement.
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