Bright Nights in Stanley Park light up the park starting tonight and running until January 2, 2012. It’s the 14th annual event that sees millions of lights decorate the park and the miniature railway.

Photo credit: jelee_unleashed on Flickr

View animated displays, listing to holiday music, enjoy hot chocolate, and try the fresh popcorn and roasted chestnuts from the Stanley Park Ecology Society. Santa will also be on-hand for visits.

Stop by daily from 3:00pm until 10:00pm and stay until 11:00pm on Fridays and Saturday. Bright Nights will just be closed on Christmas Day. You can park at the miniature railway lot, take the #19 bus into the park, or walk in from downtown.

Admission is by donation to the BC Professional Fire Fighters’ Burn Fund and train tickets are $9 (adults) and $6 (children and youth). You can purchase train tickets ahead of time online or by calling 1-855-985-5000.

Visit Bright Nights in Stanley Park on Facebook and Twitter for more information.

The Stanley Park Ecology Society is hosting a special event during their Annual General Meeting next week. They’re inviting their members and the public to sit in on a presentation from Lyle Dick, Parks Canada Historian. The talk will be about the evolution of Stanley Park as a National Historic Site (designated in 1988) along with its historical and cultural significance within the region.

1890s – Hollow Tree. Archives item# St Pk P11.1. Photographer: Bailey Bros.

1900s – Cedar walk with a dugout canoe. Archives item# CVA 677-986. Photographer: Philip Timms.

1900s – Totem figure by a tree. VPL Accession Number: 6689. Photographer: Philip Timms.

1900 – The road into Stanley Park. Archives item# CVA 677-180.1.

The Stanley Park Ecology Society will meet in the Stanley Park Dining Pavilion Ballroom from 6:30pm to 8:30pm on Wednesday, October 26, 2011. Admission is $10 or free if you’re a society member. RSVP by phone (604) 718-6523 or email.

Grocery stores have had their Halloween candy out since the last week of August so I figure with autumn arriving on Friday, it’s fair to announce this year’s Stanley Park Ghost Train. Running from October 7th to 31st, the theme this year is Circus of Disaster.

Photo credit: John Bollwitt on Flickr

Just reading about “a spine-chilling circus carnival” makes me think of seemingly blood-crazed clowns running through the forest — clowns being scary to me regardless of their demeanour. Thanks to the creative team at Mortal Coil (who presented Alice in Nightmareland last year) riders will witness dark circus acts and performances throughout the forested route.

For the price of the train ticket, families (yes it’s still, certainly, family friendly) riders can can also enjoy face painting, crafts, pumpkin carving, costume contest and the Haunted Maze.

The train and surrounding activities are open from 6:00pm to 10:00pm on Sundays to Thursdays in October and 6:00pm to 11:00pm on Fridays and Saturdays.

Tickets are available online, by phone (1-855-985-5000), or in person at a Ticketmaster outlet. Adults are $9.82, children (2-18) and seniors (65+) are $6.25 however parental discretion is advised on the train for kids 5 and under.

Same-day tickets are available at the train booth from 3:00pm. There is parking in the adjacent lot or you can ride the #19 bus into the Stanley Park bus loop – it’s just a short walk over from there.

If you would like to experience the Circus of Disaster I have 10 passes each valid for 4 admissions to give away to my readers. Here’s how you can enter to win:

• Leave a comment here naming something that frightens you (1 entry)
• Post the following on Twitter (1 entry)

I will draw all 10 winners (whose passes are good for 4 admissions) at 10:00am, Wednesday, October 5, 2011. You can follow the Stanley Park Ghost Train on Facebook or Twitter for sneak previews and updates.

Update The 10 winners are: @kinseySS, @gloomybb, Deidre, nm, AJ, Christine, Jennifer V, ho, Karla Shannon, Dilara.

On this day in history, September 21, 1980, the Stanley Park seawall loop was officially completed. To avoid erosion around Stanley Park, work began on the first part of the seawall in 1917 thanks to the vision of W.S. Rawlings and James Cunningham’s initiatives with the Vancouver Park Board. Over the next several decades it would be reinforced, extended, expanded, and repaired.

(Left) 1920s – Archives item# CVA 99-1476. Photographer: Stuart Thomson.
(Right) 1930s – Archives item# CVA 677-762. Photographer: Burns/Miller.

