How big is Stanley Park?
1000 acres.
How old is Stanley Park?
It was opened in 1888, with the official dedication on October 29, 1889, which makes the park 114 years old.
How old is the city of Vancouver?
The city was incorporated in 1886.
How did Stanley Park get its name?
It was named after the Governor General of Canada, Lord Stanley (also of Stanley Cup fame). The city had wanted to name it after Lord Strathcona, but Strathcona himself suggested that Stanley would be a better name.
Who owns Stanley Park?
It is owned by the federal government but is leased to the City of Vancouver for $1 a year.
Why did Stanley Park become a Park?
Other landowners pushed for the declaration of a Park, so that the land would not be traded to the CPR, who would probably develop the area - resulting in a devaluation of their own property.
What was the area used for before becoming a park?
A military reserve.
Who do I call for Park Information?
Stanley Park Board Office: 604-257-8400
How many people visit the Park annually?
Approximately 8 million people! About 75% of them during the summer.
Where can I buy souvenirs?
Gift shops are located at the Totem Poles, Prospect Point, and the Aquarium. There are also a few gifts at the Nature House!
How do I get to Vancouver?
Walk or use the West Vancouver Blue Buses (info. 604-985-7777)
What is the policy on the use of pesticides in the Park?
The Park does not use Pesticides.
When was the Park logged?
There were five logging companies active in the Park in the 1860's-80's. This is when most of the logging took place. Most of the trails through the park are left are old skid roads left over from this time.
Did Native People ever live here?
Lumbermen's Arch is one of the most interesting historical areas of the Park. The area is the site of a longstanding native village (Xway-Xway). If we were to peel back the grass in this area, we would probably find post-holes from the long shacks built by the villagers. Evidence from a large midden (native garbage and sometime burial heap) that extends along the lower part of this area (4.3 acres) indicates that there has been some form of settlement for over 500 years, maybe longer. During the creation of Park Drive in 1888, ground-up shells from this midden were dug up and used to pave the road. In the course of excavating the paving material, workers (who kicked the resident natives out of their homes and moved in) discovered stumps of dead cedars over 500 years old and exhumed a number of skeletons. Coast Salish natives stopped using this type of burial years before, in favour of cedar boxes or slabs containing the bones placed in tree boughs or on the forest floor.
A proper archaeological excavation has never occurred at this site, but we do know that there was a native settlement here from at least the early 1860's, consisting of four small dwellings and one communal lodge. Musqueam and/or Squamish peoples may have used this site at varying times of the year, and it reportedly drew 2,000 natives for potlatches. It is very likely that it was a communal Coast Salish gathering site.
What are the mounds of dirt I see in the Park?
These are molehills. Moles are burrowing animals, and as they dig their homes a pile of dirt accumulates at the surface. There is no action by the Park to get rid of them, as they are considered part of the ecology and not pests.