Welcome to the Park of the Week Newsletter for December 14, 2023. This week’s park is one of the largest urban green spaces in North America.
Stanley Park
Location
Vancouver, Canada
Claim to fame
Stanley Park is Vancouver’s oldest and largest park. It was founded in 1888 and covers around 400 hectares (1000 acres), making it one-fifth larger than Central Park in New York.
Unlike Central Park and many other urban parks, Stanley Park was not designed by an architect, but sculpted organically by natural features and community needs. The park occupies the northwestern half of Vancouver’s Downtown Peninsula, and is bordered by sea on three sides. It’s extensive coastline created the need for its Seawall, the longest continuous waterfront path in the world.
Reason to visit
Stanley Park is the most popular tourist spot in Vancouver, and for good reason. In addition to the 28 km (17.4 mile) Seawall, the park boasts several other popular trails for hiking, biking, or jogging. Its beaches and other scenic waterfront spots provide stunning views. Much of the park interior is forested, making it an ideal place to escape the city and bask in nature.
Stanley Park also has a rich and ancient history. First Nations Peoples utilized the site and its rich resources for thousands of years prior to European settlement. The beautiful collection of totem poles at Brockton Point is the most visited tourist attraction in all of British Columbia.
Wild Fact
The science in this urban park is world-class. Stanley Park’s aquarium is the largest in Canada. The aquarium houses, rehabilitates, and releases local species of sea-life. It also conducts research and was the first aquarium in the world to hire staff to interpret its exhibits and animal behavior for guests.
The Stanley Park Ecological Society, which educates the public about the park’s abundant wildlife, also conducts conservation projects and research. Following a massive storm in 2006, SPES discovered two previously unknown species of insect, one a small beetle that was named after the park (Oxypoda stanleyi).
The park itself was named after Lord Stanley, governor general of Canada at the park’s founding and hockey enthusiast, who donated the Stanley Cup, which is still used today by the National Hockey League.
Thanks for reading. Each Thursday, we send out an image and description of a unique natural or cultural treasure like the one above. Learn new things, explore special places, and find your inspiration: sign up for the free newsletter today.