Queen Elizabeth Park

Queen Elizabeth Park was created in 1902 and is located in the geographical heart of Vancouver. This city landmark originally sat on a small mountain 550 feet above sea level, however it no longer sits at this height as at the turn of the century it was quarried for rock to build the city's first roadways and remained an abandoned eyesore for decades.

In 1929 the Vancouver Park board acquired the property, and in 1930 this unsightly park was transformed into a blooming garden when the BC Tulip Association suggested turning the quarries into sunken gardens. By the end of the decade the Vancouver Parks Board acquired the site for park and recreation purposes, and was dedicated as such by the Commonwealth King and Queen at the time, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, on a visit to Vancouver in 1939.

This 130 acre park receives approximately 6 million visits per year, and is second in the world in annual visits, with Stanley Park being number one.

Queen Elizabeth Park is home to various tourist attractions, such as the Arboretum, the Quarry Gardens, and the Bloedel Floral Conservatory. This site also houses a restaurant, various sculptures, a fountain with over 65 high powered jets, and a drinking water reservoir.

The Bloedel Floral Conservatory was the country's first geodesic conservatory surrounded by covered walkways, lighted fountains and a magnificent sculpture by artist Henry Moore. The conservatory contained many climatic zones which housed a huge variety of plants and vast selection of tropical birds, and was opened on December 6, 1969.