Who will win Vancouver’s best neighbourhood? 

In CBC’s summer-long competition to whittle 192 neighbourhoods in Metro Vancouver down to one champion, some contenders have been rural, some suburban, some full of condos.

Some of the neighbourhoods that won multiple rounds were developed around streetcars, some around vehicles, and some around SkyTrain.

For some folks, quiet streets, neighbours you’ve known for years, outdoor activities and tranquillity are important factors. For others, it’s accessible transit, great restaurants, cultural diversity and affordable housing. 

About the only common denominator in this competition seemed to be places that highlight their heritage or unique culture — but those neighbourhoods also have bitter political fights on how to maintain that status quo with the development pressures of being so desirable.   

After more than 450,000 votes, these are the two you’ve chosen as the best:

Mount Pleasant

In Vancouver, Mount Pleasant is a dense neighbourhood, in the centre of Metro Vancouver’s biggest city, an area full of breweries and cafés and restaurants with cuisines from all over the world.

Steveston

In Richmond, Steveston is essentially a classic suburb adjoining a fishing pier, a main street that doubles as a storybook movie set, with museums and waterfront parks and heritage markers in all directions. 

Metro Vancouver is a place of 2.5 million people, with geographical features and unique origins separating them into hundreds of unique neighbourhoods.

It shows the breadth of values in what makes a great neighbourhood — and it also shows that there’s no definition of what makes one great.

Until midnight on Monday, Aug. 24, you can vote on which one will be crowned the best. The winner will be revealed on August 28th. For more info visit cbc.ca

For information on buying or selling in any neighbourhood in the Lower Mainland, contact me anytime.