History

Cambie is named for Henry John Cambie, chief surveyor of the Canadian Pacific Railway's western division (as is Cambie Road, a major thoroughfare in nearby Richmond).

There are two distinct sections of the street. North of False Creek, the street runs on a northeast-southwest alignment (following the rotated street grid within downtown Vancouver). As such, the street actually runs perpendicular to the Cambie Street Bridge, and there is no seamless connection between the two. Instead, Nelson Street carries southbound traffic onto the bridge, and Smithe Street carries northbound traffic away from the bridge. The downtown section of Cambie Street runs from Water Street in Gastown in the north to Pacific Boulevard in Yaletown in the south and is a two-way street for its length.

South of False Creek, the street is a major 6-lane arterial road, and runs as a 2-way north-south thoroughfare according to the street grid for the rest of Vancouver. Between King Edward Avenue West and Southwest Marine Drive, the street has a 10 metre wide boulevard with grass and many well established trees on it.

_____________________________________________________

If you would like to contribute any stories or memories you have about Cambie, we would like to hear from you. Please contact the Cambie Village Business Association Executive Director at
604-710-2954 or by email executivedirector@cambievillage.com