VANCOUVER -- There is no mistaking Annette O’Shea’s passion for the water, for healthy living, competition, progress and community interaction.

The former semi-pro beach volleyball player turned competitive rower, fully embraces the work-hard, play hard-lifestyle, whether it’s steering her team’s boat in international championships, or keeping Yaletown’s Business Improvement Association on the straight and narrow as its executive director.

Now in her 10th year with the not-for-profit Yaletown office, O’Shea has been part of an intriguing transition, watching as the formerly grungy warehouse district blossomed into a fashionable Vancouver neighbourhood that now boasts 900 businesses, 84 restaurants, 7,000 employees, 20,000 residents and approximately 80,000 tourist visits a year.

There are critics, of course, with some suggesting on social media (where else?) that the former Expo 86 playground is over-hyped, over-priced, not fun, pretentious and the home of patronizing people with over-pampered pooches.

O’Shea has heard all that, but puts more stock in feedback from worldly people who say the trendy area reminds them of Manhattan’s colourful SoHo district, how safe and well-lit Yaletown is at night and how there is much more sophistication in the area that’s filled with world-class chefs, leading fashions, farmers markets and owner-operated shops and studios.

“I’m proud, and not afraid, to say that Yaletown is so far ahead of the mainstream that it would take mainstream forever just to catch up,” said O’Shea. “We’re not edgy anymore. We’re a happening place filled with talented people doing incredible things on the world stage.”

Here is an edited version of our discussion:

Q: With 84 restaurants in a six-block area, the competition for the consumer dollar must be intense.

A: First of all, the food is great. And 84 is double the number we had six years ago. And the chefs not only compete to serve the best dishes, but they have this attitude like ‘I want you to talk about this meal and take pictures of it!’ In October, we’ll hold our 11th Taste of Yaletown and the food just keeps getting better. This year we’ll add eight new restaurants to the festival. For a lot of chefs, they look at New York, Vegas and Yaletown as the places they want on their resumes.

Q: Do you think that many of your ‘upstairs’ Yaletown businesses are doing things that would surprise a lot of Vancouver residents?

A: For sure. We have award-winning creative studios — Sony, MPC, United Front Games, for example — and global, leading-edge software developers who are already developing ‘the next thing.’ We also have studios where influential architects and graphic design firms, with lots of vision and energy, are also designing ‘the next thing.’ Hall of fame chefs, leading edge fashion boutiques and even Oscar-winning special effects studios call Yaletown home.

Q: Does Yaletown have any shortcomings?

A: Our transportation plan is in dire need of immediate attention. I was very disappointed when the recent transit referendum failed, mostly because there didn’t seem to be a Plan B. There is no late-night bus service in our area, which becomes a bigger problem during the rainy months. You look at Yaletown at night and you see all the studio lights on where creative people work. Transit needs to catch up.