Crime in Vancouver?
Sep 11th, 2003, 05:19 AM
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Crime in Vancouver?
My sister and I (both in our 50s) will be staying in Vancouver for 3 nites next week. I've read on several other sites that there is a big crime problem in Vancouver. We're staying at Le Soleil Hotel on Hornby St. downtown and love to walk for shopping, sightweeing and dining. Is this area safe? Do we need to be concerned at nite? Should we take taxis to Granville Island, Stanley Park, etc?
Sep 11th, 2003, 05:47 AM
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First of all, let me say that Vancouver is a terrific place - at one time it was my favorite city - but that was before I got a look at the historic part of Quebec City. Still, I love the place.
Having said that, on our most recent visits we have noticed that there are increasing numbers of street people to be seen and overall it was not quite as pristine-looking as it has been in the past (more trash etc). It is true that the city has seen a lot more crime lately. The area around E Hastings Street is known to be particularly bad.
However, overall, I still consider it a very safe and clean city (especially compared to many of our cities here in the US), with lots of joggers and walkers out even at night. Just use common sense as you would in any large city and you should be fine. It's a great city for walking and I would certainly try do some. It is however a very large place and it's not always feasible to walk from one area to another as it's just plain too far (unless you are really into walking anyway).
Enjoy your time there. It is a wonderful place.
Ken
Having said that, on our most recent visits we have noticed that there are increasing numbers of street people to be seen and overall it was not quite as pristine-looking as it has been in the past (more trash etc). It is true that the city has seen a lot more crime lately. The area around E Hastings Street is known to be particularly bad.
However, overall, I still consider it a very safe and clean city (especially compared to many of our cities here in the US), with lots of joggers and walkers out even at night. Just use common sense as you would in any large city and you should be fine. It's a great city for walking and I would certainly try do some. It is however a very large place and it's not always feasible to walk from one area to another as it's just plain too far (unless you are really into walking anyway).
Enjoy your time there. It is a wonderful place.
Ken
Sep 12th, 2003, 04:09 AM
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Hi,
I just had to chime in on this one to say that, especially by U.S. standards, Vancouver should be considered a 'safe' city. Few places in North America have so many (real and decent) people walking the streets all night long.
You could walk anywhere on Robson street until as late as might seem at all sensible without cause for inordinate concern. Same goes for "Granville" street (although the 'wildlife' there could make you want to stop and let IT pass you by - people watching is better when you don't have to move). "Gastown" is another area with enough others around to make for decent walking until well into the evening.
Their "worst neighborhoods" (East Hastings) are such that I would never be afraid to walk at most any hour of the night.
One general intersection to stay away from might be "East Hastings and Main" very late at night, but I can't think of a 2nd spot to warn against.
Admittedly "crime" is more significant than it used to be in Vanc. because the population is much larger than 20 years ago. I would NOT agree that "random crime" has escalated significantly at all there.
You'll have a fine time in Vancouver!
- someone who goes there 10-20 times a year
I just had to chime in on this one to say that, especially by U.S. standards, Vancouver should be considered a 'safe' city. Few places in North America have so many (real and decent) people walking the streets all night long.
You could walk anywhere on Robson street until as late as might seem at all sensible without cause for inordinate concern. Same goes for "Granville" street (although the 'wildlife' there could make you want to stop and let IT pass you by - people watching is better when you don't have to move). "Gastown" is another area with enough others around to make for decent walking until well into the evening.
Their "worst neighborhoods" (East Hastings) are such that I would never be afraid to walk at most any hour of the night.
One general intersection to stay away from might be "East Hastings and Main" very late at night, but I can't think of a 2nd spot to warn against.
Admittedly "crime" is more significant than it used to be in Vanc. because the population is much larger than 20 years ago. I would NOT agree that "random crime" has escalated significantly at all there.
You'll have a fine time in Vancouver!
- someone who goes there 10-20 times a year
Sep 12th, 2003, 05:25 AM
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My husband and I, both in our 50s, just returned from Vancouver. We found it to be very non-threatening as we walked at night, especially in the area where you are staying; we were further up on Hornby St, toward Robson, at the Wedgewood, and we walked to Yaletown several nights.
We were told by our concierge that it was safe most places in Vancouver at night; he did tell us to avoid the areas that others have mentioned in this thread.
I don't know where you are from, but the only thing that might make you uneasy about safety is that many of the street people in Vancouver were loud and aggressive.
The water taxi to Granville Island is right at the foot of Hornby St; I think they run until 10pm or so at night.
We were told by our concierge that it was safe most places in Vancouver at night; he did tell us to avoid the areas that others have mentioned in this thread.
I don't know where you are from, but the only thing that might make you uneasy about safety is that many of the street people in Vancouver were loud and aggressive.
The water taxi to Granville Island is right at the foot of Hornby St; I think they run until 10pm or so at night.
Sep 12th, 2003, 10:19 AM
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I'll be leaving Wed. (9-17) for Vancouver. I am a little disappointed by the above comments. i.e: Not as pristine... loud and aggressive street people (I get that at home!) ... but I am sure it is still going to be wonderful.
I'm planning on making a full report on here when I get back (Oct 1)
I'm planning on making a full report on here when I get back (Oct 1)
Sep 12th, 2003, 11:36 AM
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FromAtlanta -
Don't make too much of the comments. Everything is relative. By "not as pristine", I mean simply "compared to what I have seen there in the past". Compared to almost anyplace else, it is a very clean and safe city.
And yes, there are more street people than I have seen in the past, but still not near as many as in many other places I have been.
