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Iconic Facets Of Vancouver That Regularly Mislead Locals And Tourists Alike

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Vancouver isn’t always honest with itself, particularly when it comes to place names and tourist attractions. From Mount Pleasant (more of a hill, really) and False Creek (an inside joke of 19th century hydrographers) to modern cobblestones and “heritage-style” facades, misnomers abound. Here are our Top Five, complete with your polled ranking (of which one should have its name changed first) below:

Lost Lagoon | The fair, lush, picturesque “lagoon” at the entrance to Stanley Park is actually a man-made body of water, the construction of which dates back to 1916. Also faux are the resident mute swans. They’re non-native, and their wings are clipped so they can’t escape.

Gastown Steam Clock | Though purposely styled to look like a 19th century antique, this popular tourist attraction was made the same year that Kraftwerk released Trans-Europe Express (1977). And while steam plays a role in its mechanics, it’s nevertheless helped along by three electric motors.

Granville Entertainment District | Given the name, tourists can’t be faulted for expecting more than a crowded thoroughfare made null and boring by the very same fast food restaurants, chain retail stores, terrible nightclubs, and pretend pubs that they wanted to escape at home.

Habitat Island | This isthmus-connected landmass (not an island at all) was created as an urban refuge off the False Creek seawall just previous to the 2010 Olympic Games. It’s more commonly known by its nickname – Beer Island – which was given by those who find solace in sudsy sips upon its man-made shores.

Blood Alley | The stories of this Gastown alley being the location of horrifying animal slaughterhouses and public executions are all modern myth and invention. It used to be called Trounce Alley before the name was changed in a 1970s campaign to attract more tourists. The stench of urine, however, is 100% authentic.

Honourable Mentions: Sun Tower’s green painted dome (not oxidized copper); “Most Livable City” (an eye-roller of an accolade bestowed by people who don’t even live here); “Eye of the Wind” turbine on Grouse Mountain (more of a tourist attraction than an energy producer); Granville Island (actually a peninsula, not an island).

Which ONE of the following should have its name changed to reflect the truth?

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