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Library - Interior

📍 Cloverdale Library - 5642 176A St., Cloverdale, Surrey

Frame Edit Courtesy of: @idliketobeatree

Location bts:

I had a very nice conversation with a Librarian while I was there who was able to tell me some fun information from their side of the filming process. Thank you to the staff for being super nice and allowing me to take photos. Support your local library!

The crew built a coordinating table to match the existing bookshelves in the space. The library was open during the day, and the scenes were all filmed at night. She said that during the day they had a crew member stay on premises to make sure no one touched the table.

The old catalogue cabinet in the back of the scene was another piece of furniture they brought in for filming. The 'Holds' section behind Niko did already exist, but has since been moved elsewhere in the library.

Apparently when the crew left they accidentally took some of the potted plants with them and they felt so bad that production sent the library some new ones. The plants are still alive and well today.

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Point No Point - Park

📍Whytecliff Park - 7102 Marine Dr., West Vancouver

Frame Edit Courtesy of: @nix-nihili

Location bts:

Only a portion of the park was used for filming and the camera angles make it look much bigger than it is. There are trails that go to the lookout, the top of the Washer Woman stairs, and the beach. The beach is also accessible from the lower parking lot.

The hill at the back of the park is where they set up the stone wall for filming the scenes with Angie luring Crystal over the wall and The Night Nurse confrontation. All of the ocean views you see in these scenes have been done in post-production.

This photo shows my very favourite bit of bts knowledge: the building that is used as the gift shop exterior is a public toilet.

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Agency Entrance

📍289 Abbott St., Vancouver

Frame Edit Courtesy of: @idliketobeatree

Location bts:

This gate is located beside Runkle Block- a four storey Edwardian era building at the corner of Abbott and West Cordova Streets. The street light helped when searching for this entrance, as it is a specific design that is common in Gastown.

This frame had some truly seamless fabrication to adapt it for Dead Boy Detectives. You can see the details in these photos of the original versus in-show. Currently this is a coded entrance for a few commercial spaces, including an escape room located on the second floor.

As of June 2025 you can find a shopfront for a pet psychic across the street, which is the front for an occult themed speakeasy- Arcana Food & Spirits.

The City of Vancouver Archives had this photo from 1973, which shows how little the building has changed over the years. The lower building hosted the London School of Hairdressing in the 1980s, a consignment store in the 1990s, and has since been a Mexican restaurant.

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Becky Aspen's House - Alley

📍210 Queens Ave., New Westminster

Frame Edit Courtesy of: @mellxncollie

Location bts:

As we know, this project involves many alleys. While in the area, I was exploring the next street over when I recognized the chimney from the 'talk to her shoes' scene. Luckily for me the front of the house is where the rest of the scenes were filmed as well.

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Library - Exterior

📍 Cloverdale Library - 5642 176A St., Cloverdale, Surrey

Frame Edit Courtesy of: @fan-a-tink

Location bts:

The Librarian that I spoke to said that the bench in the scene is a replica of the one that currently sits inside the library. The real bench is a memorial, so it couldn't be used for filming but I guess someone liked the look of it enough to want it in the show.

This location is across the street from the parking lot that has the back half of the pergola (the section not used for filming).

This one is kind of silly but it made me laugh so hard. While I was getting these prints done I guess I accidentally typed '11' instead of '1' so when I was sorting the prints I just kept uncovering more and more Montys. Taking suggestions on what to do with all of them...

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Pergola

📍5630 176 St. Unit 1, Cloverdale, Surrey

Frame Edit Courtesy of: @wordsinhaled

Location bts:

Cloverdale is quite far out compared to many of these locations, so most of my detective work was done online before visiting the area. Once you are in the town centre, the filming locations are close together and you can see several by walking a few blocks.

This was one of the locations I asked George and Jayden about when they did joint cameos, and George mentioned that the pergola was an area that 'Superman & Lois' filmed in frequently. With this information, I spent awhile researching Supergirl and S&L filming locations.

