Laneway homes not exactly new in Vancouver

New laneway homes began springing up in the last few decades in Vancouver, but they were also quite popular in the city's first few decades.

These small houses share lot space with an existing full-size home and help add density to neighbourhoods that otherwise feature mostly low-density, single-family homes.

The homes usually range from 350 to 1,000 square feet in size, and while they may be small, many residents appreciate the feeling of living in a detached home in the city.

And while laneway homes seem to be de rigeur in some city neighbourhoods these days, they are not a novel idea.

Some of Vancouver's lanehouses date back to the citys first decades, and are only considered laneway homes because the lanes were built around them, decades later.

The Vancouver Heritage Foundation is hosting a tour on Sat. Oct. 25 that includes one of the citys oldest laneway homesa "coach house" that dates back to the 1890s.

You can find more information about the tour here.