About Burnaby

About Burnaby

Real estate in Burnaby is placed within a well-integrated civic infrastructure with nearby parks, services and shopping. Its quiet neighbourhoods are at a convenient yet comfortable distance from the bustle of Vancouver.

History

The area occupying the Burrard peninsula was traditionally inhabited by the Tsleil-Waututh, Sto:Lo, Squamish and Musqueam First Nations people. The first Europeans settled here in the 1850s, and larger numbers came after 1890, after CP Rail decided to relocate its terminus from Port Moody to Vancouver and built a rail line on the northern shore. The community was incorporated as a municipality in 1892, when citizens voted to christen it for Robert Burnaby, a mid-century explorer, businessman and secretary in the provincial land commission.

The establishment of the Barnet Mill at the turn of the century created employment and opened a secondary wave of settlement. With the rise of Vancouver, the area grew as a supply centre and suburb, progressively coming into its own as the third-largest municipality in the Lower Mainland. In 1992, a century after incorporation, city status was attained.

Geographic Information

Burnaby is situated just east of the City of Vancouver, with 1200-foot Burnaby Mountain marking its eastern border with Coquitlam. New Westminster and the mighty Fraser River beyond are to its south, while Burrard Inlet lies laterally on its northern shores, across from North Vancouver. Terrain here is distinguished by hills, valleys, lakes with an alluvial plain.

Zoning and Architecture

Originally a rural community that supplied farm products to Vancouver, Burnaby developed into one of Vancouver's first suburban bedroom communities. In recent years, it has evolved into a sophisticated metropolitan center with an integrated infrastructure. It is host to business parks research complexes, high-tech companies and heavy industries. Accordingly, there is a thoughtfully planned mix of traditional single-family detached homes, condominiums, townhouses and apartment towers built in proximity to transportation, shops and amenities. It has one of the largest proportions of public park area to people in North America.

Shops and Services

Shopping ranges from small unique shops the mega-mall experience. Metrotown Centre is the biggest retail center in the province, and has a large commercial entertainment complex. Eclectic boutiques and shops line Hastings in several commercial districts. Brentwood Mall supplies the mid-North area, while Lougheed Mall services the eastern area near Coquitlam.

Parks and Recreation

Burnaby has an exceedingly large helping of green space, connected by a network of trails. There are many notable parks; Central Park has a verdant trail-lined forest adjacent to Swangard Stadium, home of the USL-champion Whitecaps. Burnaby Lake Park is a wildlife sanctuary teeming with life. Deer Lake Park is home of the Shadboldt Centre, with its vibrant arts scene.

Burnaby 8-Rinks Arena is a vast facility that offers public skate times, broomball and pickup hockey. The public can even watch the Canucks practice free of charge. With over 40 area pools, arenas, community centers, arts centres, outdoor facilities, youth and senior centres, residents can exercise and entertain an infinite number of activities or interests.

Culture and Events

Venues showcasing Burnaby's arts and culture scene include the Shadboldt Centre for the Arts and the Burnaby Art Gallery, both located at Deer Lake.

The Burnaby Farmer's Market started its first year in 2008, and features local produce, food and crafts. There is also a book exchange, children's area and live entertainment. It runs on Saturdays from June until October at City Hall's north parking lot on Canada Way. Some of Burnaby's other events include the Burnaby Blues Festival and The South Asian Film Festival.

Schools, Services and Sustainability Links

Burnaby's extensive network of elementary and secondary schools provides families with choices. There is also a well developed adult and continuing education system. Simon Fraser University and British Columbia Institute of Technology are nearby postsecondary institutions.Here is a comprehensive list of community links to services in Burnaby .

Transportation

Burnaby has an exhaustive network of urban trails, bikeways, cycle roads and connectors. Recent cycling projects include the Midtown and Lakes Bikeway, constructed in 2006 and 2007, and the Parkcrest Bikeway, which will be built in 2009 and 2010. Two SkyTrain lines integrate with a network of express and standard buses, all of which have some bike carrying capability. All of this coupled with the cycling infrastructure make the city friendly to low-impact transportation. Hastings Street, Kingsway, Marine Way, Lougheed Highway, Barnet Highway and Highway #1 provide plenty of road access to, from and in between.