Vancouver History: Stanley Park Board Minutes Part I

This week, I'd like to take a break from the history of a particular place, and instead post an excerpt from a great book called A Guide to Stanley Park by Lynn Vardeman and Freda Carr. I picked it up at Cantebury Tales Secondhand Books in Kits.

As far as I can tell, the book was published in 1973 and judging by it's appearance (and the clothing of those pictured inside) I would say that's accurate. What's interesting about the book is not the mangy doo's and flared pants, however, but something as simple as the Park Board minutes compiled by Superintendent P.B. Stroyan.

If you didn't know, Stanley Park was granted a public park by the Govenor-General Lord Stanley of Preston in 1889 after the first city council resolution of 1886, which petitioned the Dominion Government to grant the land - then a military reserve - to the city. The excerpts from the Park Board meetings (1888 - 1958) shed a lot of insight into our history as a city, as well as the current issues of homelessness, public/private use and what is proper use of public space. As you look at the minutes, try to draw parallels between our past, present, and future.

So, this is Part I of the Stanley Park Board Minutes. Enjoy:

1888 - That the Mayor be requested to notify the squatters in Stanley Park to remove themselves.

1893 - Chinese ordered to remove bodies of relatives from Stanley Park, as the religious rite of lighting fires at graves is endangering forest.

1901 - An application to lease property in Stanley Park was refused as "it is not in the public interest to alienate any portion of the park".

1905 - Application for a speedway from First Narrows to Second Beach on straight line through park turned down.

1906 - Vancouver Moral Association objects to use of one-piece bathing suits and to low class of music played in park.

1910 - Application for permission to install moving picture machine at English Bay turned down.

1911 - Resolution that the City lay down a policy of acquiring waterfront property at English Bay whenever it becomes available.

1912 - Park labourers rate increased from $2.80 to $3.00 per day.

1912 - Resolution to enforce prohibition of Sunday play in parks.

1913 - Board denies report in Winnipeg papers that Women's Suffrage organization had burned trees and caused damage in Stanley Park.

1915 - Board prohibits practice of dumping garbage over Prospect Point.

1916 - Superintendent instructed to plant nut trees as food for squirrels.

1917 - First power power purchased by board.

1920 - Application to use Beaver Lake for a commercial muskrate farm turned down.

Tune in next Monday for more.

(Photo by .rW in the BR Flickr Pool)