Where it is
Kerrisdale is on Vancouver’s west side, south of Shaughnessy and Arbutus Ridge, around the village at West 41st Avenue and West Boulevard. It stretches roughly from Arbutus and East Boulevard west toward Dunbar, and from King Edward south toward 57th Avenue. On this page Kerrisdale means that area, and the figures and homes above are drawn from listings there that name it.
A little history
Kerrisdale grew up around the interurban railway. In 1905 Mrs. William McKinnon named the stop at Wilson Road, now West 41st Avenue, “Kerry’s Dale”, after her family home in Gairloch, Scotland, and the spelling later changed. In 1908 the Municipality of Point Grey bought a block here for its municipal hall, and the first commercial block went up at 41st and West Boulevard in 1912. Kerrisdale stayed part of Point Grey until it joined the City of Vancouver in 1929. The interurban ran from 1905 to 1958, and its route is now the Arbutus Greenway.
The village
“The Village” on 41st Avenue and West Boulevard is one of Vancouver’s most complete neighbourhood high streets: grocers, bakeries, cafés, restaurants, fashion, banks and services, all within a few blocks. The Kerrisdale Community Centre, on the site of the old Point Grey municipal hall, has the Kerrisdale branch of the Vancouver Public Library and a pool. The Arbutus Greenway, for walking and cycling, runs along the eastern edge, and Elm Park and Quilchena Park are close by.
The homes
Kerrisdale has more choice than most west-side neighbourhoods. Around the village are low- and mid-rise apartments and condos, many of them popular with downsizers who want to walk to everything. Beyond, quiet streets of detached homes range from character houses to large new builds, along with townhomes and duplexes. Vancouver now allows multiple homes on many lots once zoned for a single house, so check what a lot allows before you buy.
Schools
Kerrisdale is in the Vancouver School Board district; Magee Secondary and Point Grey Secondary are both in the neighbourhood. Crofton House is on West 41st Avenue, and other leading independent schools are nearby. Catchments depend on the exact address. Private schools in West Vancouver and Vancouver · Why catchments matter
Buying in Kerrisdale
- Condos near the village: many buildings are older. Read the depreciation report, the minutes and the contingency fund before you write an offer. Strata documents, decoded
- Houses: the age of the house and its systems, any old oil tank, and what the lot allows under the City’s current zoning.
- Downsizing from a house nearby: selling and buying in the same neighbourhood takes timing. Selling and buying at the same time
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.
