DUNBAR VILLAGE BUSINESS ASSOCIATION

Message from President, Vicki Bell

Welcome to the first issue of Dunbar Life in 2025!

Winter is flying by! February is already half over, Valentine’s Day has passed, and the Family Day long weekend is here. The days are noticeably longer, and daylight saving time is only three weeks away.

Spring break (March 16–28) is just around the corner, and the first day of spring is March 20. The Easter long weekend (April 18) promises celebrations with family brunches or dinners, Easter egg hunts, church services, and plenty of sweet treats.

On February 1, the Vancouver Business Improvement Association (BIA) Partnership— representing 22 BIAs—launched the LOVE YOUR CITY campaign. This initiative aims to showcase Vancouver’s diverse neighbourhoods and businesses through press, installations, and social media.

This year, the Partnership encourages everyone to visit Love Your City activations across Vancouver and write a love letter to their favourite neighbourhood, a cherished business, or even the City of Vancouver itself!

Be on the lookout for Dunbar’s five heartshaped sweetheart candy installations and take a moment to show some love for your favourite local spots. Snap a photo with one of our hearts and tag @loveyourcitycontest @dunbar_village for a chance to win the citywide grand prize! Let’s celebrate the places that make our neighbourhood special. Visit @loveyourcitycontest for full details.

New Businesses in Dunbar

This issue of Dunbar Life features two new businesses in the neighbourhood! We look forward to introducing more in future editions.

On the cover are Sunny and Thomas Park, the owners of Bread Culture at 5525 Dunbar Street. Their bustling bakery and café, which opened in August 2024, offers a delightful selection of sourdough bread, baguettes, focaccia, Viennoiserie, croissants, brioche, and an array of sandwiches and pastries, including Danish and choux varieties.

Another new addition to Dunbar’s restaurant scene is Shamrock Storehouse at 4497 Dunbar Street. This Irish-themed pub opened in December 2024 and serves a hearty menu of Irish favourites, a great selection of draft beers, live music, and a patio with outdoor heaters open year-round.

Looking ahead, we’re excited to profile two more new businesses in future issues:

• Tona Bakery at 4321 Dunbar Street

• Heaven Head Spa at 4345 Dunbar Street

In the meantime, we extend a warm welcome and encourage everyone to stop by and say hello!

Ask An Expert Feature

Our Ask the Expert section spotlights six Dunbar business experts in this issue:

• Dunbar Smiles

• Blooming Dental

• FYidoctors

• Life Integrative

• Dragon Phoenix

• All Nations Stamp & Coin

Dunbar BIA and What's Ahead

The Dunbar Village Business Association (DVBA) Board is preparing for its Annual General Meeting (AGM), where business members will vote to renew the BIA.

As part of the preparation, the Board is surveying business owners and property owners to identify their top priorities and the types of support they value most from the DVBA. These results will help shape a budget for members to review. At the AGM, members will vote on how property tax funds are allocated to support the BIA’s initiatives over the next three to five years.

Community Input Wanted!

During this process, we’d love to hear from you—the Dunbar community!

What do you value most about the DVBA? Are you a fan of Dunbar’s seasonal banners and holiday clef lighting installations? Do you enjoy the neighbourhood’s benches and chairs, hanging baskets, year-round white tree lights, and the pink heart lights in February and March?

Would you like more special events that showcase local businesses? Are you looking forward to the new plaza installation on West 27th Avenue (east of Dunbar Street)?

Perhaps you enjoy Dunbar Life’s five annual editions. Would you like more issues or expanded editions with even more content?

Let us know! Email info@dunbarvillage.ca and share your thoughts.

Graffiti Abatement and Mural Program

Every spring, the City of Vancouver provides a graffiti abatement grant to each BIA in the city. These funds help eliminate unwanted graffiti and support mural projects that beautify business districts.

Dunbar is eager to identify new mural locations to enhance the neighbourhood’s visual appeal. Importantly, these grant funds do not come from business property taxes but are a direct result of the Vancouver BIA Partnership’s advocacy efforts.

Business Property Tax Win

This year, the BIA Partnership successfully advocated to lower the City of Vancouver’s planned 2025 business property tax increase to 3.9%, down from the originally proposed 5.5%.

This 1.6% reduction aligns with the Partnership’s request to keep the increase below 4%. It’s just one example of how the Partnership fights for local businesses, ensuring that even smaller BIAs like Dunbar benefit from strong representation.

Thank You for Your Support!

Thank you for reading this President’s Report and for supporting local businesses in our community.

With longer and brighter days ahead, it’s the perfect time to explore the neighbourhood and discover the shops and services that make Dunbar such a vibrant place to live, work, and visit.