Introduction to Killarney

Killarney is located in the extreme southeast corner of Vancouver, from East 41st Avenue to the Fraser River and from Boundary Road and Vivian Street. Killarney was the last neighbourhood in Vancouver to be developed. This once rural area has experienced considerable residential growth that began in the 1950's and still continues today.

History & Heritage

Though the first settlers arrived in the late 1800's, Killarney remained an area of second growth forest and farms until after World War 2.

The first non-native settler that arrived to the area was William Rowling in 1868. A surveyor in the British military, he received the only land military grant in Vancouver for his service to the British Empire. Before long, Rowling and his family owned 3.5 kilometres of land along the Fraser River shoreline, including all of Killarney's riverfront land.

George Wales was the first to settle in northern Killarney, which actually developed as the outskirts of the village of Collingwood. In 1878, he bought 221 acres of land for $1 an acre. The street on which his house stood still bears the family name today. The remaining land was auctioned off in 160-acre parcels in 1888, and by 1890, the No. 1 Road, now 45th Avenue, and the No. 2 Road, now 54th Avenue, were built along the properties' northern boundaries.

Perhaps the most important transportation route was the interurban line, built in 1891. The interurban tracks followed Vanness Avenue and crossed Kingsway at Central park. Residential development took place along the interurban route. Eventually the street grid moved southward towards Marine Drive, which brought settlers into Killarney and the Champlain Heights area.

Between 1892 and 1929, Killarney was part of the District of South Vancouver. In 1929, in joined with the City of Vancouver. In 1913, Westminster Road was paved and renamed Kingsway. Progressively a business area developed at Kingsway and Joyce. The area became known as Killarney when the bog area south of No. 1 Road, now 45th Avenue was drained and developed at Killarney Street along with the construction of the new high school and community centre.

In the 1970's the southern part of the area was transformed into Champlain Heights. It is now fully developed and new all-inclusive residential project; Fraser Lands is taking place along the Fraser River, which is the area's most southern boundary.

There are a few number of heritage buildings within Killarney because it was developed long after most other Vancouver neighbourhoods. Scattered throughout the neighbourhood are examples of early farmhouses and early residential development from the 1920's. There are also some excellent examples of the 1960's modern residential developments.

Some of Killarney's most noteworthy heritage assets relate to the natural environment, a time when vegetation, not urbanization, dominated the landscape. For example, the line of mature fir trees and the small orchard of apple trees planted near the eastern corner of 54th Avenue and Tyne Street. This property belonged to F.W. Stewart, who transplanted the orchard in the late 1800's.