Vancouver CityGuide: Strathcona

The vibe: Low-key middle ground in the heart of the city.

With downtown sitting to the west and Mount Pleasant to the south, Strathcona straddles the line between frenzied city hub and chill, residential neighbourhood. It’s calm for the most part, but with unexpectedly great shops and restaurants within its borders, including well-curated clothing boutiques, an authentic Japanese grocery and a handful of “Yeast Van” breweries. On weekends, this special enclave in the centre of it all is bursting with life (and bicycles and happy dogs and dinner lineups).

3 Things To Do

Date of the next movie night: August 24. (Photo: Victoria Black)

1. Outdoor Movie Night550 Malkin Ave., eastsideflea.comWhile the popular Eastside Flea sets up its new digs at Eastside Studios (opening in September), the team is putting on movie nights outside July 20 and August 24.

2. Brewery Tourvancouverbrewerytours.comAn air-conditioned van drives your group directly to a trifecta of Yeast Van establishments like Strathcona Brewing and Strange Fellows. You get one beer flight per stop and tour locations rotate regularly (from $80).

3. Fuel Up at Finch’s Market501 E Georgia St., finchteahouse.comItʼs the market hybrid of the grandmother’s attic-style gourmet sandwich spot downtown. Grab a pear, prosciutto and blue brie handheld to go along with your groceries.

Real Estate: New Development to Watch

Hello, Mega Hospital. It’s going to take several years, but St. Paul’s Hospital is getting set to pack up and head to a sprawling new integrated health campus—roughly 15 football fields in size, and three times the space they currently occupy. The move will mark a sea change for Strathcona as the new facility attracts denser housing and thousands of workers and patients, bringing everything from job opportunities to traffic snarls. The goal is to open the $1.2-billion-facility—which will offer emergency services, mental health and addictions treatment, youth services, specialized HIV care and more—in 2023.