The Evolution of Stanley Park

The Evolution of Stanley Park. . Once a sand ocean bottom, the park has risen and evolved to become one of Vancouver's most highly valued green spaces. , What Are You Standing On? , The landscape you see today is the result of millions of years of geologic activity. Sandstone rock in the park was created from sandy deposits laid down by rivers 50 to 70 million years ago. As the local mountains formed and rose they lifted up the sandstone, creating the parks slight north-south slope. The parks volcanic outcrops began as molten rock deep within the Earth. It forced its way up through the sandstone about 32 million years ago and then cooled to form the volcanic basalt seen around Prospect point. , First Park In The City , In 1889, one year after the park official opened, former Governor General Lord Stanley "dedicated the park to the use and enjoyment of peoples of all colors, creeds and customs, for all time." Stanley Park is Vancouver's oldest and Canada's largest, urban park. The ocean surrounds most of the park's 405 hectares (1,000 acres), offering panoramic views of the mountains and sea. Over 60% of the park is coastal temperate rainforest, which provides valuable habitat for wildlife. , The First Peoples , The Coast Salish used this area hunt, fish and gather food for centuries. Evidence of their villages, shell middens and activities has been found at several park sites. To make canoes, tools, clothing and everyday they harvested wood and bark from the trees often without killing them. Some of these "modified" tress can still be found in the park. , Newcomers Step Ashore , The 1790s saw the arrival of Spanish explores José Maria Narváez and Dionisio Alcalá-Galiano and British explorer George Vancouver. All three mapped the future Stanley park as an island. At the time, a saltwater marsh connected Second Beach through Ceperley Meadow to Lost Lagoon, which was part of Coal Harbour until the causeway was built in 1916. During high tide, one could paddle a canoe between the two. , Eventually, Vancouver politicians negotiated with the federal government to convert the reserve to a city park. This prevent the Canadian Pacific Railway from purchasing the peninsula to maintain the surrounding property values.