I repeat: "Vancouver is a terrific place". I rank it higher than ANY large American city I have been to - both in terms of safety and cleanliness, as well as in natural beauty and things to see and do. It is my opinion that Vancouver is one of the most beautiful large cities in the world - but remember, it IS a large city (much bigger and more cosmopolitan that Seattle (where I live)), complete with some all of the problems EVERY large city has (though less severe (by far) than in most other cities).
Go and enjoy yourself.
Ken
Don't make too much of the comments. Everything is relative. By "not as pristine", I mean simply "compared to what I have seen there in the past". Compared to almost anyplace else, it is a very clean and safe city.
And yes, there are more street people than I have seen in the past, but still not near as many as in many other places I have been.
I repeat: "Vancouver is a terrific place". I rank it higher than ANY large American city I have been to - both in terms of safety and cleanliness, as well as in natural beauty and things to see and do. It is my opinion that Vancouver is one of the most beautiful large cities in the world - but remember, it IS a large city (much bigger and more cosmopolitan that Seattle (where I live)), complete with some all of the problems EVERY large city has (though less severe (by far) than in most other cities).
Go and enjoy yourself.
Ken
Sep 12th, 2003, 01:27 PM
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Well, this post got me thinking, so I poked around on the web a bit and came up with the following link:
http://www.statcan.ca/Daily/English/030724/d030724a.htm
According to this document, the crime rate in Vancouver, is actually DOWN since peaking in the early-mid 1990s. Hats off to NorthwestMale for calling the shot on that one.
It's also interesting to see just how MUCH Vancouver is safer than Seattle. Take a look at this:
http://seattle.areaconnect.com/crime1.htm
The robbery rate (for example) is 3 TIMES higher in Seattle than in Vancouver (no surprise there).
So... I stand (happily) corrected on the issue of crime. Still hold to the increase in street people though.
Ken
http://www.statcan.ca/Daily/English/030724/d030724a.htm
According to this document, the crime rate in Vancouver, is actually DOWN since peaking in the early-mid 1990s. Hats off to NorthwestMale for calling the shot on that one.
It's also interesting to see just how MUCH Vancouver is safer than Seattle. Take a look at this:
http://seattle.areaconnect.com/crime1.htm
The robbery rate (for example) is 3 TIMES higher in Seattle than in Vancouver (no surprise there).
So... I stand (happily) corrected on the issue of crime. Still hold to the increase in street people though.
Ken
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Sep 12th, 2003, 10:40 PM
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LordBalfor,
Thank you for your reply and trying to make me feel better-but I think you misunderstood me too. I knew what you meant by Vancouver's pristineness and I only meant that I wish I could have seen it before as well. This will be my first time.
Also, (just for me to make a point), comparing Vancouver to other big cities in the US is kind of funny. For me personally, I never vacation in the US and I would hardly use it as a standard! ... How would Vancouver compare with London or Brussels? (Unfortunately, those cities are not quite as pristine as they used to be either! I think it is a world epidemic)
I have have been planning this trip for a long time. After I decided to try Canada instead of Europe for a change I did some research to see where I might like to go. I was quite impressed with Vancouver!-so I'm not really concerned. It does look like an awesome place.
Thank you for your reply and trying to make me feel better-but I think you misunderstood me too. I knew what you meant by Vancouver's pristineness and I only meant that I wish I could have seen it before as well. This will be my first time.
Also, (just for me to make a point), comparing Vancouver to other big cities in the US is kind of funny. For me personally, I never vacation in the US and I would hardly use it as a standard! ... How would Vancouver compare with London or Brussels? (Unfortunately, those cities are not quite as pristine as they used to be either! I think it is a world epidemic)
I have have been planning this trip for a long time. After I decided to try Canada instead of Europe for a change I did some research to see where I might like to go. I was quite impressed with Vancouver!-so I'm not really concerned. It does look like an awesome place.
Sep 13th, 2003, 12:24 PM
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From Atlanta: Talk about awesome. If you have the time take a float plane from Van over to Victoria. About a half hour flight for $99 one way ($72 US) or return for around $145 US.
Now that`s awesome!
Now that`s awesome!
Sep 15th, 2003, 11:15 AM
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I did see a lot of street people there--not crime per se, but one obviously mentally ill woman (probably schizophrenic and untreated) did come up to my husband and start talking to him--what she was saying didn't make any sense and would have been scary to a lot of people. And this was downtown right in the area of the big hotels.
Sep 15th, 2003, 12:42 PM
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You will be fine. Just visited two weeks ago and had no problems. No need at all to take taxis everywhere. Robson Street is very safe to walk in the late evening, as are most streets west of Granville.
Main and Hastings didn't faze me that much. However, the scene at Carrall and Hastings did, was the only street I crossed in the daytime that got me a little nervous. 'Tis not uncommon for people unfamiliar to cross through there to go from Gastown to Chinatown, would recommend going down another street. Also I arrived in Vancouver at 2:30 AM, the taxi driver drove across Seymour and it was quite the interesting sight, lots of prostitution going on then. However, tis unlikely you'd be wandering Seymour at that time of night, during the day it was absolutely fine with no absolutely no sign of what goes on in the wee hours.
I say go forth and have fun.
Main and Hastings didn't faze me that much. However, the scene at Carrall and Hastings did, was the only street I crossed in the daytime that got me a little nervous. 'Tis not uncommon for people unfamiliar to cross through there to go from Gastown to Chinatown, would recommend going down another street. Also I arrived in Vancouver at 2:30 AM, the taxi driver drove across Seymour and it was quite the interesting sight, lots of prostitution going on then. However, tis unlikely you'd be wandering Seymour at that time of night, during the day it was absolutely fine with no absolutely no sign of what goes on in the wee hours.
I say go forth and have fun.