Thousands of feet were added to the seawall in the 1950s and again in 1968. The final portion near Siwash Rock was completed in 1980, closing the loop. You can see a plaque commemorating Cunningham’s efforts in this location today. [source: VancouverHistory]

This 8.8km route around Vancouver’s crown jewel is one of the city’s most popular attractions that is enjoyed by locals and visitors alike. It’s where you can go to get exercise, see more of the inlet and the park, or just find some peace gazing into a glistening sunset.

Photo credit: kennymatic on Flickr

Photo credit: (Left) Matzuda (Right) Tyler Ingram on Flickr

Photo credit: The Travelling Eye on Flickr

Photo credit: Tom Wiebe on Flickr. Photos in this set were contributed to the Miss604 Group on Flickr

Since 1980, the seawall has been extended outside of Stanley Park and now includes 2.2km around Coal Harbour and an 11km stretch from English Bay to Kits Beach.

Lumberman’s Arch is a popular meeting place and landmark on the North side of Stanley Park, West of Brockton Point. The single log propped up by two others is a monument to the major industry that built up our province and was installed by the Park Board and the BC Lumber Manufacturers Association almost 60 years ago.

Photo credit: DennisTsang on Flickr

The current arch is situated on the site of the former Xway-Xway First Nations village and was likely a communal meeting place in Coast Salish culture.

From the Stanley Park Ecology Society: “If we were to peel back the grass in this area, we would probably find post-holes from the long shacks built by the villagers. Evidence from a large midden (native garbage and sometime burial heap) that extends along the lower part of this area (4.3 acres) indicates that there has been some form of settlement for over 500 years, maybe longer.

During the creation of Park Drive in 1888, ground-up shells from this midden were dug up and used to pave the road. In the course of excavating the paving material, workers (who kicked the resident natives out of their homes and moved in) discovered stumps of dead cedars over 500 years old and exhumed a number of skeletons. Coast Salish natives stopped using this type of burial years before, in favour of cedar boxes or slabs containing the bones placed in tree boughs or on the forest floor.

A proper archaeological excavation has never occurred at this site, but we do know that there was a native settlement here from at least the early 1860s, consisting of four small dwellings and one communal lodge. Musqueam and/or Squamish peoples may have used this site at varying times of the year.”

It was on this day in history that the original Lumberman’s Arch was moved from Pender and Hamilton to the location we see the current arch today. Originally, the arch was a much larger structure and was constructed in 1912 for the visit of the Duke and Duchess of Connaught.

1912 – The arch at Pender & Hamilton. Archives item# Arch N6.02. Photographer: Don Coltman.

From Vancouver History August 29, 1919: It was dedicated today in the park to its designer, Captain G.P. Bowie, who was killed at Ypres on July 7, 1915.

The date of the move, as Chuck Davis (from Vancouver History) has it, is 1919 although there are some photos in the Vancouver Archives that show the arch at its current location in 1913.

1920 – Archives item# CVA 99-1290. Photographer: Stuart Thomson.

The original structure was nicknamed “The Bowie Arch”. When inevitable deterioration set in, it was demolished in 1947 and was replaced by the simpler version we see today in 1952.

Photo credit: Canada Good on Flickr

If you’re cutting up from the water park and sea wall, starting off a fun run, or heading down from the Vancouver Aquarium or the Artists’ Circle, you’ll walk through Lumberman’s Arch. Discover more Stanley Park monuments, statues, and plaques in the Park Board’s directory.

Stanley Park will host its first-ever BioBlitz this weekend. According to the organizers at the Stanley Park Ecology Society, a Bioblitz is “an extravaganza of many hands-on exploratory inventories of nature.”

Participants will be in specific groups alongside science experts and given a designated amount of time to identify as many plants, insects, birds, amphibians, fish, and intertidal creatures as they can. They’re calling all “citizen scientists” to help out with this massive undertaking for 24 hours this weekend (12 hours on both Saturday and Sunday).

All public events are free. Find Sunday’s schedule online as well.

Patricia Thomson, Executive Director of the Stanley Park Ecology Society, told me by email that it’s great for all ages. “People can join a single event or many to watch hummingbirds being banded, audio-track owls, mist-net bats or beach seine for gunnels.”

Thomson added, “Considering it hosts 7 million visitors each year, Stanley Park still holds many secrets in its wildlife and habitats: in recent years, two species described nowhere else in the world were identified in Stanley Park.”

