The Story of Dunbar: Voices of a Vancouver Neighbourhood.

Ann Turner is Financial and Budget Manager at the University of British
Columbia Library.

The Dunbar/Southlands neighbourhood is located on Vancouver’s Point Grey peninsula, extending from the north arm of the Fraser River to 16th Avenue between the University Endowment Lands and Mackenzie Street. Evidence of First Nations occupation dates back more than 3,000 years, but European settlement of the area began in the mid-19th century. This neighbourhood history traces the development of the Dunbar/Southlands community from the first pre-emption of agricultural land in 1860 through to 2005. It grew out of the “Documenting Dunbar” project under the auspices of the Dunbar Residents’ Association, whose volunteers gathered personal recollections and photographs from more than 350 residents, as well as published and archival sources, to make this a living record of the community and its people. Ten Dunbar residents wrote and documented individual chapters dealing with early settlement, the development of residential and commercial areas, transportation, schools, churches, the arts, sports and recreation, parks and gardens, and the rehabilitation and preservation of ecologically sensitive areas. The Story of Dunbar is an engaging, appealing, fact- and photo-filled local history—clearly a labour of love and source of community pride for all the contributors.