The Best Senior Living in North Vancouver: Cedar Springs PARC
in Independent LivingWritten by PARC Retirement Living
Set in the central Seymour area of North Vancouver, Cedar Springs PARC is nestled between the tranquility of the forest and the bustle of neighbourhood life. With the peace and serenity of nature on our doorstep, and connections of community nearby, everything you could need is close at hand. Read on to learn more about what makes this location so special.
Right at nature’s edge
Just off North Vancouver’s Mt. Seymour Parkway, and minutes from the water, our community sits amid some of the most beautiful mountains, parks and beaches in the country – and just across Burrard Inlet from Vancouver and Burnaby. And while North Vancouver may be surrounded by wilderness, it’s also a hub in its own right, with vibrant neighbourhoods, fantastic shopping and restaurants, and a diverse artistic community.
Cedar Springs PARC is right across the street from the Parkgate Village mall, next to the Seymour Golf and Country Club – and a 10-minute drive from the gorgeous seaside village of Deep Cove, where visitors flock from all over to stroll, shop, paddle and dine. For residents craving more bustle, we’re also a short drive from downtown North Vancouver and the lively neighbourhood of Lower Lonsdale – brimming with shops, restaurants, cafés, pubs and microbreweries. One of the area’s biggest draws is the recently completed Shipyards development, where still-active shipbuilding facilities and working tugboats mingle with a new crop of attractions, such as The Polygon Gallery, The Pipe Shop events venue and Shipyards Commons park.
The entire region is well-connected, too: it’s a quick trip over the circa-1938 Lions Gate Bridge to downtown Vancouver, or a half-hour drive from our location to the Horseshoe Bay Ferry Terminal, where dozens of sailings depart daily for Vancouver Island, the Gulf Islands, the Sunshine Coast and beyond. The community of West Vancouver lies just to the west, as well, beckoning with its own array of beautiful parks, walkable seaside villages and more.
Learn more about North Vancouver at North Shore Tourism and the City of North Vancouver.
A home built for green living
The Cedar Springs PARC building was designed with the natural environment in mind, and is LEED® Gold certified for sustainability and efficiency. Taking advantage of our spectacular location, our suites open to stunning mountain, harbour and forest views. Nature lovers will appreciate our greenhouse, ample patio space and landscaped grounds – all of which provide plenty of room to garden, gather and soak up the surroundings. For those who wish to venture further, walking paths and paved trails are accessible right outside the door.
Learn more about the building and its amenities on the Cedar Springs PARC page.
Everything is nearby
With Parkgate Village right across the road, plus Lonsdale and Deep Cove a few minutes away in either direction, our residents are never far from anything they need. Below is a small selection of shops, amenities and attractions close to Cedar Springs PARC, to show just how connected we are.
Services
- Banking and post: BMO Bank of Montreal, CIBC and BlueShore Financial have locations in Parkgate Centre, directly across from Cedar Springs PARC. Canada Post has an outlet in the same mall, located in the Shoppers Drug Mart.
- Medical and health resources. There are dental and medical clinics in Parkgate Village across the street, along with a Shoppers Drug Mart, LifeLabs Medical Laboratory, chiropractor and naturopathic health centre. Nearby Dollarton Village also has a few medical and dental offices. And Lions Gate Hospital is a 15-minute drive to the west, in downtown North Vancouver, where you’ll also find the full spectrum of medical resources, doctor’s offices, pharmacies and dental clinics, physiotherapy, massage therapy, chiropractic, acupuncture and other wellness services.
- Personal care. Parkgate Village, across the street, has a Great Clips salon and an esthetic skin care clinic – otherwise, it’s a short drive east to Dollarton Village, or west to Lonsdale, for a wider variety of salons, barbers, manicurists, estheticians and day spas.
- Transit and transportation. In addition to PARC’s car service and scheduled outings, residents may wish to use the local transit system. There are several bus along Mt. Seymour Parkway and Mt. Seymour Rd. connecting to the network of routes in town, as well as larger TransLink network, including the Lonsdale Quay SeaBus terminal, with access to downtown Vancouver.
Shopping
- Safeway (3-minute walk; 3-minute drive). A large, well-stocked supermarket in Parkgate Village with an in-house deli, bakery and extensive produce section.
- Parkgate Farm Market (1-minute walk; 3-minute drive). A friendly greengrocer offering farm-fresh and organic produce, as well as some packaged goods.
- Cobbs Bread Bakery (3-minute walk; 3-minute drive). Also in Parkgate Village, this bakery is a go-to for freshly baked loaves, buns and goodies.
- Meat the Butcher (3-minute walk; 3-minute drive). This family-run butcher shop has excellent selection, specializing in local, organic and sustainably produced meat products.
