What They Said about Commercial Drive

Once again the Georgia Straight has come out with their 8th annual Best of Vancouver Issue. Commercial Drive came in a resounding first place in the Neighbourhood category!

In addition to this fabulous community, a number of Drive businesses, organizations and nonprofit groups have landed firmly among Vancouver’s favourites. The Drive has become well known for its growing green spaces, and unique community groups; often it’s the latter that develops the former.

The Best of issue recognized the efforts of The Britannia Neighbours, for their outstanding work reclaiming urban green spaces. Some of their more recent successes include Mosaic Park (Charles and McLean) and Napier, just west of Commercial Drive. They have created fantastic parks, with the support of local artists. Our neigbours and residents have also been recognized as some of the best gardeners in Vancouver, in the category Best Agricultural tour. Virtually every second yard (between Clark and Renfrew, Broadway and Hastings) seems to have a plot of vegetables. Also on the Best of list, The Grandview Cut and Cottonwood Gardens, as the Best spot to get back to nature without leaving town.

With This:
The 2003 Georgia Straight Best of Vancouver edition bestows kudos on Commercial Drive. The 8th annual and largest collection of common and uncommon wisdom about this city includes the following nods to our fine neighbourhood: from the experts, the best Character houses and tree-lined streets in the Places to Buy Real Estate profile reside on these key streets Graveley, Grant, Kitchener and Charles; the Drive ties for third in the Place to People Watch category and third again in Most Improved Neighbourhood.

Figaro’s Garden placed in the Best Garden Store while Mosaic Bikeway along Woodland was recognized as the Best Bike Route in part because East Van drivers seem to have a better understanding of how those circular intersection work…(must be Commercial Drive’s lingering European influence). Womyn’s Ware the perennial winner as Best Sex-Toy Store garnered seven times the votes of second place-a store with a buzz about town!

Back to nature, the Grandview Cut is viewed as the Best East Side Nature Reserve as a plant and animal haven. Highlife Records & Music rocked in to third in the best of Independent Music Stores. Spirit Within earned the uncommon best mention for Best Proof that Commercial Drive is not about to be mistaken for West 4th anytime soon. The shop specializes in mind-altering plants so we think we see where this recognition is headed! Bike Doctor Bicycle Shop wheeled into third for Best Bike Store and first for Bike-Repair Shop. Showing that good things are worth a wait, Santa Barbara Market Deli Counter won praise as the Best Place to Wait in Line for Meat, due in part because there’s so much adventure to be had on the Drive, while waiting for your number to come up.

Dolce Amore comes in as the Best New Addition to the Drive (editor note: the Drive is the only neighbourhood recognized this way, in recognition we trust for the constant innovation in the (Ehood) for topnotch gelateria in a fab setting, selection, Italian imported ingredients combined with local fruits, taste, and an outstanding Venice mural. Likewise, Belgian Fries garnered Best Place for Homesick Belgians to Dip their Fries.

Selection and authenticity favoured the place. Neighbourhood based, the Wet Spots frisky lounge tunes and clever, classy tunes about kink attracted the Best Adult Entertainers recognition. Spank’s eclectic collection of Allison Wonderland fashion won some Best Secret Fashion Tips while Memphis Blues Barbecue House stepped up for Best Place for Meat Lovers. Now, that’s diversity! As a reader’s choice, Uprising Breads and Bakery baked its way to second place in the Best Bakery spot and Fujiya Japanese Foods came third as a Best Ethnic-Food Store. Back to fashion, Vox’s stylish venue and opening lineups gained a Best of Vancouver Arts gallery plug. Graham Clark’s comedy gig at El Cocal helped him laugh his way into Hardest-working Lazy Comic. Illuminares came third for Best Arts Festival and the Cultch gained the same ranking for Best Local Arts Stage (Venue). And, hey, if you want to chow down the morning-after in the picks of Vancouver’s Best Musicians tell all story, you’ll find yourself crawling in to brunch at either Café du Soleil or Bon’s Off Broadway (at Nanaimo) after catching the gig.

All this and a specific Best of Vancouver’s Neighbouhoods story celebrating our global diversity in flavours and flair too! Best heritage home fixer-uppers, multiple international cuisine choices in restaurants per block, collection of coffee houses, old country sounds, creative use of yard space, and community centre, just to name the highlights of the profile.

Congratulations everyone! Commercial Drive truly is Vancouver's expressive edge!