Capitol Hill elev. 203m, is a hill in the city of

Burnaby Burnaby is a city in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia, Canada. Located in the centre of the Burrard Peninsula, it neighbours the City of Vancouver to the west, the District of North Vancouver across the confluence of the Burrard I ...

British Columbia British Columbia (commonly abbreviated as BC) is the westernmost province of Canada, situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. It has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that include rocky coastlines, sandy beaches, ...

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...

, and also is the name of the neighbourhood spanning the summit of the hill. Standing on the north side of Hastings Street and bounded by Willingdon Avenue to the west and Fell Avenue in the east, this neighbourhood is known for its

Italian Italian(s) may refer to: * Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries ** Italians, an ethnic group or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom ** Italian language, a Romance language *** Regional Ita ...

Portuguese Portuguese may refer to: * anything of, from, or related to the country and nation of Portugal ** Portuguese cuisine, traditional foods ** Portuguese language, a Romance language *** Portuguese dialects, variants of the Portuguese language ** Portu ...

, and Croatian

expat An expatriate (often shortened to expat) is a person who resides outside their native country. In common usage, the term often refers to educated professionals, skilled workers, or artists taking positions outside their home country, either ...

communities as well as being a student area associated with the nearby

Simon Fraser University Simon Fraser University (SFU) is a public research university in British Columbia, Canada, with three campuses, all in Greater Vancouver: Burnaby (main campus), Surrey, and Vancouver. The main Burnaby campus on Burnaby Mountain, located ...

History

According to the Greater Vancouver Book (Editor in Chief Chuck Davis), Capitol Hill was logged by early settler L.I. Dundas in 1902 who used oxen to transport lumber. Dundas Street is now a central arterial street in the neighbourhood, running east-west up one side of the hill and down the other.

Housing

There are several apartment buildings in the area, mainly along Hastings Street and Holdom Avenue. Although the majority of housing is single-family, the size and value of land increases towards the top of the hill as does the view of downtown Vancouver, the mountains and the water.

Notable Canadians

One of Canada's most notable inventors, Donald Lewes Hings lived at the peak of Capitol Hill. In 1937 he created a portable radio signaling system for his employer CM&S, which he called a "packset", but which later became known as the

Walkie-talkie A walkie-talkie, more formally known as a handheld transceiver (HT), is a hand-held, portable, two-way radio transceiver. Its development during the Second World War has been variously credited to Donald Hings, radio engineer Alfred J. Gross, ...

. Also, one of Canada' most celebrated artists,

Jack Shadbolt Jack Leonard Shadbolt, (February 4, 1909 November 22, 1998) was a Canadian painter. Early life Born in Shoeburyness, England, Shadbolt came to Canada with his parents in April 1911. He was raised in Victoria, British Columbia. He studied at t ...

was a Canadian painter lived on Harbour View, an extension of Glynde Avenue on Capitol Hill. Additionally, a local sportcaster, Don Taylor is a Canadian television and radio sportscaster who grew up on Capitol Hill.

Transport and amenities

The neighbourhood is served by a bus providing connections with the

Burnaby Heights Burnaby Heights, often referred to as The Heights, is a residential neighbourhood in North Burnaby between Boundary Road to the west, Gamma Avenue to the east and bounded by Hastings Street to the south. Its northern edge facing the North Shor ...

shopping district along Hastings Street, Eileen Dailly swimming pool, the McGill branch of Burnaby Public Library and Brentwood Mall to the south.

Parks and trails

A walking trail constituting part of

Trans Canada Trail The Trans Canada Trail, officially named The Great Trail between September 2016 and June 2021, is a cross- Canada system of greenways, waterways, and roadways that stretches from the Atlantic to the Pacific to the Arctic oceans. The trail exten ...

skirts the northern flank of the hill. A park near the end of Hythe Ave N., near Hythe's intersection with Cambridge, offers views of

East Vancouver East Vancouver (also called "East Van" or "the East Side") is a region within the city of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Geographically, East Vancouver is bordered to the north by Burrard Inlet, to the south by the Fraser River, and to th ...

Downtown Vancouver Downtown Vancouver is the central business district and the city centre neighbourhood of Vancouver, Canada, on the northwestern shore of the Burrard Peninsula in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. It occupies most of the north shor ...

Burrard Inlet french: Baie Burrard , image = Burrard Inlet 201807.jpg , image_size = 250px , alt = , caption = Aerial view of Burrard Inlet , image_bathymetry = Burrard-Inlet-map-en.svg , alt_bathymetry ...

with both the

Lions' Gate Bridge The Lions Gate Bridge, opened in 1938 and officially known as the First Narrows Bridge, is a suspension bridge that crosses the first narrows of Burrard Inlet and connects the City of Vancouver, British Columbia, to the North Shore municipal ...

and the Second Narrows Bridge (

Ironworkers Memorial Second Narrows Crossing The Ironworkers Memorial Second Narrows Crossing, also called the Ironworkers Memorial Bridge and Second Narrows Bridge, is the second bridge constructed at the Second (east) Narrows of Burrard Inlet in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Origi ...

), the

North Shore Mountains The North Shore Mountains are a mountain range overlooking Vancouver in British Columbia, Canada. Their southernmost peaks are visible from most areas in Vancouver and form a distinctive backdrop for the city. The steep southern slopes of the No ...

including The Lions,

Bowen Island Bowen Island (originally Nex̱wlélex̱m in Sḵwx̱wú7mesh), British Columbia, is an island municipality that is part of Metro Vancouver. Bowen Island is within the jurisdiction of the Islands Trust. Located in Howe Sound, it is approximate ...

and

Vancouver Island Vancouver Island is an island in the northeastern Pacific Ocean and part of the Canadian province of British Columbia. The island is in length, in width at its widest point, and in total area, while are of land. The island is the largest by ...

and is a common gathering spot for the locals to enjoy sunsets and watch the annual fireworks over English Bay in late July and early August. To the east, Capitol Hill has views of

Indian Arm Indian Arm ( hur, səl̓ilw̓ət) is a steep-sided glacial fjord adjacent to the city of Vancouver in southwestern British Columbia. Formed during the last Ice Age, it extends due north from Burrard Inlet, between the communities of Belcarra ...

, Deep Cove,

Burnaby Mountain Burnaby Mountain, elev. , is a low, forested mountain in the city of Burnaby, British Columbia, overlooking the upper arms of Burrard Inlet. It is the location of Simon Fraser University Burnaby Campus, the Discovery Park research community, and ...

Mount Seymour Mount Seymour is a mountain located in Mount Seymour Provincial Park in the District of North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. It is a part of the North Shore Mountains, rising to the north from the shores of Burrard Inlet and Indian Arm ...

Golden Ears (mountain) Golden Ears is the name of the double summit that lies north of Maple Ridge, British Columbia and is visible from most of the western Lower Mainland. The mountain is in Golden Ears Provincial Park, and was originally referred to as ''Golden Eyrie ...

and

Mount Baker Mount Baker (Lummi: '; nok, Kw’eq Smaenit or '), also known as Koma Kulshan or simply Kulshan, is a active glacier-covered andesitic stratovolcano in the Cascade Volcanic Arc and the North Cascades of Washington in the United States. Mount ...

References

BC Geographical Names entry "Capitol Hill (hill)"
{{coord, 49, 17, 14, N, 122, 59, 07, W, display=title Neighbourhoods in Burnaby Hills of British Columbia