- Dollarton Village (5-minute drive; 22-minute walk). A tidy strip mall near the water with a Nester’s Market grocery store, a Starbucks, a BC Liquor store, a yoga studio and more.
- Lonsdale Quay Market (19-minute drive). This year-round market houses 80-plus shops and vendors selling everything from fresh locally caught seafood and artisan chocolates to handmade leather goods and kitchen gadgets.
- Park Royal Shopping Mall (20-minute drive). The region’s largest shopping mall at 1.5 million square feet, Park Royal lies in the neighbouring community of West Vancouver. Straddling Marine Drive, it’s divided into two locations, Park Royal North and Park Royal South, with 200-plus stores and services, including The Bay, Simons, Winners, Shoppers Drug Mart and London Drugs, as well as banks, restaurants, cobblers, tailors, salons, cellular providers, a yoga studio and a C. Lottery outlet.
Learn more about North Shore shopping.
Parks and community amenities
- Parkgate Community Centre (5-minute walk; 4-minute drive). A large rec centre with a gym and several event spaces. Parkgate Society runs programs here that include bus trips, fitness classes and social gatherings for seniors, among others.
- Seymour Golf and Country Club (5-minute walk; 3-minute drive). This 18-hole course next to Cedar Springs PARC is known for its superb conditioning, treed fairways, tough greens and excellent eats at the clubhouse Grille Room. Adjacent is Roche Point Park, a pleasant regional green space with a 2.6 km trail for walking, running and biking.
- Cates Park (9-minute drive). This is North Vancouver’s largest seaside park, with 6 km of waterfront trails winding along sandy beaches and through forests of Douglas fir and bigleaf maple, and views of Indian Arm and Burrard Inlet. Amenities include a picnic area, tennis courts, a boat launch, washrooms, change rooms, parking and snack shop, while a totem pole and canoe display stand as a testament to Whey-ah-wichen, the ancestral First Nations village that once inhabited the site.
- Maplewood Flats Conservation Area (8-minute drive). Heaven for birders! Home to 250-plus bird species and numerous other critters, this 126-hectare wildlife refuge has a unique ecology thanks to its intertidal zone of salt marsh and mudflats. Its gentle trails are great for walking, and some boardwalks are wheelchair-accessible. Workshops, nature walks, exhibits and other events run year-round.
- Lower Seymour Conservation Area (18-minute drive). A popular outdoor recreation area, this 5,668-hectare forested park is a wonderful spot for hiking, picnics, fishing, kayaking, cycling and more. The 10 km paved Seymour Valley Trailway is a great choice for low-impact walks and bike rides.
- The Shipyards District (18-minute drive). The Lower Lonsdale waterfront is a year-round destination hopping with restaurants, cafés, shops, public art, and a community space for events, concerts and markets – plus the area’s largest outdoor skating rink in the winter and a splash park in the summer. Here, you’ll find the 700-foot-long, Burrard Dry Dock Pier promenade and The Polygon Gallery, the largest non-profit photographic gallery in Western Canada. Plus, Lonsdale Quay Market and the SeaBus ferry terminal are right next door.
Learn more about North Vancouver’s community amenities and North Shore attractions.
Dining and entertainment
- Genji Japanese Restaurant (1-minute walk; 3-minute drive). Sushi rolls and classic Japanese entrees in a relaxed atmosphere.
- Scratch Kitchen (22-minute walk; 6-minute drive). Artisan pizza, bowls and other beautifully plated dishes, all made from scratch. Brunchers should try the chicken and waffles!
- DJJ’s Wedge Pizza (3-minute walk; 3-minute drive). A handy take-out spot for tasty pizza, pasta and salads.
- InGrain Pastificio Inc. (3-minute walk; 4-minute drive). A casual pasta restaurant, that also makes and sells its own noodles, and frozen sauces.
- Arm’s Reach Bistro (8-minute drive). Delicious Pacific Northwest cuisine with a Mediterranean spin, served in an elegant space overlooking Deep Cove.
- Pier 7 (20-minute drive). The best waterfront patio in Lonsdale, open all year round, and also one of the best places to eat locally caught seafood, burgers and steak dishes.
- Deep Cove Shaw Theatre (8-minute drive). Home to the First Impressions Theatre company, as well as the Deep Cove Stage Society, this community theatre stages a colourful lineup of plays and performances.
- Centennial Theatre (15-minute drive). The largest multi-purpose theatre on the North Shore with 660 seats, this venue hosts all kinds of plays, movie screenings, festivals and events.
Learn more about North Shore dining, arts and culture.
Book a tour of Cedar Springs PARC!
Now that you know why Cedar Springs PARC is a such a great place to live, why not book a tour and see it for yourself? Plus, learn more about life at Cedar Springs PARC and see why life is better in PARC communities.