Queen Elizabeth Park is one of the jewels in the crown for Vancouver. It is at least equal to any similarly sized (130 acres) park in the world.
The park is an easy drive from Richmond and is a great activity for those who would prefer to take a holiday in the Lower Mainland.
The original acreage began life as a basalt quarry to supply building materials for the city of Vancouver.
Then, in 1936, the BC Tulip Association advocated for a sunken garden on the site. Soon after, the site became part of the Vancouver Park Board and the official dedication of the land was made by King George VI and his consort, Queen Elizabeth.
The park continued to flourish thanks to generous gifts from the Canadian Pulp and Paper Association and Mr. Prentice Bloedel.
The result of Mr. Bloedel’s gift was the Bloedel Conservatory, the first geodesic conservatory in Canada.
The current park and conservatory are magnificent, thanks to ongoing grooming and planting by its expert staff. The plantings vary with the seasons, and Vancouver’s temperate climate means that there is always something to see.
The conservatory houses a tropical garden with over 500 exotic plants and flowers and more than 100 uncaged tropical birds that fly freely inside the building.
The park also includes recreational activities — tennis, basketball, roller hockey, lawn bowling and pitch & putt.
At the south end, above the Quarry Garden, there are four sculptures made up of locks that celebrate romance — the Love in the Rain artwork is brilliant — perhaps inspired by the locked up romance icons that started with a bridge over the Seine River in Paris.
There is no admission fee to enter the park. There is a charge for parking throughout the park and for entering the wonderful Conservatory.
For more information on the treasures within the park, visit its website by clicking here.
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