The Canadian Pacific Railway controlled over 6000 acres ( 2400 hectares) of land outside of the downtown peninsula and South Granville Street was right in the centre. In fact one of its early names was Centre Street which lasted until 1907 when the street officially became South Granville.

1907 was also the year the railroad announced its plans for a new neighbourhood to be established on the high point of land south of 16th. Shaughnessy Heights was intended to be an exclusive neighbourhood and to reinforce that houses had to cost at least $6000, quite the sum considering the average nice house cost was about $1500.

Shaughnessy Heights proved to be very popular and long lines of prospective buyers were seen outside the railroad’s land office when lot sales were announced.