Where it is
Shaughnessy is in the centre of Vancouver’s west side, between Arbutus and Oak Streets, rising from around 16th Avenue south toward 41st. Its historic core, First Shaughnessy, runs from about 16th Avenue to King Edward Avenue. On this page Shaughnessy means the wider area, and the figures and homes above are drawn from listings there that name it. Downtown is about 15 minutes north.
A little history
The Canadian Pacific Railway planned Shaughnessy Heights from 1907 as an exclusive neighbourhood for wealthy families leaving the increasingly crowded West End. Its curving, tree-lined streets, large lots and grand houses, many in Arts and Crafts, Tudor Revival and Colonial Revival styles, set it apart from the grid around it. Around The Crescent, at its heart, are some of the city’s best-known heritage homes.
The Heritage Conservation Area
In September 2015, Vancouver City Council made First Shaughnessy the city’s first Heritage Conservation Area. The City’s plan, zoning and heritage bylaws for the area aim to keep its pre-1940 houses, of which there were 317 among 595 houses at the time. In practice, it generally means:
- pre-1940 houses are meant to be kept, so demolishing one is generally not an option;
- changes to houses in the area go through the City’s heritage review; and
- new houses must fit the area’s heritage plan and zoning.
The City’s rules also allow some additional uses intended to help keep large older houses viable. Ask the City exactly what’s possible for a specific house before you buy.
The boundary is precise: in the City’s plan, First Shaughnessy runs from 16th Avenue (with Marpole, Wolfe and Richelieu Avenues) to King Edward, between Arbutus and Oak. Homes south of King Edward aren’t in the conservation area.
Living here
Shaughnessy is almost entirely residential and very quiet. Shopping and restaurants are close by on Granville Street, in South Granville to the north and in Kerrisdale to the southwest. VanDusen Botanical Garden is on the southeast edge at Oak Street and 37th Avenue, and the Arbutus Greenway runs along the western edge.
Schools
Several of Vancouver’s best-known independent schools are in or near Shaughnessy, including York House, Little Flower Academy and Vancouver College, with Crofton House and St. George’s a short drive away. Public school catchments with the Vancouver School Board depend on the exact address. Private schools in West Vancouver and Vancouver · Why catchments matter
Buying in Shaughnessy
- Which rules apply: whether the house is in the Heritage Conservation Area, pre-1940, or on the heritage register decides what you can renovate, add or rebuild. Ask before you plan.
- Old houses: century-old structure, foundations, wiring, plumbing and heating, any old oil tank, and the cost of keeping a large heritage home. Reading a home inspection
- Trees and title: mature trees are protected by City bylaw, and title can carry old covenants. Reading a title search
The numbers above tell you what the market is like today. A walk-through with me tells you whether a particular home is worth its price.
