The St Louis Contrarian

I’ve seen this place (which I presume was once a section of Napier Street) many times, but never stopped to look at it.

Sure enough, it looks like a West End traffic calming mini-park, and might give a few hints about the Arbutus Greenway.  A local community volunteer group calls this “Napier Square Greenway”.  It leads from Commercial Drive to the Britannia Community Centre (and back). And it’s a terrific people place.

[Click any photo to see a slide show of larger versions]

Things to note:

• The garden, maintained by the “Britannia Neighbours“.  Recent Sunday work parties have focused on aphids and sticky oak leaves.
• Furniture — looking like furniture now appearing on Point Grey Road, and long in place in the West End.
• Decorative stonework, in the form of a meandering section set into the paving bricks, with a series of circular designs made out of coloured…