Living near Queen Elizabeth Park: a neighbourhood guide from a local builder

Queen Elizabeth Park sits at the geographic centre of Vancouver. At 125 metres above sea level, it is the highest point in the city, with views over downtown to the North Shore mountains. The streets around its edges, in South Cambie, Riley Park and Oakridge, are some of the most sought-after addresses for families who want green space without leaving the city.

The park covers 52 hectares. Inside are the Bloedel Conservatory’s tropical garden, the sunken Quarry Garden, an arboretum, and sculptures including a Henry Moore. For everyday use, there are walking trails, tennis courts, pitch and putt and a disc golf course. Seasons in the Park restaurant looks out over the city. Hillcrest Community Centre and Nat Bailey Stadium sit on the park’s eastern side.

The Canada Line runs along the park’s western edge on Cambie Street. King Edward station is to the north and Oakridge–41st Avenue to the south. Downtown is about 15 minutes away by train or car, and YVR is a direct ride south.

Homes on the park’s west side fall near Eric Hamber Secondary and Emily Carr and Edith Cavell elementary schools. Homes to the south are close to Sir Winston Churchill Secondary. Catchments vary by street, so check a specific address with the Vancouver School Board. Buyers here often tell us they want both: a top public school and the park at the end of the street.

Cambie Village, along Cambie Street north of King Edward, has independent shops, cafes and restaurants. To the south, the new Oakridge Park has opened with about 650,000 square feet of shops, a Safeway, a Time Out Market food hall and a rooftop park, with a new library to follow in 2027.

Under the City’s Cambie Corridor Plan, the blocks near the park and the Canada Line are gaining new low-rise condos and townhomes. They add homes for families and downsizers who want to stay close to the park. Many of the buyers we meet at Rhodes are long-time West Side residents who want to downsize without giving up the park.

Rhodes: 1, 2 and 3 bedroom condos overlooking Queen Elizabeth Park, by Listraor and Locarno. Now selling. Visit the Rhodes sales gallery at 5628 Cambie Street.

York: 29 move-in-ready three-bedroom townhomes at Willow and 37th, a few blocks west of the park.

We chose to build Rhodes beside Queen Elizabeth Park because very few places in Vancouver let you step out of your home and into 52 hectares of gardens and trails. Sites like this rarely come up, and we wanted to build something worthy of it.

More neighbourhood guides: Oakridge, South Cambie, Marpole, or see all neighbourhoods.