History

2011-11-04T00:33:00.000-07:00

The Flamingo Restaurant is at the dreary intersection of Cambie and 59th Ave. The surrounding Marpole area is denser and more developed, leaving the 7500 block of Cambie wheezing for breath a decade behind. Historically no one has wanted much to do with the area around Cambie and 59th. That bit of real estate is one of the few areas in Vancouver where there were no Aboriginal settlements or hunting grounds, it was of no ceremonial or cultural importance, which is likely why no one bothered with it for so long. There was no land development until 1850, when three roads built around roughly where Oak and 63rd are now. This was an enormous investment, a 300% increase in infrastructure spending. Less than a decade after construction the roads disappeared and the land lay fallow until it was granted to Hugh Boyd in 1882. Mr. Boyd didn’t do anything with it. In 1892 it left Boyd’s hands and was incorporated into the Municipality of South Vancouver--stretching from the UBC endowment lands to the west to just east of Cambie. Development in the 1890s and 1900s saw the birth of Eburn, a small village of about 500 people, where South West Marine Drive meets South East Marine Drive around the Port Arthur-Laing Bridge. Eburn grew into Marpole, but the area remained rural and mainly forest. The 7500 block of Cambie was still born-again virgin forest. In 1926 the Langara Golf Links opened, stretching from 52nd, south to 59th, and from Cambie east to Ontario. The golf course remained the only notable thing in the area for the next 30 years. In the 1950s a gas station was set up on the lonely and forlorn corner of 59th and Cambie. It wasn’t until the Flamingo Steak and Pizza House Ltd Restaurant was built in 1974 that there was anything else on the block, infusing the area with a bit of vivacity and much needed amenities.

Here are some dishes you can find on the restaurant's menu:

Complete menu

Recently, the Marpole area has been deemed a transportation hub, as all traffic coming from the South into Vancouver passes through this area. Being situated near the Oak Street Bridge means it is also prone to bottleneck traffic during peak hours. It has a varied residential makeup, with some "old craftsman style houses on quiet, tree-lined streets". Current statistics represents this region as having a 43.3% majority of English speakers, with Chinese speakers following close behind at 37.3%. Tagalog, Russian, Korean and French speakers also inhabit this neighbourhood, in their respective order from highest concentration to least.

More importantly was the introduction of the Canada Line to the area, which unfortunately hindered business, but allowed for plans of revitalization of the Cambie Corridor, which can be a positive outlook in the future. Enhanced environmental sustainability, livability as well as affordability will the main target of this project.

Flamingo House

History