Welcome to Lowden's Lookout

Welcome to Lowden's Lookout. . , You can thank Vancouver's early shipping activities for this viewpoint -originally the site of a signal station that guided ships through First Narrows. , Towering Beacon of Safety , A two-storey signal station once sat atop Prospect Point, 67 metres (220 feet) above the sea, to alert approaching vessels of strong tides, winds and maritime traffic. Installed in 1910, it helped prevent groundings and collisions in the Narrows. The Prospect Point lighthouse keeper took on the signal station job as an added responsibility. To access the station, he climbed from his boat up a narrow, zigzagging stairway west of the cliff face -a dangerous task during a slippery, wet night., Service and Dedication , Originally the site of a signal station that guided ships through First Narrows, this viewpoint was named in 2009 for Jim Lowden, a devoted Park Board director. In his 25 years of service to the citizens of Vancouver Jim left an enduring legacy in the city's recreation facilities, waterfront and green spaces. Jim adeptly guided the successful restoration of Stanley Park after a massive windstorm in December, 2006 swept across the peninsula, leveling thousands of trees in its path. His lookout represents Jim's passion for Stanley Park- his commitment to honour its storied past while restoring it for the benefit of future generations., From Flags to Radar , Keepers of the original signal station hoisted flags up a mast at all hours to report ship movements. An upgrade to the station in 1922 added a signal light, balls and cones - used and arranged in certain ways to tell ships entering First Narrows of vessels approaching or ahead of them. On top of warning of hazards, the keeper maintained a daily log of incoming ships to report to the Vancouver harbourmaster. This allowed ships agents to accurately track their vessels movements in and out of the harbour. Today, shipping traffic is regulated from the black tower on the North Shore using radar., Gateway to the Pacific , In the early 1900s, trade grew steadily after the Canadian Pacific Railway chose Vancouver as its terminus over Port Moody. This improved connections between ships in the harbour and railways carrying raw resources such a timber. Ships bringing goods and passengers to Vancouver came from USA, Asia, Britain, Europe and Eastern Canada. Today, the port receives about 3,000 vessels each year., (Caption:) , The Canadian Pacific Railway's Empress of Japan was Vancouver's main link to Asia from 1891 to 1922. Some say it was the most beautiful ship to ever ply these waters.