Little Italy (Vancouver)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Little Italy in Vancouver, Canada was an area in the eastern part of the city in the Grandview-Woodland neighbourhood, which was historically an enclave of ethnic Italians. The businesses and cultural facilities of Little Italy were located along Commercial Drive, which is still a social centre in eastern Vancouver. Ethnic Italians were very influential in this area from the 1930s until the 1970s.

After World War I, Italian immigrants settled in the impoverished Commercial Drive area, and were widely credited with revitalizing the neighborhood. However, by 1975 a combination of cultural assimilation, foreign immigration, Italian flight to the suburbs, and a schism within the Italian community led to a decline of influence and concentration of ethnic Italians in Vancouver.

As of 2005, there are several Italian businesses, cultural groups, and ethnic Italians living in the Greater Vancouver area, but no one area is predominant.

Burnaby Heights is not predominantly Italian, but Italian-Canadians have a distinct presence in the neighbourhood. East Hastings Street, between Boundary and Duthie, is another commercial hub for the Italian community. There are multiple Italian cafes, delis, and restaurants along the street, as well as a children's clothing store which imports dress clothes from Italy. Two Catholic parishes offering masses in Italian, St. Helen's and Holy Cross, are located nearby. Older Italians often congregate in Confederation Park to play Bocce.