AS Valentine’s Day rolls around, Vancouver residents have been sharing what they love about the city and it’s not just the mountain views that set people’s hearts racing.
When the City of Vancouver asked residents what their favourite thing about their neighbourhood was, the most common answer was the diversity and multiculturalism that exists, closely followed by the ability to get around on foot.
Locals also expressed their love for all the independent stores and restaurants in their areas, as well as the community centres, libraries and parks that provide free resources and services to residents.
Things that locals told the City they love about Vancouver included:
- The diversity and multiculturalism
- The ability to travel everywhere on foot
- The local shops and restaurants
- The parks and sports facilities
- The breathtaking views
- The libraries
- The community libraries
- The transit system
- All the dogs and the kind owners who let you pet them
- How green the City is
The City also encouraged residents to complete the sentence ‘You know you’re a Vancouverite when…’ and, unsurprisingly, a lot of the responses focused on rain. Always packing an umbrella but then not using it – except in snow – was the most popular answer.
Other defining characteristics of Vancouverites included:
- Watching the sunrise on a mountain and the sunset from the beach
- Saying thank you to bus drivers
- Owning different rain jackets for different occasions including a formal one and one for exercising in
- You bring your cat in from the rain only to discover it’s a raccoon
- You post images of blossom and flowers unseasonably early on Instagram to make your east coast friends jealous
- You diligently watch and recycle anything that can go in the blue bin
More than 200 locals responded to the questions which were posed on Facebook and Instagram as part of Building a city we love, a campaign which aims to highlight the outstanding contribution made by volunteers and residents to creating a vibrant city.
You can find out more about Building a city we love, and create special Valentine’s e-cards, on the City’s website.