02 The story
Trout Lake, Kingsway and East Van living
Kensington-Cedar Cottage is a large, diverse East Vancouver neighbourhood spreading south from Broadway around Kingsway, Knight Street and Victoria Drive. It is a place of character houses, busy food streets and one of the east side’s favourite parks.
Trout Lake
John Hendry Park, better known as Trout Lake, is the neighbourhood’s green heart. Its small lake, beach, off-leash dog area and trails are busy year-round, and on summer Saturdays the Trout Lake Farmers Market brings local growers and food makers to the park. The community centre and ice rink sit alongside.
Kingsway and global food
Kingsway, which cuts diagonally across the neighbourhood, is one of Vancouver’s best streets for affordable global food, with Vietnamese, Chinese, Filipino, Mexican, Korean and many other restaurants, bakeries and grocers. Commercial Drive’s southern blocks and Fraser Street add more local shops and cafés.
Homes and community
The neighbourhood’s name comes from two early communities, Kensington and Cedar Cottage, that grew around the old interurban line. Today it is home to families from all over the world, with many heritage homes and laneway houses on quiet side streets.
Getting around
Commercial–Broadway Station is on the northern edge, Nanaimo and 29th Avenue Expo Line stations are close to the east, and frequent buses run along Kingsway, Knight and Victoria.
