*Lost Lines of Commercial Drive: the Interurban

Jane’s Walk is a global movement of free, locally led walking tours inspired by iconic writer and urban activist Jane Jacobs. The walks get people to explore their cities and connect with neighbors.Check out this year's walk calendar below!

Jane's Walk Vancouver

Explore Commercial Drive's evolution from skid road to key hub in Canada's longest Interurban network

McSpadden Park

*REGISTRATION ONLY Please regsiter on this page to attend this walk. Description: In a few decades between the 1890s to 1910s, Commercial Drive (formerly Park Drive) transformed from an isolated skid road for hunters and loggers to become a part of the longest Interurban network in Canada, with access as far as Chilliwack. The Interurban was an important social connector in the emerging Metro Vancouver, bringing people together to work and play. Aspects of life both on the rails and in the surrounding community, with a focus on Grandview Woodland will be shared during the walk. We will also share stories of neighbourhood street names, unique changes in the streetscapes where the Interurban ran, the end of the life of these lines and their relation to today’s Skytrain infrastructure.The information to be shared in this walk has largely been gathered indirectly from books, historical maps, and photographs. A special thanks is to be given to the Grandview Woodland Heritage Group for helping me gather resources on the topic and share some personal anecdotes about the final years of the lines.Walk Leader: Megan Stenftenagel - Megan is a Grandview Woodland resident and multimodality enthusiast. She works as an architect at Perkins&amp;Will in Vancouver with experience on designing transit, cultural, mixed-use, and multifamily projects. Her interest in transportation systems grew largely during the couple of years she lived and worked in Germany, where massive stations, trains, trams, cycling networks, and pedestrian only zones challenged her existing concepts of car dependence and what effective mobility looks like. Closer to home, learning about the former vibrancy of the streetcar and Interurban network in Vancouver inspired Megan to dive deeper into learning and sharing this history within her neighbourhood.Starting place: McSpadden ParkEnding Location: Frances and Commercial (option to join for coffee at the nearby Timbertrain Coffee Roasters at the end)Duration: 2 hoursHow to recognize your walk leader(s): Will be holding a signAccessibility Info: Busy sidewalks, Breaks offered along the way, Fast-paced, covering lots of ground, Loud noises, Family-friendly, Bicycles welcome, Pet-friendly, flat terrain, sidewalksTravel Tips: For our transit users, the starting point is near the Commercial Broadway station, and the end point is close to the R5 bus at Hastings/Commercial. This event is taking place as part of the <a href="https://www.janeswalkvancouver.ca/" title="https://www.janeswalkvancouver.ca/" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Jane’s Walk Vancouver Festival</a> (May 1-4, 2025). Jane’s Walk is an annual festival of free, citizen-led walking conversations inspired by Jane Jacobs. Check out other Jane’s Walks happening this year in Vancouver<a href="https://www.janeswalkvancouver.ca/" title="https://www.janeswalkvancouver.ca/" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer"> here.</a>We respectfully acknowledge that Jane's Walk takes place on the unceded traditional territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations.

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*Lost Lines of Commercial Drive: the Interurban

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*Lost Lines of Commercial Drive: the Interurban

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