Introduction to Sunset

Sunset was originally known as South Hill until it was changed in 1967, after the naming of Sunset Nurseries, Sunset Park and Sunset Community Centre. The neighbourhood is from 41st Avenue to the North Arm of the Fraser River and from Ontario to Knight Streets. Along Main Street is the Punjabi Market shopping district. Bing Crosby opened the Sunset Community Centre in the 1950s.

History & Heritage

Sunset was one of the earliest communities settled in Vancouver and the first to inhabit this place were for reasons of farming, fishing and logging. On April 13, 1892, South Vancouver was officially incorporated and the district ran eastwards from Boundary Road to Point Grey on the west. This included Collingwood, Cedar Cottage, Sunset, Fraserview, Marpole, Dunbar and West Point Grey. The original village of South Vancouver was in the south ends of Main and Fraser Streets and the district offices were located in this village until 1929, when South Vancouver joined the City of Vancouver.

In 1893, BC Electric Railway built a one-track streetcar line down Fraser Street to the small village on the south slope. By 1909, there were 5 000 people living there and by 1911, it grew to 35 000 people. This land, which was earlier bought for a dollar an acre, was now subdivided and sold for $5 000 per lot along the village's main business street. Today, it would be the blocks from 41st to 51st Avenues on Fraser Street.

After WWII, residential development began on agricultural land to house returning war veterans. New schools and community centres continued to be built. John Oliver Secondary School was built on Wilson Park, in 1950. This park was an old South Vancouver farm before. Five years later, the Sunset Memorial Community Centre was built.

The heritage of Sunset is very few since most of the buildings were constructed after World War II. The Field House, built in 1930, is a low gabled structure, designed in a rustic English Arts and Crafts style. This is located in Memorial Park South, nestled in a grove of mature trees.

A second heritage home is the "House" on Prince Albert Street and 47th Avenue. It has a unique, octagonal corner porch and its exterior has been maintained in original condition.