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Burnaby ■Richmond ■New Westminster
CLOSE-IN SUBURBS Plenty of festivals and parks as well as public transit are in some suburbs nearest to Vancouver PETER MITHAM
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urnaby, Richmond and New Westminster are Vancouver’s closest neighbours this side of the Fraser River. They’re also far more than your average suburban communities. Cities in their own right, each has a distinctive character and history, and a range of services and amenities that allow them to stand shoulder to shoulder alongside the region’s core metropolis. Better yet, with rapid-transit connections leading to downtown Vancouver, these three municipalities are in line to benefit from the region’s outward growth for decades to come.
BURNABY OR BUST Q Burnaby, east of Vancouver, is B.C.’s third-largest municipality, with nearly 235,000 residents. Two SkyTrain lines, two post-secondary campuses and a trio of major shopping centres have made it a natural place for both residential and employment growth. While rapid transit ferries commuters from Vancouver to stations across Burnaby in as little as 25 minutes, travellers also benefit from upgrades to the Trans-Canada Highway that have eased congestion and improved access to business parks in Lake City. Burnaby is a hub for major high-tech players including Electronic Arts, Ballard Power and Telus, as well as life science and retailers such as Best Buy. Simon Fraser University (SFU) and the British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT) offer higher education in the arts, sciences and trades. Burnaby knows how to have fun, too. The city boasts one of the highest ratios of parkland to residents in North America, including Burnaby Lake and Deer Lake parks. Old-growth trees crown Central Park, while Deer Lake and Swangard Stadium are venues for outdoor
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concerts, theatrical performances and other artistic and cultural events. Burnaby is also home to B.C.’s biggest mall, Metropolis at Metrotown, home to about 400 merchants and a yearround schedule of events for the whole family. Lougheed Town Centre and Brentwood Town Centre complement the Metrotown complex. Residential development around all three malls take advantage of the amenities they offer as well as transit lines to draw homebuyers from around the world. The cosmopolitan flair is seen in a mix of eateries serving up flavours from around the world. Whether it’s Italian cuisine in Burnaby Heights
Burnaby Mountain is home to Simon Fraser University and has majestic views | TOURISM BURNABY The Richmond Oval is a holdover from the 2010 Olympic Winter Games and has a large fitness centre as well as ice rinks and sports fields | CRESSEY
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