Jonathan Shandler : Vancouver Real Estate, North and West Vancouver : Jonathan Shandler RE/MAX Crest

Jonathan Shandler

Emailor call:
Office:	604.988.8000
Mobile:	604.250.1433
TollFree:	800.665.1455
Fax:	604.986.3612

RE/MAX Crest Realty
101-2609 Westview Drive
North Vancouver, B.C.
V7N 4M2 Canada

The North Shore

Access to these municipalities is limited by geography. Three major bodies of water - Howe Sound to the west, Burrard Inlet to the south, and Indian Arm to the east - and the rugged peaks of the Coast Mountains to the north serve to isolate the North Shore from the rest of the Lower Mainland. Two road bridges (the Lions' Gate Bridge and Ironworkers Memorial Second Narrows Crossing) connect to the city of Vancouver and the Trans-Canada Highway. The only other road access is by way of Highway 99 from the north, or through the Horseshoe Bay ferry terminal from Vancouver Islandand the Sunshine Coast. The SeaBus passenger ferry, a part of the Lower Mainland's transit system, connects Lonsdale Quay with Waterfront Station in downtown Vancouver.

Lions Gate Bridge

The Lions Gate Bridge is a Vancouver landmark linking the city with the North Shore across Burrard Inlet. Similar in style to San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge, it was built in 1937-8 in large part to help develop land owned by the Guinness family (of beer fame) in West Vancouver. Although the family sold their land in the 50s, a link remains in the decorative lighting they donated for the bridge in 1986.

The bridge itself is three lanes with sidewalks on either side for walking or cycling. The center lane is controlled by traffic signals, so it alternates direction depending on the traffic conditions. The bridge is best avoided during rush hour (if you're in a car, at least) but otherwise provides a more scenic entrance (or exit) to the North Shore than the larger Second Narrows Bridge.