Cedar Cove is not one of the better-known Vancouver neighbourhoods.
It roughly includes the area east of Strathcona, Gastown, and the DTES north of East Hastings Street to the waterfront. The eastern border is around Kamloops Street. It overlaps areas of Grandview-Woodland and Hastings-Sunrise.
Originally called Khupkhahpay’ay, which means cedar tree in Squamish (and is being used for a new development in the area), as settlers moved into the area, it gained the name Cedar Cove.
It also saw plenty of industrial activity as the city grew up. It helped that it was on the waterfront and not far from the port or railways that helped launch Vancouver as an economic centre.
"Early European presence in the Grandview and Cedar Cove area was motivated by the quality of timber and the forest resources that existed," reads a 2013 report from the city about the area.
Along with lumber and industrial uses, the area saw breweries established as well.
It wasn't just an industrial area.
"Japanese, Chinese, Sikh, and other settlers called the area home," according to the Vancouver Heritage Foundation.
The nearby neighbourhood on Commercial Drive owes its existence to Cedar Cove in part. When Park Drive (Commercial Drive's original name) was completed, it saw increased use as a logging road for crews heading to mills in Cedar Cove. The road was renamed to try and draw more businesses to the busy area.
