page_title: West Vancouver
section_title: History
hierarchical_section_title: West Vancouver / History
caption_attribution_description: English: West Vancouver, 1942, 15th and Ottawa Ave. William Mcphee photo of an unknown woman
context_page_description: West Vancouver is a district municipality in the province of British Columbia, Canada. A member municipality of Metro Vancouver, West Vancouver is northwest of the city of Vancouver on the northern side of English Bay and the southeast shore of Howe Sound, and is adjoined by the District of North Vancouver to its east. Together with the District of North Vancouver and City of North Vancouver, it is part of a local regional grouping referred to as the North Shore municipalities, or simply "The North Shore".
  West Vancouver has a population of 42,694. Cypress Provincial Park, mostly located within the municipal boundaries, was one of the venues for the 2010 Winter Olympics. West Vancouver is also home of Canada's first shopping mall, Park Royal Shopping Centre, and also of the Horseshoe Bay Ferry Terminal, one of the main connecting points between the British Columbia mainland and Vancouver Island.
context_section_description: The Municipality of West Vancouver was incorporated on March 15, 1912, after separating from the District of North Vancouver. The first municipal election was held on April 6, 1912. In November 1938, the Lions Gate Bridge was opened to traffic, allowing extensive growth of the semi-populated community, previously only accessible by ferry. Some homes in West Vancouver date back to the 1920s and 30s, though most of the currently existing dwellings were built in the 1970s and 80s, and mostly in British Pacific Properties' developments.
caption: A cabin at 15th St. and Ottawa Ave. in 1942. Photo by William Mcphee
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