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Granville Island , huddled under the Granville Street Bridge south of downtown, is the city's most enticing "people's place" - the title it likes for itself - and pretty much lives up to its claim to be the "heart of Vancouver". Friendly, easy-going and popular, its shops, markets, galleries, marina and open spaces are juxtaposed with a light-industrial setting whose faint whiff of warehouse squalor saves the area from accusations of pretentiousness. The island was reclaimed from swampland in 1917 as an ironworks and shipbuilding centre, but by the 1960s the yards were derelict and the place had become a rat-infested dumping ground for the city's rubbish. In 1972 the federal government agreed to bankroll a programme of residential, commercial and industrial redevelopment that retained the old false-fronted buildings, tin-shack homes, sea wall and rail sidings. The best part of the job had been finished by 1979 - and was immediately successful - but work continues unobtrusively today, the various building projects only adding to the area's sense of change and dynamism. Most people come here during the day, but there are some good restaurants, bars and the Arts Club Theatre, which are all enough to keep the place buzzing at night. The most direct approach is to take bus #50 from Gastown or Granville Street. The walk down Granville Street and across the bridge is deceptively long, not terribly salubrious, and so probably only worthwhile on a fine day when you need the exercise. Alternatively and more fun, private ferries ($2, pay on board) ply back and forth almost continuously between the island and little quays at the foot of Hornby Street or the Aquatic Centre at the foot of Thurlow Street . They also connect from Granville Island to Science World (hourly) and, more significantly, to Vanier Park (half-hourly), a much nicer way than bus to get to the park's Vancouver Museum, Maritime Museum and Space Centre . A logical and satisfying day's itinerary from downtown, therefore, would take you to Granville Island, to the museums and back by ferry. You might also choose to walk from the island along the False Creek sea wall (east) or west to Vanier Park and Kits Beach. There's a good infocentre at the heart of the island for Island-related information only (tel 666-5784), with a foreign exchange facility in the same building and ATM machines on the wall outside. Stamps are available from the LottoCentre inside the Public Market Building. Note that many of the island's shops and businesses close on Mondays, and that if you want a bus back to downtown you should not take the #51 from the stop opposite the infocentre (it will take you in the wrong direction): walk out of the island complex's only road entrance, and at the junction the #50 stop is immediately on your right. Virtually the first building you see on the island walking from the bus stop augurs well: the Granville Island Brewery , 1441 Cartwright St (tours only June-Sept Mon-Fri on the hour noon-5pm, Sat & Sun on the half-hour 11.30am-5pm; $7; tel 687-2739), a small but interesting concern which offers guided tours that include tastings of its additive-free beers. Dominant amongst the maze of shops, galleries and businesses, the Granville Island Public Market (daily 9am-6pm; closed Mon in winter) is the undisputed highlight of the area. On summer weekends it's where people go to see and be seen and it throngs with arts-and-crafts types, and a phalanx of dreadful, but harmless buskers. The quality and variety of food is staggering, with dozens of kiosks and cafes selling ready-made titbits and potential picnic ingredients. Parks, patios and walkways nearby provide lively areas to eat and take everything in. Other spots to look out for include Blackberry Books, the Water Park and Kids Only Market (a kids-only playground with hoses to repel intruders) and the bright-yellow Bridges pub/restaurant/wine bar, which has a nice outdoor drinking and eating area. You can also rent canoes for safe and straightforward paddling in False Creek and English Bay from Ecomarine Ocean Kayak on the island at 1688 Duranleau St (tel 689-7575; from $25 for two hours). The island also has a trio of small, linked museums almost opposite the brewery at 1502 Duranleau St (all daily 10am-5.30pm; $6.50; tel 683-1939, www.modeltrainsmuseum.bc.ca ): these are the self-explanatory Granville Island Model Trains Museum, Model Ships Museum and Sport Fishing museum. These will probably appeal only to children and to model or fishing enthusiasts. The Model Trains Museum claims to contain the largest collection of toy trains in the world on public display.
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