Barclay Heritage Square

Like the surrounding heritage buildings, the gardens of Barclay Heritage Square are colourful and well-tended. The many paths allow exploration of an intricate blend of formal and informal garden spaces. Both visitors and neighbourhood residents alike enjoy the friendly and peaceful character of this urban sanctuary.

Before its development, this area was known as Park Site 19 for decades. The Park Board was intent on incrementally purchasing lots on this West End block in order to eventually demolish the buildings to make way for parkland.

Despite the nearby location of Stanley Park, a greenspace serving the region, Vancouver’s West End with its high population density, was deficient in neighbourhood parks. By the time the Park Board had assembled the block, heritage building advocates approached the Board and asked them to consider reprieving buildings with architectural merit. The Board concurred and many perimeter homes were saved (now owned and rented/leased through the City) with several restored including Barclay Manor (West End seniors centre that opened in 1990), the Weeks House (now the Diamond Centre for Living)and the Roedde House Museum – a fine example of Queen Anne Revival architecture. The park was officially opened in 1985 followed by the Roedde House opening in 1986.

Nelson Park

 A large park in the centre of the west end. Located in the heart of the beautiful West End, Nelson Park offers lawns and seating areas that are enjoyed by all.

Nelson Park was redeveloped in 2007 after a three-year consultation period with the community. The redeveloped park features new entryways, an elegant pathway system, seating plaza, metal arbours and a restful water feature. The off-leash dog area on the park's west side is enclosed with decorative metal fencing. During redevelopment, the Park Board retained, amended and reused the soil in the park. Granite removed from the old, dismantled park field house was used to as a base for the new water feature.

Sunset Beach Park

One of Vancouver’s spectacular beach parks, a seat on a bench under the lacy black locust trees will quickly charm with its views of English Bay and Vanier Park. While lovely from the seawall, a step into the park reveals the large lawns and sandy beaches that are loved by sunbathers, soccer players, and those out for an invigorating stroll.

English Bay Beach Park

Great beach park to spend a few hours on a sunny day and good place to watch sunset. It is very popular and gets very crowded.

This long expanse of beach lines the south portion of the West End. The park’s trademark palm trees and vibrant flowers create a tropical atmosphere that delights visitors and Vancouverites alike. With beautiful sandy beaches, seawall, and busy Denman Street nearby, English Bay Beach Park is always filled with people. This is the downtown core’s most populated beach attractive to people of all ages. Vancouver’s first self-proclaimed lifeguard, Joe Fortes, resided here in a beachside shack just after the turn of the twentieth century, protecting and teaching the beginning swimmer. The present bathhouse built in 1932 replaced an earlier more ornate structure put up in the early 1900s. Many private homes and hotels once blocked access to English Bay before the Park Board made it a long term objective to purchase private properties and remove any obstacle for the public’s enjoyment of the waterfront.