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Right in the heart of Vancouver's East End is a historic lake where the community can come together for family fun, a farmer's market, and sports events.  Trout Lake doesn't have any trout, and it's not that great for swimming, but for a splendid afternoon picnic or a quiet stroll it's the perfect place.


The name of the park is actually John Hendry Park named after John Hendry who owned the Hastings sawmill, one of Vancouver's first lumbering operations in the late 19th century.  The land was given to the Park Board in 1926 by Hendry's daughter who was married to the governor of the province, Eric Hamber.  She wanted the 27 hectare park named for her father, but it is most commonly known as "Trout Lake". 


The lake began as a natural peat bog and was an important water source for the mill.  The Hastings Sawmill was one of Vancouver's most important feature in the late 1800's.

The lake is edged with stands of yellow iris and willow trees. Ducks swim among the lily pads. Although there is no boating allowed, it always seemed to me the perfect place for a leisurely paddle and I have in the past actually swam there though the water is a bit murky.


The park is a favorite picnic area or a place to stroll or jog along the lake-side paths.  I loved riding my bike around the lake. There is a playground for the children, and the Trout Lake Community Centre provides lots of entertainment including a pottery studio, fitness centre, games room, sauna, gym, and ice rink.  The park hosts a Farmers Market every weekend with local products and crafts for sale. And it is a popular place for festivals such as the Illuminares lantern festival.  This week it was the gathering place for the National Aboriginal Week celebrations. And in August the Summer Dreams Literary Festival will be held in the park.

One popular feature of the park is the off-leash dog area at the north end of the lake. This is a perfect place to let your pooch run free and frolic with the other doggies. It's amusing to watch the social interaction between people's pets and of course the social interaction between the dog owners. The afternoon I was there several dogs were playing 'fetch the stick'. The 'alpha' dog had it but the others kept trying to get it away from him, in particular a tough little barky fellow who wouldn't give up the chase.

The original Grandview Community Gentre was constructed in 1963 and later renovated and renamed Trout Lake Community Centre. In 2010 the new ice rink and renovations to the community centre were completed in time for the Vancouver Winter Olympic Games. It was used as the figure skater's training venue.

How to Get There:
By Transit from downtown, #7 Nanaimo (east then southbound), get off at East 17th and walk over to the park. Or take the #7 bus from the Nanaimo Skytrain north on Nanaimo St. and access the park from E. 17th Ave.

Last weekend I went on my first long sea-wall walk in Stanley Park.  It doesn�t matter what kind of weather, you�ll always find walkers, joggers, cyclists and in-line skaters on seawall. It was the first spring-like weekend of the year and a good day for a brisk tour around one of Vancouver's most popular walks.



I started my walk from the Park entrance, walking along by the Yacht Club, going east toward Brockton Point.
The Stanley Park seawall is 8.8 kms  (5.5 mi) so I don't usually attempt the whole circuit. People have been enjoying this seaside path since 1917 but it wasn�t until the mid �70�s when the walk was properly surfaced making it an easier route for walkers, joggers and cyclists. The seawall loop around Stanley Park is one of Vancouver�s most popular locations to enjoy the outdoors. The path is divided making it easier and safer for pedestrians and those on wheels. Remember to check the park map for signs indication direction as cyclists can only go in a counter-clockwise direction.

There are interesting sights along the way and benches lining the path if you need to pause for a rest. You might also consider a horse-drawn carriage ride around the Park which is loads of fun.  You can also rent bikes.

Be sure and stop to see the totem poles at the Brockton Point Oval. And past that is the famous 9-o'clock gun that booms out over Coal Harbour to mark the time every night.  There's also the historic Dead Man's Island, now the naval reserve, but once a First Nations burial ground.  Next you'll come to the Brockton Point Lighthouse.  In the early settlement days, there was a small village near here where ship-jumpers lived with their native wives. 

This part of the walk will take you all the way around to Lumberman�s Arch.  This was once the site of a First Nations village. There's a children's water-park here and even though there wasn't water to frolic in, there were plenty of kids enjoying fun on the adventure equipment there.

 From here you can cut back through the park to the entrance. There are refreshment stands at Brockton Point, Lumberman�s Arch, and by the Aquarium if you want to take a coffee or snack break. You'll also find washroom facilities there.

I stopped on the beach here for my first picnic of the season and rested awhile enjoying the view of the snow-capped mountains of North Vancouver and the busy waterway of Burrard Inlet and the inner harbour.


From here I walked back through the park on a quest to find cherry blossoms, but because of the late season there weren't any in bloom around the Japanese memorial for WWI.  I stopped at the Aquarium to view the Belugas in their outdoor pool.  Then I walked along the trails to the Pavilion and bus depot.

On my next Sunday sea-wall walk I'll take a different route.  There's lots to see in the Park and it makes for a relaxing, refreshing afternoon to enjoy the day on the sea-wall.
Bike and Rollerblade rentals are located near Denman and Georgia St.

Stanley Park Cycle: 768 Denman St. 604-688-0087

Stanley Park Rentals: 1798 W. Georgia St. 604-688-5141

For a map of the seawall: http://vancouver.ca/parks/parks/stanley