Growing up in Steveston Village was one of my favourite parts of my childhood. As an adult, I was quick to leave with the grass is greener on the other side mentality and head to live in the bustling parts of Vancouver. However, the community of Steveston has shaped me as a person.
Steveston is a tightly-knit environment; it’s a unique bubble inside a city like Richmond, quickly becoming its own metropolitan city. Steveston was ranked as the best neighbourhood in Vancouver in 2021.
Heading to Steveston and its waterfront harbour is like taking a trip back in time. Founded as a salmon fishing community by Japanese fishermen in the late 1800’s and into the 1900’s, it became home to the cannery and thousands came to work in and around the fishery industry.
Steveston’s salmon-fishing heritage has long since past but has not come close to being forgotten. The rich harbour, historical sites, and bustling town with shops, restaurants, and fish sales right off the boat: it’s like being transported to another world that you wouldn’t think still existed in Vancouver. It is the perfect spot for a couple’s date night, taking a family out, shopping for fresh groceries (namely, fish), or stepping in a world of peace and quiet on the water.
As a photographer, Steveston is where I learnt my craft. Our high school here (McMath Secondary) has one of the best photo programs in Canada. I was privileged to have this place as a testing ground for photography, which now has become the career that I love.
This past Father’s Day in June, as a gift to my dad whom I credit for who I am today, I went back to Steveston to capture photos of my hometown with a new eye and appreciation for where I grew up. Like many hometowns, I was quick to depart but only as mid-twenties adult now can I look back and appreciate how lucky I was to grow up here. These photos later have now become prints and are displayed as art in my parent’s home.
This article is a photo journal showcasing a ride on my bike through Steveston’s waterfront capturing photos at sunset. These photos detail the harbour front, historical sites, boat houses, docks, and net sheds all dating back to the early 1900’s (although some since renovated for modern appeal). If you’re new to Vancouver and never visited Steveston before, or even if you’re familiar and a local, let these photos transport you to a feeling of being on the water with all the sights, smells, sounds, and feelings that come with it.
