Skip to content
Join our Newsletter

This superhero show filmed at some of the coolest locations in Vancouver

The TV show was known to film around the city.

Vancouver now has one less superhero. 

The CW's popular superhero TV show The Flash wrapped up filming its ninth and final season on Saturday (March 4). 

The cast and crew shared touching tributes to the show, including Grant Gustin, who stars as the lead character Barry Allen who assumes his powers after being struck by lightning. 

Gustin hung up his superhero suit for the last time in an Instagram post and shared a few behind-the-scenes moments from film sets. 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Grant Gustin (@grantgust)

The show is known to film around the city, resulting in many action-packed moments and run-ins with actors.

During its final moments of filming, the TV show amped up the magnitude of its sets, props, and stunts. Locals saw cars blown up near Science World, giant aerial stunts at the Vancouver Art Gallery, an epic sword fight, and the downtown core transformed into a big superhero city.

Vancouver's downtown region saw most of the action. The superhero and other cast members were seen filming at Robson Square, Queen Elizabeth Theatre, and the Vancouver Convention Centre.

These are the coolest and most unique locations where The Flash filmed while still in town:

Georgia Viaduct

The same location seen in the opening shot of Deadpool can also be spotted in an episode of The Flash (season 2, episode 16) where Barry has to save people on a crumbling Central City Bridge (known as the Georgia Viaduct in real life). The viaduct was first named the Hart McHarg Bridge, commemorating a World War I hero. 

Caretaker's Cottage

This cabin in the woods that is actually in Murdo Frazer Park made appearances in other movies and TV shows, including Stargate SG-1Virgin RiverNancy DrewOnce Upon a Time, and Supernatural. It was also used as a film set for a memorable Kokanee beer campaign and the Shaw Yule Log.

The cabin was lived in by the park's caretakers but is now exclusively used for filming. Fans of The Flash can spot it throughout season 5 in episodes 16, 17 and 19. 

Rogers Sugar Mill

While this historic Vancouver site is a popular filming location, it has a sweet history (pun intended). The sugar refinery was originally named B.C. Sugar and was founded in 1890 by Benjamin Tingley Rogers. It was built just four years after Vancouver was incorporated and introduced the first major industry to the city that wasn't based on logging or fishing. At one time, it was also Vancouver's largest employer

Parts of the sugar mill were depicted in The Flash as the Warehouse District (season 4, episode 14), John Loring's Warehouse (season 6, episode 12), a Szrek Chemicals facility (season 5, episode 4), and the Old Cot Factory (season 3, episode 15).

The Electra Building

This prominent tower in Vancouver's skyline is one of the most noteworthy buildings of B.C.'s post-war building boom. The former BC Hydro Building is an example of West Coast modern architecture and is of class "A" merit on the Vancouver Heritage Register. 

In the Arrowverse, the Electra Building takes on the role of Central City Bank (season 4, episodes 10 and 16) and the Earth-3 Bank (season 3, episode 9). 

Holly Lodge

This West End residence was built between 1910 and 1911 in the Second Renaissance Revival Style, featuring metal bays and inset angled windows. In the now-wrapped TV show, the Holly Lodge building was used as a film set for the second episode of the first season, in which Barry rescues several people from a burning building. 

Vancouver Mill Machinery 1st Ave. Plant

While this rusty site was once a steel and metal manufacturing plant, it is now home to an urban farm. It can be spotted as an abandoned warehouse in the backdrop of season 1, episode 5.

Pacific Central Station

This grand building was the western terminus station of the Canadian Northern Pacific Railway, but it was not the first railway terminus in the area as it neighboured the Great Northern Railway terminus (Union Station). It was designed in the beaux-arts style structure and featured a lunch counter, barbershop, and a ticket office that sold tickets for both rail and steamship passages. 

The Pacific Central Station, which continues to connect travellers to other Canadian provinces and the United States, can be seen as a train station in season 1, episode 4 and season 2, episode 5, and as the exterior of the Midway Auction House in season 6, episode 6.

Playland/PNE

Metro Vancouver's favourite amusement park attracts numerous film sets, including many superhero shows. Playland, once called Happyland, sets the scene for a fight between Barry and Griffin Grey (season 2, episode 19) and the Enlightenment (season 5, episode 7). 

Marine Building

The historic structure reigned as the tallest skyscraper in Vancouver for nine years at one time. Its architects wanted to evoke "some great crag rising from the sea" which shows in the intricately carved fish, sea horses, crabs, seaweeds, and a King Neptune, while the walls are inlaid with 12 varieties of local hardwoods.

The building is transformed into First National Bank which falls victim to Mirror Master & Top's robbery in season 3, episode 4.