Cherry blossom admirers swarm quiet East Vancouver street

Cherry blossoms draw big crowd to quiet street An East Vancouver neighbourhood is being swarmed by people who want to take their picture with the cherry blossoms.

It's not unusual for people to stop and admire Vancouver's cherry blossoms when they're in full bloom, but for one quiet street in the city's east side it's getting a little out of hand.

For years, massive crowds have been flocking to a stretch of Gravely Street every spring, drawn by the full canopy that meets in the middle of the road and the steep hill that creates a bright pink backdrop from almost any angle.

"This is not the first time we are here," Winnie Ya, a cherry blossom fan, told CTV News. "We came here last year too. It's very beautiful."

On sunny days, a steady stream of people can be seen coming and going from the street. Residents said they don't mind the crowd, provided people respect the trees and private property.

"We love that people come and admire the trees, but don't go grabbing branches off the trees and try to make it rain on purpose with the petals," said Lele Chan. "Respect the neighbourhood."

Chan has been documenting the mania on Instagram for the past few years on her account CherryBlossomMadness. She said for the most part people who visit use their common sense, but some don't.

"When the selfie sticks came out there was a lot of walking selfie accidents," Chan said.

Others will casually stroll onto her front yard or try to climb the trees to get the perfect shot for social media. One group rang the doorbell of a home in the area and asked to use the bathroom.

When CTV News visited the neighbourhood on Friday, there were also a lot of people standing in the middle of the street too focused on their smartphones to pay attention to traffic.

Some drivers were seemingly distracted by the pretty sights as well, leading to a handful of close calls.

The crowds have also drawn City of Vancouver bylaw officers to the street, ticketing people so excited for the blossoms they can't be bothered to park legally.

But despite the minor issues, there's no denying the appeal of the scenery.

"This is one of Vancouver's greatest treasures," admirer Iputu Jaya said.

With files from CTV Vancouver's Ben Miljure