Robson Street

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Robson street at night

Robson Street is a major southeast-northwest thoroughfare in downtown Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Its name honours John Robson, a major figure in British Columbia's entry into the Canadian Confederation, and Premier of the province from 1889 to 1892. Robson Street starts at B.C. Place Stadium near the north shore of False Creek, then runs northwest past Vancouver Library Square, Robson Square and the Vancouver Art Gallery, coming to an end at Lost Lagoon in Stanley Park.

In 1895, train tracks were laid down the street, supporting a concentration of shops and restaurants. From the early to mid 20th century, the northwest end of Robson Street was known as a centre of German culture and commerce in Vancouver, and for a long time was referred to as the "Robsonstrasse," even by non-Germans (this name lives on in the Robsonstrasse Hotel on the street).

Robson Street's role as a consumer district continues to the present day. Robson Street is particularly famous for the fashion shops and dining that is centred on the two blocks between Burrard and Bute Streets, but which extends from Granville Street in the southeast to Denman Street in the northwest.

Robson Street is also popular throughout the Lower Mainland as a cruising street, with many exotic and rare cars and motorcycles present every weekend and throughout the summer. At one time in the early 2000s, the Vancouver Police sought to combat repeat cruisers, and thereby lower congestion, by issuing tickets to those driving up and down the street excessively; nowadays the street is more cruise-friendly.

The street's intersection with Thurlow Street is known for having two Starbucks locations kitty-corner from each other. There is one on the west corner, and one on the east corner. The one on the west corner is particularly known as a major meeting-place for the biker culture, with Harley-Davidsons, Japanese bikes, and cafe racers alike parked in a special bikes-only strip of parking painted on the pavement. It was also this streetcorner of Robson and Thurlow that acted as the epicentre of the Stanley Cup Riot of 1994.

See also

• West End, Vancouver (Robson Street passes through the northeast edge of the West End)
• Canadian Monopoly (Robson Street is the most expensive and costly property on the board)

External link

• Robson Street Business Association