Eventually I found a blog that included Superman & Lois set photos and had one from a parking lot scene with the other half of the pergola in the background. From there I identified the S&L episode and was able to track down the parking lot and confirm it was in Cloverdale.

I figured out the blocking of this scene with the help of a bts photo from Zack Ogle. Here's another photo where you can better see the space between the garden planters where filming took place.

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Point No Point - Lookout

📍Whytecliff Park Lookout Point - 7102 Marine Dr., West Vancouver

Frame Edit Courtesy of: @mellxncollie

Location bts:

Overlooking the mouth of Howe Sound and the Strait of Georgia this location offers stunning views. The lookout area can be found in the upper part of Whytecliff Park, down a short trail past the grassy areas.

This spot overlooks the ocean near BC Ferries Horseshoe Bay location, so you are also likely to see one of the ships go by. Horseshoe Bay is the ferry terminal shown in the scenic aerial shots, and the ferry shown is Spirit of British Columbia.

You can probably tell that this areas main feature, apart from the view, is the large picnic table. This table is bolted down and was removed for filming to sit further down the path. You can see it in the back of several scenes in the show near the gift shop.

The lookout and park areas of Whytecliff Park are the backdrop of many of the cast and crew photos from filming. In addition to the main lookout area featured in the show, there is also a secondary viewing area down below where this fantastic group photo was taken.

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Edwin Questions a Cat

📍Harbour Light Alley (Hbr Lgt Aly) - 12 Powell St., Vancouver

Frame Edit Courtesy of: @nix-nihili

Location bts:

Another location within the historic area known as Gastown, this alley is just steps away from where Edwin and Charles watched a possessed Crystal steal from a newsstand and eat a fish out of a dumpster.

Based on this photo from Tony Wohlgemuth, Harbour Light Alley is also where I originally thought Crystal, Charles and Edwin had their episode 1 argument, but it's the location of this epic Charles hero shot instead.

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Mean Girl Crystal - Restaurant

📍1931 Gallery Bistro - 750 Hornby St., Vancouver

Frame Edit Courtesy of: @idliketobeatree

Location bts:

Found in the Vancouver Art Gallery, this location is another busy venue. The unique windows along the back of the seating area helped when searching for this site, and I absolutely love that it still features the same plant in the centre that was there during filming

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Niko Follows Maxine

📍5695 176 St., Cloverdale, Surrey

Frame Edit Courtesy of: @sasakisniko

Location bts:

This area is a popular filming location and has hosted many well-known television shows/movies- including several more scenes from DBD. For anyone wanting to visit this area, it is 1 1/2 hours on public transit or a 45 minute car ride from downtown Vancouver, so plan accordingly.

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Becky Aspen's House

📍210 Queens Ave., New Westminster

Frame Edit Courtesy of: @crystalpalacesasaki

Location bts:

Becky Aspen's house is on the same street as Esther's house, and quite close to the Devlin house. It is a very walkable area and you can see all 3 locations in 20 minutes.

As always, please be respectful if you go to view this location as it is a residential house. I have full expectations that we can all respect people's property- including not going into people's yards or bothering the people that live there.

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Devlin House

📍125 1st St., New Westminster

Charles, Crystal & Edwin Frame Edit Courtesy of: @fear0phobia

Scenic House Edit Courtesy of: @every-moment-a-different-sound

Location bts:

While visiting Queen's Park for the 'Departing the Devlin House' frames, I was surprised to find the Devlin House areas are actually together. During filming the cast is facing the Devlin House correctly, and in the morning they gather by the park gate across the road.

Please be respectful if you go to view this location as it is a residential house. I have full expectations that we can all respect people's property- including not going into people's yards or bothering the people that live there. I trust we can be a considerate fandom.

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Possessed Crystal - Newsstand

📍43 Powell St. & 2 Powell St., Vancouver

Frame Edit Courtesy of: @every-moment-a-different-sound

Location bts:

I found this location using the logo that is on the shop window beside Charles and Edwin. 'Desigual' is only sold at a few places in Vancouver, one of which is Angel Vancouver clothing. The newsstand that Crystal is stealing from is the Hotel Europe across the street.

