Gastown District

The Gastown District is an eclectic area located at the northeast end of Vancouver, British Columbia. Its mixture of both upscale and middle class residential culture is unheralded in many cities around the world, yet the mix seems to work well here. There are various shops and restaurants that help give Gastown its vibrancy, and it’s fast becoming a strong residential area.

Gastown was originally named after a saloon owner nicknamed “Gassy Jack”. The name changed three years later to Granville, named after a British colonial secretary, but once it was incorporated into the city of Vancouver it resumed its original name of Gastown. At one point in the 1960’s, there was talk about demolishing the area, as it had become a rundown slum, but the Vancouver Heritage Commission, in 1971, declared Bastown a historic area. This started a widespread restoration process, leading to what it’s become today, with streets and narrow passages lined with boutiques, galleries, eateries and brew pubs. It also exhibits cobblestone streets and Victorian lampposts to help create a vintage atmosphere.

Outside of the shopping and the restaurants, there are other attractions which bring tourists to the area. Some of those are:

The Steam Clock, which is the world’s first steam clock, built by horologist Raymond Saunder in 1977.
The Station, built in 1912 by the Canadian Pacific Railway, it is the hub for Vancouver’s transit system.
Maple Tree Square, located at the eastern end of Gastown, is the site of Gassy Jack’s statue.
Gaolers Mews is the location of Vancouver’s first jail, in addition to a customs house, stables, public baths and laundry. Today it’s a collection of shops and galleries
Blood Alley, next to Gaolers Mews, is now home to several restaurants and night clubs.
The Europe Hotel, the first reinforced concrete structure built in Canada.

There are many hotels near the Gastown District, both upscale and affordable. Some of those hotels are: Pan Pacific Vancouver; Terminal City Club Tower Hotel; Days Inn Downtown; Le Soleil Hotel and Suites; Marriott Vancouver Pinnacle Downtown; Renaissance Vancouver Hotel Harbourside; St Regis Hotel; Hyatt Regency Vancouver; Dominion Hotel; Palisades Luxury Suites; and The Sutton Place Hotel Vancouver.