Why OnTheDrive Exists
Hello, my name's Jack.
I'm a UK expat and web designer who fell in love with Commercial Drive long before I moved to Vancouver permanently.
I've been coming out to Vancouver from the UK since 2003 and every time I visited this neighbourhood it felt like home—real, unpretentious, and unapologetically itself.
When I finally settled in Vancouver, and in the Commercial Drive neighbourhood, I noticed something frustrating: when I searched online for the best/most interesting spots in my new home I would inevitably end up on either Yelp, Google Maps or a not particularly attractive directory with very little information in it.
Sometimes it would be some magazine site's Listicle like "13 best things to do on Commercial Drive"...
It felt like there wasn't really somewhere totally dedicated to this great neighbourhood, it's vibe, it's businesses, it's heart and it's people.
I built OnTheDrive to try and help with that.
This is a directory built by a (new) local, for locals (and tourists as well), to give people the low-down on the independent businesses, cool spots, venues, eats and services that give Commercial Drive and East Van its soul.
There are NO shady algorithms behind it; every listing is, at the moment, personally added and checked by me.
In some instances, where there's scant information about the business (maybe no website or socials) I'll use Ai to generate or enhance a Business Description and edit the results. If you view your Business Description and don't like it or think it's not appropriate then please contact me and we can fix it.
Commercial Drive has been Vancouver's cultural heart since the early 1900s—shaped by Italian immigrants, counterculture movements, and waves of communities who've kept its independent spirit alive.
As a recent immigrant and new resident of this awesome neighbourhood, OnTheDrive seeks to celebrate that legacy, to support local businesses and help visitors discover what makes this neighbourhood so great and worth celebrating.
I am Web Designer and coffee fan so if you're fancy having a chat about OnTheDrive or a Website project I can usually be found in Continental Coffee on my laptop enjoying the coffee and the vibe so come say hi? I am more beardy now than thay pic but I'm sure you'll recognise me!