north vancouver
North Vancouver is really two municipalities – the city and the district – that occupy the area east of the Capilano River toward Indian Arm. The city includes the commercial heart along Lonsdale Avenue north to 29th Street, as well as the area from MacKay Road in the west to Mountain Highway in the east. The district, simply put, is everything else. The high-rises of Lower Lonsdale define the city, which stretches north along the commercial spine of Lonsdale Avenue to 29th Street. Upscale restaurants and condos give way to family-run shops and restaurants, but redevelopment is bringing new amenities and employment opportunities. The district is a larger municipality dominated by single-family residences ranging from mountainside villas to Creekside cottages. Some properties, especially around Deep Cove, rival the luxury homes of West Vancouver, while others are older homes slated for redevelopment and densification. Redevelopment of the Moodyville neighborhood east of Lonsdale and high-density construction on former industrial sites in the Seylynn area are extending urban amenities and drawing new residents to the municipality. Capilano Mall and Park & Tilford serve as retail bookends for the city, with new shops providing exciting new opportunities along Marine Drive. The Pinnacle Hotel at the Pier is popular with visitors, while Lonsdale Avenue is home to several galleries. The city’s best-known arts venue is the Polygon Gallery, formerly the Presentation House Gallery, which is at the heart of an emerging arts and culture precinct on the waterfront. Mount Seymour is a favored winter destination for skiers and snowboarders, while the famous Grouse Grind takes hikers up Grouse Mountain. A rite of passage (and endurance test) for local residents, it’s a great place to mingle with the locals while getting in touch with nature. The slopes of Mount Fromme offer hiking and a weltering array of mountain biking trails. The 48-kilometre Baden-Powell Trail runs from ever-popular Quarry Rock in Deep Cove to Horseshoe Bay, connecting bikers, joggers and hikers with West Vancouver and the North Shore’s natural splendor.