Printer Friendly Version

The Dundarave Walk begins at the intersection of 24th Street and Marine Drive, where a cairn in the centre of the boulevard indicates the start of the Dundarave Village community (1). Street parking is available, or you might want to try the parking area near Dundarave Park.

Starting out from 24th, head west, walking on the north side of Marine Drive. The Sager�s Building (2) houses business addresses 2419 through 2427. Originally the Conservative Hall the building was established in 1913 to house West Vancouver Conservative party members. Through the years it has served as a school, badminton court, dancehall, church, and cabaret, and is now home to offices and shops. Continue to the corner of Marine Drive to 25th Street where you will find a 1950s-style gas station, now a garage (3).

Cross Marine Drive at 25th Street and head south towards the water. On your left, at the corner of 25th Street and Bellevue Avenue, is the Dental Building (4), completed in 1961. A modern office building, the Dental Building is noted for its residential feel, which allows it to blend in with the character of the area. Cross the street and enter Dundarave Park (5). The second, large tree on the right is a Western Catalpa (6), over nine meters tall: depending on the time of year, you will see long seed pods among the branches. The Fortune Cup Inn (7), a hotel and, later, an apartment building, stood on this site until 1971 when it was knocked down to increase the park space. Public washrooms, parking and a children�s play area are available here. Near the playground, you will find a dreamlike sculpture of a young girl and a turtle. Walk out onto Dundarave Pier (8), and imagine the old swimming pool that was once located on the eastern side. At the end of the pier, enjoy the scenic view of Point Atkinson Lighthouse (9).

Standing on the pier and facing towards land, note the Beach House Restaurant (10) straight ahead; the Stephenson family established the Clachan in 1912 on this site as a hotel and tearoom, and it has since housed other memorable businesses, including St. Mawes and Peppi�s. Head east, joining the Centennial Seawalk (11), built in 1967 to celebrate Canada�s centennial. The new buildings on the left-hand side have replaced the older homes that once stood here as holiday retreats for city dwellers. Parallel with 24th Street, you will find a set of large binoculars for examining sea vistas, and an art piece entitled �And the Clouds took it Along.�

Continue along the Seawalk; on the left is the Villa Maris (12) apartment building, known locally as the Pink Palace. At 22nd Street is Navvy Jack Point (13), named after early pioneer Navvy Jack Thomas and a early source of gravel for building sites. Just past here, 21st Street, look for stairs up to Argyle Avenue through Weston Park (14). The park is located on the site of one of the Pacific Great Eastern Railway Company�s original stations (15). Walk up through the park, and at the park gate, look to the right to see the blue Shoreland Apartments (16). Note the unique rounded form. Walk east along Argyle Street to the Crescent Apartments (17) at 2135 Argyle Avenue. These early apartment buildings were built in the early 1960s and were the first major highrises on the West Vancouver waterfront.

At 21st Street, look for a path leading back down to the Seawalk. From here, enjoy the view of the Lions Gate bridge (18). Continue east to the Seawalk Gardens, a quaint resting area. On the right is 'Meaning of Peace goes Beyond Words,' public art piece donated by the students of Irwin Park Elementary School.

Turn left off the Seawalk at the 19th Street exit, noting the Monkey Puzzle Tree (19) on the right. At Bellevue, turn left and at the 20th Street intersection turn right. Looking left down the block, you will see the California Redwood tree (20) on the north side: the Jackson family planted the tree as a seedling in 1923. Walk to the corner of 20th Street and Marine Drive where you will find the West Vancouver Memorial Library (21), built in 1950 through public subscription and voted Best Canadian Library in 1996. Head inside to see the library�s collection and examples of public art, including two sculptures, a tapestry and the �Harmony� stained-glass window. The building you see now is the result of four different expansion and renovation projects.

Cross Marine Drive at the pedestrian walkway to enter Memorial Park (22). The stone archway was laid by Governor General Baron Byng of Vimy on July 5, 1925 to commemorate the fallen soldiers of World War I, and is also a memorial to soldiers lost in World War II. McDonald Creek runs through the park, and there is a children�s play area here as well. On the north side of the park is the West Vancouver Lawn Bowling Club (23) with a 75-year-old Blue Atlas Cedar (24) tree growing between the two greens. Walk past the club to Esquimalt Avenue.

On the corner of Esquimalt Avenue and 20th Street is the First Church of Christ, Scientist (25). Turn left and head west down Esquimalt Avenue, noting the West Vancouver United Church (26) on the left hand side, built in 1960.

Crossing 21st Street, you will come to the West Vancouver Civic Site (27) where many of the District of West Vancouver�s public facilities are located. The first building is the West Vancouver Seniors Centre; enter by way of the main doors and head down the hallway directly ahead. Note the numerous resources and activities available, including arts and crafts, games, gardening, and yoga. Exit through the rear doors on the right. The building straight ahead is the West Vancouver Recreation Centre. Enter through the doors at the top of the ramp on the left-hand side. Turn left into the main hallway, and walk straight through to again view the various recreation facilities. Exit on the left at the end of the main hallway, just before the daycare area. Head right to see the new Aquatic Centre; look through the glass wall to see the pool and waterslides, or enter the facility for a closer look. Leaving the Aquatic Centre, turn right, and enter the West Vancouver Ice Arena to see the skaters. Leave the building, walking through the parking area to 22nd Street.

Carefully cross 22nd Street to St. Stephen�s Anglican Church (28). If the church is open, you can view its modernist architecture and stained-glass windows. Head back out and turn south down 22nd Street towards Marine Drive. On the right is a California Laurel tree (29) at 787 22nd Street.

Cross Marine Drive at the lights. Head west along the sidewalk to 23rd Street where you will cross back over to use the footpath, taking extreme care as you use the pedestrian crossing on busy Marine Drive. On the right-hand side at 2355 Marine Drive, you will find the Craftsman-style Hodgson House (30) built by West Vancouver architect Hugh Hodgson in 1913. Continue along Marine Drive. Just before the intersection of 24th Street and Marine Drive is a large and very old Mulberry tree (31), planted in 1922.

At the intersection of 24th Street and Marine Drive, head north up 24th Street to Irwin Park Elementary School (32), designed by Hugh Hodgson and built in on land donated by a West Vancouver resident. Cross 24th Street and walk west along Haywood Avenue. Note the Archibald House at 2495 Haywood Avenue (33). Continue on Haywood, across 25th Street to the Maple Leaf Garden Spot (34). When the Lloyds lived here, this was Lloyd's Nursery.

A triangle of grass acts as a traffic median here. Continue up Haywood to its apex and view the Harrison House, built in 1923 (35). Walk down this side of the street, which is now Kings Avenue. Walk past the first Harrison House (36), built in 1913 at 2567 Kings Avenue, and then pass the Shaw house (37) further down at 2557 Kings Avenue. Ignore the �no exit� sign to continue to the foot of Kings where you will cross the Marr Creek footbridge at the end of the road.

Walk along Kings Avenue, passing the Irwin Park playground. At 24th Street, turn right and head down towards the water. Turn left on Jefferson Avenue, and pass the Bell House (38) on the corner at 2397 Jefferson, and the Robson House (39) at 2379 Jefferson. At 23rd Street, turn right and then right again at Inglewood Avenue. Walk past St. Anthony�s Catholic Church (40), opened by Father Brabender in 1921. Here, Inglewood and Haywood Avenues merge. Keep heading west on Haywood and note the Young House (41) at 2385 Haywood Avenue. Turn left and head south down 24th Street to end the walk at your original starting point.