The Hotel Europe was built in 1909 and still retains most of its original features, including the glasswork. A fun architectural detail that wasn't very visible on the show is the eye motif along the tops of the windows at street level.

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Art Gallery

📍Vancouver Art Gallery - Exterior & Rotunda, 750 Hornby St., Vancouver

Frame Edit Courtesy of: @idliketobeatree

Location bts:

I consider the Vancouver Art Gallery exterior to be the most recognizable location in this project. It is positioned in the centre of Downtown Vancouver and quite prominent in the area. The front features a pair of granite lions and the original neoclassical facade.

The Gallery was easy to spot, but the building shots are filmed from a crane/drone so getting a frame lined up was impossible. Instead we have Seth and Maddy with the Rosewood Hotel Georgia in the background. Also of interest, the statue in front of the gallery in the show doesn't exist.

The interior first floor rotunda area is sometimes called the Void stairs. The area showcases the exhibiting artist- these photos are of "(once we have torn shit down, we will inevitably see more and see differently and feel a new sense of wanting and being and becoming)" by Firelei Báez

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Point No Point Beach

📍Whytecliff Beach - 7102 Marine Dr., West Vancouver

Group Frame Edit Courtesy of: @fear0phobia

Tragic Mick Frame Edit Courtesy of: @mellxncollie

Location bts:

Whytecliff Beach is a small protected cove near Horseshoe Bay. It was one of Canada’s first Marine Protected Areas and is home to over 200 marine animal species. During Summer you can often watch sea lions and it is a very popular diving site.

I recommend visiting at low tide so you can explore the beach in its entirety. There is also Whyte Islet which is only accessible at low tide with a special path and gives great views of the area.

This is a rock beach so it does have seaglass- including some green if you hunt around! You are welcome to bring seaglass home as it is considered human trash and not part of the environment, but please respect the area and do not collect rocks, shells or other natural items.

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Esther & An Argument

📍325 Cambie St., Vancouver

Frame Edit Courtesy of: @nix-nihili

Location bts:

This location is across the street from the Tongue & Tail Butcher Shop. In Dead Boy Detectives they very clearly show Esther from this angle in Episode 3, so her frame was easy to find. It took me longer to realize the argument that Crystal, Charles and Edwin have is further down this same alley.

Originally I thought the argument might be behind the malt shop, but it didn't quite match. Then Tony Wohlgemuth posted a picture of Charles walking away into the mist, which I incorrectly thought was related to this scene. I did find that alley, and it will feature in a future post, but it isn't this one.

Also please enjoy this graffiti I found that definitely felt like a call-out to all of us.

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St. Hilarion's

📍səmiq̓ʷəʔelə - Riverview Hospital - Centre Lawn Building, Lawn Dr., Coquitlam

Frame Edit Courtesy of: @fan-a-tink

Location bts:

Another location that is ubiquitous with filming in Vancouver. If you watch anything filmed in this area, you are sure to spot the former Riverview Hospital at some point. This location is actually a complex of several structures built at different times.

Centre Lawn was originally built in 1924 as a mental health facility and ceased operation in 2012 with the closing of Riverview Hospital. Centre Lawn is now used exclusively for filming (exterior and interior) and if you peak into some of the windows you can still see film sets left behind.

Formerly known as The Riverview Lands the area has been renamed səmiq̓wəʔelə in recognition and respect of the kʷikʷəƛ̓əm First Nation’s history and cultural ties to its ancestral land. The name səmiq̓ʷəʔelə means ‘The Place of the Great Blue Heron’ in the traditional hən̓q̓əmin̓əm language.

People are welcome to visit daily 6am-9pm. Visitors are asked to be respectful of the property, and the people living/working there. Currently there are several areas with active facilities that should be avoided to respect the patients. Please visit their website for full visiting policy.