In
Vancouver, B C, Stanley Park was named for the Stanley who was Governor General
in 1888. Established that same year, it is the largest city park in North America. Seven miles of sea wall surround the
1000-acre park. Many walkers and bikers use the 50 miles of trails throughout
the park. Two-thirds of the park is forested with fir, hemlock, spruce, and
cedar trees being the most numerous.
Douglas
fir grows up to 300 feet tall and has a deeply grooved bark. The red cedar has
a stringy bark and is the tree that is used for totem carving. Looking at the
bark it is easy to tell the trees apart.
Enroute
to the park we passed a strange looking building with a mural painted on its
side and We were to learn that it was one of five houses another Stanley built
for one of his five families. He kept these families separated so they would
not meet each other. He became very wealthy, making his money in Asian casinos.
He is the Stanley who donated the money for the famous Stanley cup.
The
Guinness family bought 4000 acres on the other side of the Lion Gate Bridge for $70,000. He then built a
twelve foot wide, two-lane bridge to connect his property to the park. The
height of the bridge is only 13 feet 2 inches so the double-decker buses at 13
feet 6 inches cannot transit it. Years later the bridge was replaced without
ever being closed. Each evening at 8:00 PM a ten-foot long section of bridge
was removed by crane and replaced with a wider section of bridge. When
completed, the bridge had a true three lanes.
Riding
along the beach we learned that the Tea Room Restaurant was officers’ quarters
during WW II complete with a cannon. One
evening during a blackout a fishing boat sailed into restricted waters. The
people on shore got anxious and fired a warning shot over the bow of the
fishing vessel. But, for whatever reason, they had forgotten about the American
ship anchored on the other side of the fishing boat. The cannon shot hit the U
S ship sinking it. However, all the crew was ashore partying so there was no
loss of life, and that is the total sum of the Battle of Stanley Park!
Dead
Man’s Island lies off the coast of Stanley Park. Originally
it was a burial ground for First Nation’s Chiefs. Later 200 Burrard Inlet warriors, who were
slaughtered during a hostage exchange with northern raiders, were buried on the
island. In the 1880s pest houses appeared to quarantine those with smallpox.
Later sick prostitutes were banished to the island. In 1943 the island became the home of HMCS Discovery and the Naval Reserve.
There are several ways to enjoy this lovely urban park. One can take a
guided tour or see the park from horse-drawn
carriage, shuttle trolley, or tour bus---or by biking or hiking. Paths are well
maintained. The seawall offers great views.
We
chose walking and intended to rent bikes one day but we ran out of time. There
are many totem poles which incidentally are no longer call totems but story poles as they document a family or
tribe’s history.
Canada's largest aquarium is in the park and is one of the most visited
sites in Stanley Park. It is home to more than 70,000 creatures including
dolphins, sea otters, anacondas, three-toed sloths, eels and more as well as a
couple options for eating.
Stanley Park Pavilion is one of the most
distinguished buildings in the entire park - and it's also one of the most
historic having been built in 1911. It's an architectural draw located in the
park's famous rose gardens. The main draw is its restaurant, Stanley Park Bar
& Grill.
There are several playgrounds in the
park, including the city's first. The playground at Ceperley Meadow near Second
Beach was built in the 1920s and features a seafaring theme. There are also
playgrounds near Lumberman's Arch and the Stanley Park Pavilion.
One can spend a lot of
time or several days in this lovely park.
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