Oakridge

Oakridge in 2026 is a neighborhood in transformation. Anchored by the newly redeveloped Oakridge Centre - Vancouver's most ambitious mixed-use project completed in 2024 - this area combines suburban tranquility with urban convenience. The massive redevelopment brought luxury residential towers, upscale retail, office space, a new community center, and a nine-acre rooftop park to what was once just a shopping mall.

The neighborhood extends outward from the Oakridge-41st Avenue Canada Line station, making it one of Vancouver's most transit-accessible residential areas outside downtown. Tree-lined streets are filled with a mix of single-family character homes, low-rise apartments from the 1960s-70s, and increasingly, modern mid-rise and high-rise condos developed around the transit corridor. The demographic is notably diverse, with a strong Asian-Canadian community (particularly Chinese, Filipino, and South Asian families) and a growing population of young professionals attracted by transit access.

Living in Oakridge means enjoying quiet, safe residential streets while being minutes from downtown via SkyTrain. Queen Elizabeth Park - Vancouver's highest point and most beautiful horticultural display - sits on the northern edge. The neighborhood offers excellent schools, multiple grocery options including Asian supermarkets, and a decidedly family-oriented atmosphere. It's less trendy than Mount Pleasant, more diverse than Kerrisdale, and significantly more affordable than the West Side neighborhoods to the north - while offering similar quality of life and better transit access.

Oakridge developed as a post-World War II suburban neighborhood in the 1950s and 1960s. The area was largely farmland and forest until the city's southern expansion. Oakridge Centre shopping mall opened in 1959 as one of Vancouver's first suburban shopping centers, serving the growing residential areas along Cambie Street. The neighborhood was named after the abundance of Garry oak trees that once dominated the area's highest points. The Canada Line SkyTrain extension opened in 2009 (built for the 2010 Olympics), transforming Oakridge into a transit-oriented neighborhood. The massive Oakridge Centre redevelopment, completed in 2024, represents the neighborhood's evolution from car-oriented suburb to mixed-use urban center. The project took nearly a decade and replaced the aging mall with a mixed-use complex including over 2,600 residential units, office space, retail, a community center, and Vancouver's first major rooftop park.

Demographics: Oakridge has a notably multicultural population with strong representation of Asian-Canadian families, particularly Chinese, Filipino, and South Asian communities. Approximately 60-70% of residents identify as visible minorities, making it one of Vancouver's most diverse neighborhoods. The area attracts families due to good schools and safety, with a significant proportion of households including children. Income levels are moderate to upper-middle class, with many residents working in professional fields downtown. The redevelopment has brought younger professionals and empty-nesters seeking modern amenities and transit access. English is the primary language, but Cantonese, Mandarin, Tagalog, and Punjabi are commonly spoken, reflected in the area's diverse restaurant and grocery options.