Thursday 18 July 2013

New Westminster

The city of New Westminster is a member of the Greater Vancouver Regional District municipality, and is located directly south of Burnaby and alongside the north bank of the Fraser River.

New Westminster was founded as the capital of the Colony of British Columbia in 1858, but gave up this title in 1866 when the Mainland and Island Colonies were merged. Queen Victoria named the city after Westminster, a city in London, England in which the parliament buildings stand, and due to this naming became known as "The Royal City". As of the 2011 census, the city of New Westminster has a polycultural population of close to 66 000.


Queensborough was the original name intended for the city, however this name did not appeal to London and subsequently the name was applied to the LuLu Island portion of New Westminster, located across the north arm of the Fraser River from the southern end of the city.

New Westminster is connected to Queensborough and Richmond via the Queensborough Bridge, and via the Alex Fraser bridge, Delta. The Pattullo Bridge links New Westminster to Surrey, and the lesser used Derwent Way Bridge connects Queensborough to Annacis Island of Delta.


Stanley Park

Stanley Park National Historic Site of Canada is a large urban park that borders downtown Vancouver in British Columbia, Canada. The park was named in honour of Lord Stanley of Preston on September 27, 1888. Lord Stanley was Govenor General of Canada at the time, but hailed initially from London England. 


Stanley Park's old-growth forest contains a variety of large Douglas Fir, Western Red Cedar, Western Hemlock and Sitka Spruce trees, giving the park a more natural character than most urban parks. Man-made attractions such as the Aquarium, Second Beach park and pool, the pitch & putt golf course, Malkin bowl, and the 8.8 km seawall, which encircles the entirety of the park's parameter, allows for users to partake in a variety of activities while visiting the park. Lions Gate Bridge connects Stanley Park and downtown Vancouver to the municipality of West Vancouver.