Maker Exchange Tag

At the north end of Strathcona and the DTES, you’ll find the sub-district of Railtown, a creative industrial area home to a multitude of businesses, artist studios, and unique spaces. Railtown runs from Gore Ave to Heatley Ave, bound by the railway tracks and waterfront to the north, and Alexander Street to the south. You may have passed through Railtown before, or seen some of the stark white buildings cross your Instagram feed, but there’s a lot more to learn and discover about this corner of the city than initially meets the eye. 

The currents of cultural history run criss-cross, deep, and dynamic through this area. Railtown is located on the unceded territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and Sel̓íl̓witulh (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations, whose cultures and economies shaped the land since time immemorial – hundreds of years before the first settler establishments and industrial businesses were built here. This area was also part and parcel of the historic heart of the Japanese Canadian community before they faced dispossession and internment during the Second World War. The area continues to be a culturally important centre for the Japanese Canadian community today. The area’s incredible history and distinct historical buildings bring a character to Railtown that doesn’t quite feel like anywhere else in Vancouver. 

Today in Railtown you’ll find a hub of apparel companies, globally recognized design firms, furniture manufacturers and a whole host of other multifaceted businesses, including electronic music producers. There’s a lot going on here to open your eyes to, and we’ve pulled together a list of things you likely didn’t know about Railtown to get you inspired. 

Read on for a list of 10 Things You Likely Didn’t Know About Railtown below.

1. The Vancouver Japanese Language School and Japanese Hall founded in 1906 and located at 487 Alexander St in Railtown is a Canadian National Historic Site. It’s a centre for multicultural education and cultural community programs and a powerful symbol of community strength and resilience. It’s the only property among any Japanese Canadian citizen or organization to retain rightful ownership after the Second World War.
2. The first school in Vancouver, opened in 1873, was the Hastings Sawmill School at the foot of Dunlevy Avenue. The school supported the families of workers at the lumber mill. The mill and surrounding buildings are no longer there, but the Hastings Mill General Store was preserved and moved by barge to Point Grey in 1931. It’s now the Old Hastings Mill Store Museum.
3. In 1986 Railtown residents successfully lobbied for policies to allow artists live-work privileges in warehouse studios, the first of its kind in Canada. The new regulations prompted the conversion and construction of new live-work buildings in the area.

4. Railtown’s Settlement Building at 55 Dunlevy Ave was built in 1923 as a steel foundry manufacturing machinery parts. Today, it is home to Vancouver Urban Winery, Belgard Kitchen, and Settlement Brewing.

5. 611 Alexander, sometimes referred to as the Alexander Centre, used to be home to the American Can Company. At its height, the fish canning plant produced over 350 million cans annually. In 1988 the building was repurposed as a reimagined commercial and artistic space with multiple business spaces. Today it’s home to the SFU School of Contemporary Arts, Aritiza’s head offices, and many other design and textile firms.

6. Railtown is the only area where you have ‘Creative Products Manufacturing’ zoning in the city, which is why so many unique creative businesses are located here. This zoning was designed to support Railtown’s evolving creative economy, in particular businesses focused on the creation, development, prototyping, and production of design products in physical or digital form.

7. Railtown is a hub for clothing design and prototyping, housing head offices for companies like Aritzia, Herschel, and soon to be Haven. You’ll also find boutique apparel companies like Park & Fifth, who handcraft modern, elegant dresses for weddings and special occasions.

8. Railtown is home to globally recognized design firms creating exquisite furnishings, like Bensen Manufacturing, Bocci, and Hinterland Design. From the contemporary and elegant furniture pieces of Bensen to the hand-sculpted large scale light installations of Bocci, these companies have helped give Vancouver an international name in the design world.

9. Railtown will soon see new developments that will build on the existing industrial and creative assets of this neighbourhood, creating a lot of new opportunities for more creative businesses to come to the area. Some of the exciting developments coming soon to Railtown include the inspiring Maker Exchange at 488 Railway and a new creative centre at 411 Railway. 

10. Recently completed BENCH Railtown at 353 Railways St is Railtown’s first new strata commercial light industrial development in over 50 years. It’s designed to be a collaborative micro-community of entrepreneurs, innovators, and creators, who leverage their collective energies to forge new ideas, technologies and products.