Today Arbutus Ridge is a mature community with tree lined streets, restored heritage homes with quiet neighbourhood parks and fantastic views of the north shore mountains. Arbutus Ridge is in the middle of Vancouver’s westside and has good access to Downtown, Kitsilano, Jericho Beach as well as UBC and Pacific Spirit Regional Park.
Arbutus Ridge in it’s natural state consisted of low lying marsh lands known as Asthma Flats where the original inhabitants fished in the streams. In 1888, the Province handed over 2,100 hectares to the CPR which included a large portion of what is now Arbutus Ridge. Over the years, Arbutus Ridge was a part of three municipalities: South Vancouver until 1908; then Point Grey and finally Vancouver in 1929. The Electric interurban railway line which ran from Steveston to Vancouver in 1905, passed through the Kerrisdale area and acted as a trigger for early development. During the 1940’s and 1950’s sand was brought in from False Creek and soon the low marsh land was filled with houses, schools and shops and in 1960 Arbutus Village was born.