North Vancouver's Shipbuilders' Pier

Burrard Dry Dock Pier is the large pier in the Lower Lonsdale and Shipyards District of North Vancouver. Locals often just refer to it as Shipbuilders’ Pier.

Lonsdale Quay’s Burrard Dry Dock Pier

A landmark on the Lower Lonsdale waterfront, the Burrard Dry Dock Pier reflects the rich naval history of the City of North Vancouver.

The pier is around 700 or so feet in length and 50 feet wide. Its generous size leaves plenty of space for pedestrians, and even vehicles as needed on rare occasions.

History of Shipbuilders’ Pier

The area around Shipbuilders’ Pier was originally referred to as Wallace Shipyards in the early 1900s. Built in the mid-1920s, the Burrard Dry Dock Pier was named in honour of the area’s marine history.

The Lonsdale Quay area and the City of North Vancouver used to be known for their shipbuilding capabilities. This was especially the case during World War II when the area was responsible for constructing around one-third of Canada’s total wartime marine fleet.

The Shipyard officially closed its operations in 1992, although shipbuilding and repairs still take place on the North Shore. SeaSpan operates facilities just a block or so east of the pier, at the Vancouver Drydock. It also has facilities about 4.5 kilometres away at the Vancouver Shipyards at the bottom of Pemberton Avenue.

Shipbuilders Pier in North Vancouver — Lower Lonsdale from the Pier

The Lower Lonsdale Area

Shipbuilders’ Pier can be found in the vibrant Lower Lonsdale area of North Vancouver. It’s located right on the waterfront in the Shipyards District.

Points of interest near the pier include a variety of shops, restaurants and attractions. Just a five-minute walk away, Lonsdale Quay is home to a variety of restaurants and locally-owned boutiques. Next door to Lonsdale Quay, the Polygon Gallery features a collection of art and photography. In 2021, the Museum of North Vancouver, or MONOVA, opened just one block up from Lonsdale Quay.

Some of the restaurant choices around Shipbuilders’ Pier include the Tap & Barrel and JOEY. Other restaurants can be found within Lonsdale Quay and further up on Lonsdale Avenue. (For a list of dining establishments see our article about North Vancouver Restaurants.)

Close to the foot of the pier is Shipbuilders’ Square. At different times of the year the area hosts various public events including many that are free. In the summertime, both the Shipyard Night Market and the Shipyards Summer Session Outdoor Concerts take place in the square. Both are free to attend and are tons of fun (although neither happened in 2020 because of COVID-19)!

Friday Evening at Shipbuilders' Pier — The Dock on a Busy Friday Market Evening

Tips and Advice

Below are some suggestions to help you make the most of your visit to the area.

TIP #1: The dock isn’t a destination in itself (unless you love ships and there is a big one docked there that’s open for the public to board). It’s just a pier, although a really nice and big one. The Shipyards District and surrounding area, however, is worth travelling from across the Lower Mainland to explore, especially in the summer and when events are happening. When in the area though the pier is a wonderful place for a short stroll.

TIP #2: North Vancouver’s waterfront is a great area to explore by bike and on foot. From the pier you can walk along the waterfront to Lonsdale Quay where you’ll find the indoor public market which is open year-round and a tourist attraction in and of itself. From there, head to Waterfront Park which is just a five-minute walk further west. Waterfront Park is connected to the Spirit Trail which is nice to explore.

TIP #3: One of the best times to visit the area is on Friday evenings between May and September. That’s when the Shipyard Night Market takes place. The area gets packed with shoppers, market vendors, food trucks and fans of live music. The pier gets busier than usual during the market, but it’s less crowded than the rest of the area and so a nice place for a stroll.

TIP #4: Fireworks happen in front of Canada Place in downtown Vancouver on July 1st each year. A nice place to watch them from is Shipbuilders’ Pier. Waterfront Park is also a good North Shore venue, although it doesn’t get quite as close. From either location the Canada Day pyrotechnics are in the distance. There are smaller crowds though than on the Vancouver side of the water. Also, you can see both the fireworks and the City of Vancouver in the background.

TIP #5: The pier and entire Shipyards District is easily accessible from downtown Vancouver. The SeaBus connects Waterfront Station with Lonsdale Quay. Lonsdale Quay is less than a 10-minute walk from the pier and Waterfront Station is connected to much of Metro Vancouver via the SkyTrain.

TIP #6: Winter sunsets can be impressive from North Vancouver’s waterfront. Between early November and the end of February, when the sun and clouds are just right, evenings can be especially beautiful. From Shipbuilders’ Pier and Waterfront Park, in December you can get photos of the sun setting right behind the Vancouver skyline on the other side of Burrard Inlet. (To learn more about photo opportunities like these, see our article about North Shore Sunsets in February.)