West Vancouver
West Vancouver is a district municipality ( district municipality ) in the southwest of the Canadian province of British Columbia. It is located northwest of Vancouver, belongs to the district of Metro Vancouver and is one of three towns in the North Shore region (literally: the north shore ).
Geography
The city is located on a scenic location on the southern slopes of the North Shore Mountains. At the Point Atkinson, the Strait of Georgia branches to the two fjords Burrard Inlet and Howe Sound. The highest point is 1432 meters high Mount Strachan in the middle of winter sports area Cypress Mountain. Large parts of the metropolitan area are protected. During the Cypress Provincial Park is popular with skiers, snowboarders, hikers and mountain bikers, the environment of the Whytecliff Park is considered one of the best diving areas in western Canada.
History
In 1792, Captain George Vancouver reached Point Atkinson. 1875 was built at Point Atkinson, the first lighthouse. The sawmills around took advantage of the area around here to cut down trees. After the West Vancouver Transportation Company in 1909, a ferry service across einrichtete to Vancouver, the still largely unspoilt area has been identified as an attractive residential area.
On March 15, 1912, the separation from the North Vancouver District and the official founding of the city of West Vancouver was. Connected with it was the recognition of local government (incorporated ). At this time lived here as early as 1500 inhabitants.
In 1926 the city council decided a regulation, was banned by any industry in the area of West Vancouver. The Lions Gate Bridge, opened in 1938 ensured better coverage and a further population boost, which continues today. 1950 opened the first shopping mall in Canada in West Vancouver, the Royal Park Shopping Centre.
Demography
The census in 2011 showed a population of 42.694 inhabitants for the city. The population has thereby increased since the census of 2006, only 1.3%, while the population grew throughout the Province of British Columbia at the same time by 7.0%.
Economy
West Vancouver is almost exclusively a residential area with some shops in the city center; Industries, there are none. As to the property prices, West Vancouver is regarded as the most expensive community in Canada, the average income of the inhabitants is about twice as high as in the rest of the province.
Traffic
Through the city runs the Highway 1, a highway- like portion of the Trans-Canada Highway. This ends at the Horseshoe Bay Ferry Terminal, from where ferries depart the company BC Ferries to Nanaimo on Vancouver Iceland and Iceland to Bowen. Furthermore, results of the Highway 99 that the north Sea-to- Sky Highway is called from here, through the urban area.
West Vancouver is of bus lines of the Society of West Vancouver Blue Bus operated, which is part of the Transport Association Translink. It is the oldest continuously existing municipal transport operation in North America and around the first, which was converted to 100 % on wheelchair accessibility.