Featured image of ‘Greer’s Beach’ (now Kitsilano Beach) circa 1908 from the Vancouver City Archives.
Kitsilano in Vancouver, BC is an old neighbourhood with a lot of character. Blessed with beautiful beaches and quaint homes, the diverse communities here in “Kits” have shaped it into the colourful, picturesque town it is today. Trust us, living here will never be boring. Before we show you the active heritage home property listings, we thought we’d share what we love about Kitsilano, past and present.
How Kitsilano came to be
Kitsilano has such a rich and colourful history, influenced by the various communities that settled there for centuries. It has been home to indigenous people for as long as 10,000 years. The Vancouver Heritage Foundation notes that people began to move into the region as the ice started retreating in the area, which we now know as Vancouver.
While explorers have been around since the 19th century, the neighbourhood got its present name in 1905, right around the time streetcar service began. “Kitsilano” is an anglicized form of Khatsahlano, after famous Squamish chief August Jack Khatsahlano. He was a medicine man who helped record his people’s oral history and worked closely with many of Vancouver’s first settlers.
Various settlers filled the town with single-family dwellings in the early 20th century, and eventually, industrialization firmly took hold after World War II.
In the 1950s, apartments began replacing houses, which brought in a younger generation of residents. A decade later, it became the creative hub for hippie culture — home to Greenpeace, the Green Party of Canada and The Naam, Vancouver’s premier vegetarian restaurant.
Kits today
Today, Kitsilano is still home to yuppies, but perhaps with a less psychedelic culture than before. Young families who live in the area enjoy a relaxed lifestyle, thanks to Kitsilano’s combination of parks, homes, and commercial districts. Yoga is incredibly popular, and it’s the birthplace of global athleisure brand lululemon athletica.
One of Kitsilano’s biggest attractions is Kits Beach. From water sports to the Vancouver Maritime Museum, Kits Beach is filled with a lot of activities for everyone in the family. Even if you’re just there for a walk on the sand, the view of the Pacific Ocean and the mountains is a real treat.
The Kits legacy
But there’s so much more to this neighbourhood than its chill vibe. One of the province’s oldest residential neighbourhoods, Kitsilano is home to historical structures that have stood the test of time.
The Kitsilano branch of the Vancouver Public Library, for example, has been around since 1927. Arbutus Coffee, a coffeehouse whose boomtown-style building has been around since 1907, is listed as a Class A Heritage Building by the Vancouver Heritage Register.
In the Delamont Park area, there are 22 heritage homes that are still intact. Heritage Vancouver hopes to preserve the site in the form of a Mole Hill type of model, where old homes were rehabilitated and converted into affordable housing.
Planning to live in Kitsilano? Go vintage!
If you want to experience the town’s history on a deeper level, why not invest in a heritage home? Homes with a heritage designation have high value, which continues to rise. According to BC Assessment data, 42% of designated heritage homes increased in value from 1999-2004. More heritage homes have increased in value compared to non-heritage properties, as well.
As an owner of a heritage home, you get to help preserve the neighbourhood’s history and culture, too. You can even opt to rent out your space, sharing its story with even more people. If you’re looking to go into business, heritage homes make great inns or bed and breakfasts as they offer a more intimate experience of the neighbourhood compared to modern hotels.
Current Kitsilano Heritage Property Listings
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