Vancouver Stanley Park Magnet

A Canadian National Historic Site, Stanley Park is recognized as one of the great urban parks of the world. Vancouver's oldest, largest, and most popular park is one of the city's main tourist attractions. In 1886, Vancouver's first City Council made a momentous decision by petitioning the Federal Government to lease 1,000 acres of a largely logged peninsula for park and recreation purposes. On 27 September 1888 Stanley Park was officially opened establishing the fledgling city's first official "greenspace". Council decided to set up an autonomous and separately elected committee to govern all park and recreation matters in Vancouver. And so the Vancouver Board of Parks & Recreation was born, the only elected body of its kind in Canada. Stanley Park is an evergreen oasis of 400 hectares close to the downtown core. Its natural West Coast rainforest, offering a back drop of majestic cedar, hemlock, and fir trees, embraces visitors and transports them to an environment rich in tranquility. The park abounds in wildlife and its features appeal to the naturalist, sports lover, or one who would do nothing more than relax in beautiful surroundings.