Living in Richmond

About Richmond

Sunny Richmond, BC is a well-planned city with many parks, shopping and transportation options. 20 minutes drive from downtown Vancouver and home to province’s main international airport, it is truly the “Gateway to the West.”

History
The islands at the mouth of the Fraser River that form Richmond were traditionally used by the Musqueam First Nations people, who camped here to collect berries and to hunt and trap beaver, muskrat and mink.

The first Europeans settled the area in the 1860s, attracted by the rich alluvial soil that promised successful farming. Early settler Hugh McRoberts built the first dyke in 1861 to protect his farm from high water. Though several others farm families built dykes, these precautions failed their first test when the Fraser flooded in 1894. After several other floods, the municipality made an agreement with the province to share the building and maintenance of the dykes in 1968.

With excellent salmon and sturgeon fishing in the waters around Steveston, a fishery emerged, advancing the construction of the Britannia Cannery in 1890. The industry drew a wave of immigration skilled fishermen from Japan, cannery workers from China, and employed First Nations fishermen butchers. A secondary boat-building industry emerged in Steveston, thriving symbiotically with the fishery.

Geographic Information
Richmond is situated just south of the Vancouver, Burnaby and New Westminster, with the municipality of Delta opposite on the southern arm of the Fraser. The city is formed of 13 islands in the mouth of the Fraser River, the largest and most populated being Lulu Island, followed by Sea Island, home to the airport. Its western boundary is delimited by the Strait of Georgia, where the Fraser enters the Pacific Ocean.

Zoning and Architecture
Richmond has remained loyal to its beginnings as an agricultural community, retaining 4,800 hectares of farmland in the east. Dominant crops are cranberries, blueberries, strawberries and blackberries, though corn, mushrooms and potatoes are also grown here.

The predominant housing style here has typically been bungalow-style detached homes. Most houses do not have basements, because of the high water table.

There are several housing developments presently underway. Expansions being constructed. The ambitious Fraser Development at the Olympic Oval will create 16 high-density luxury towers for residential and commercial use. The plan includes trees and park land, and will provide access to Aberdeen Centre via a foot path.
Another development planned for Capstan Way will build over 2,000 residential units, mixed with a hotel and commercial retail space.
            
Shops and Services
The city is also known for its many Asian themed shopping malls, mainly located along No. 3 Road, such as Aberdeen Centre, Union Square and Yaohan Centre to name a few. Richmond Centre and Lansdowne Mall also serve the Richmond area with over 370 shops and services between them, including a sizeable Famous Players movie theater.

For a distinctive shopping experience, the Village of Steveston offers charming shops and restaurants selling uniquely crafted items and gourmet foods. The town is known for its fresh and abundant seafood, which can be purchased right off the boats on the pier.

There are also farmers’ markets at both Steveston and central Richmond. Family farm stands throughout the city have long served residents, and most can be found along No. 3 Road.

Parks and Recreation
Richmond has an extensive system of public parkland connected with a wheelchair accessible walking/biking trail that is integrated with the extensive dyke system. The trails are particularly inviting to cyclists and rollerbladers, who can take advantage of the predominantly flat terrain. Throughout this network are numerous spots for picnicking, fishing, off-leash dog areas, pitch-and-putt facilities, lacrosse/ball hockey and tennis courts.

There are several excellent nature parks; of note for its interest to natural history is the North East Bog Forest. This biome is a living remnant, allowing a glimpse into BC’s pre-historical period.

Four public indoor and outdoor pools, five community centers, and an ice-skating arena provide a variety of  recreation services that engage Richmond residents of all ages and with multiple interests.

Culture and Events
Richmond’s premier arts facility is the Cultural Centre, comprises the city library, arts centre, museum, archives and gallery. The Arts Centre has dance, fabric arts, pottery and lapidary studios that are accessible to children through classes and to adults through user-groups.

Gateway Theatre, Greater Vancouver’s third-largest live theatre company, has two stages, a 584-seat main stage featuring award-winning Canadian plays, and a 100-seat venue, presenting up-and-coming playwrights. They also offer youth theatre instruction.

Some of Richmond’s events are the first annual Richmond Winter Festival of the Arts, the weekly Richmond Night Market Summer Festival, and the Richmond Maritime Festival. You can catch some of biggest names in show business at the River Rock Casino, which has featured such luminaries as James Brown, Al Green and Dennis Miller.

Schools, Services and Sustainability Links
Richmond’s School Board 38 has been at the forefront of issues in diversity, inclusiveness and pedagogy, having created “Learning and the Brain Conference,” a series of workshops and talks discussing research on how students learn. There are also a large number of English as Second Language schools and academies. Kwantlen Polytechnic University College has a Richmond Campus on Lansdowne Road.

A comprehensive set of helpful links to community resources is under construction, so please check back soon.

Transportation
Richmond’s network of urban trails and bikeways traversing flat terrain make commuting by bike a safe and accessible transportation option.

In addition to its far-reaching bus system, Richmond will soon be serviced by the SkyTrain Canada Line, connecting Downtown Vancouver with the Airport and beyond to terminate at Richmond-Brighouse, at Richmond Centre.

Several bridges and the Massey tunnel connect Richmond’s major islands to each other and to the surrounding municipalities.