The Stanley Park Ecology Society, which works closely with the Vancouver Park Board, released a “State of the Park” report last year. They’re hoping that this year’s Bioblitz will be able to enhance and add to the information in that report.

There are organized Bioblitz events across the USA and Canada each year. Whistler recently hosted a Bioblitz earlier this month.

Theatre Under the Stars (“TUTS”) first premiered at the Malkin Bowl in Stanley Park in 1940 and it’s still going strong. On stage for July and August 2011 TUTS presents Bye Bye Birdie and Anything Goes.

Bye Bye Birdie “Rock and roll returns to Malkin Bowl as Bye Bye Birdie, written by Michael Stewart with music by Charles Strouse and Lyrics by Lee Adams, kicks off the 65th season. Set in 1960 as teenagers all across North America are going crazy for rock star, Conrad Birdie.”

Photo courtesy of TUTS

Bye Bye Birdie will be presented even days in July and odd days in August, and Anything Goes will be odd days in July and even days in August. All shows start at 8pm except if it’s a fireworks night (July 30, August 3, August 6) then they’ll begin at 7:00pm. Tickets are currently on sale starting at $29 with group rates available. Children 5 and under are free.

I have a ticket giveaway for each performance starting today with Bye Bye Birdie. If you would like a pair of tickets for this season’s Theatre Under the Stars in Stanley Park, here’s how you can enter to win:

I will draw one winner at random from all entries this Friday, July 15, 2011 at 10:30am. The next TUTS contest will begin in August and new contest entry text will be provided at that time.

Update July 2011 The first winner is Leah! We had 83 Twitter entries and 126 comment entries. I’m going to reset this count for the next contest that is coming up shortly.

Update August 2011 I have one more giveaway for Anything Goes that will be playing on even days this month (except fireworks nights). Here’s how you can enter to win two vouchers for this performance on the night of your choice.

I will draw one winner at random from all entries on Sunday, August 7, 2011 at 6:00pm.

Update August 2011 My second winner is Holly!

Vancouver 125 presented Summer Live this weekend in Stanley Park that saw dozens of local acts take to two stages in our city’s most beautiful setting. Hoola hoops, mini donuts, Frisbees, dancing, and more took place on the lawn with a backdrop of evergreens, surrounded by water.

Since we were away most of the weekend we only caught the very last part of Summer Live last night but here are a few of John‘s photos (view the full set on Flickr):

Arriving on the grounds, I immediately wondered (and I’m sure I’m not alone) if we can bring a festival like this back to the park each year. You could barely hear the stage noise from downtown (across Coal Harbour), everyone was well-behaved and happy, families enjoyed themselves, and all of the entertainment was free. Aside from logistical issues (which are to be expected given that it’s on a peninsula in the park) I heard few complaints.

Shore 104′s Jody Vance & Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson

We enjoyed our 15 minute walk to the festivities from our home in the West End and would love to have this event in our backyard again next year. Kudos to Vancouver 125 and their team of volunteers and sponsors.

If you have photos from Summer Live that you would like to share, consider adding them to the Miss604 Group on Flickr for possible feature.

Parks Canada is turning 100 years old and to celebrate, they’re hosting celebrations in cities across the nation. Vancouver’s Parks Day party will take place July 16th at Brockton Point in Stanley Park (where you can catch Vancouver 125′s Summer Live just a few weeks before).

Pacific Rim National Park. Photo credit: pat_ong on Flickr

Where Brockton Point in Stanley Park (near the totem poles)
When Saturday, July 16, 2011 12:00pm to 8:30pm (concerts start at 4:00pm)
Who Free concert with K’Naan, The Sheepdogs, Virgin’s “Best of British Columbia” artist Kate Morgan, meet Olympic gold medalist Maelle Ricker, activities (camp, surf, hike, geocache), talk to historic characters and park rangers, Kids Zone, mascots, food vendors and more.

There are seven national parks to explore in BC and BC Parks itself is also hosting its centennial celebration this year. You can also visit ParkDreams to share your Parks Canada bucket list for the chance to win a $10,000 adventure grand prize.

This morning the Vancouver Park Board said on Twitter that June 15th (the date of the Canucks game 7 match-up with the Boston Bruins) is also the 170th 103rd birthday anniversary of the death of Lord Stanley¹. While we know Stanley for the park that was named in his honor, and his coveted cup, I thought it might be worth learning a bit more about the man with the famous name.

Photo credit: John Bollwitt on Flickr

Lord Stanley (Frederick Stanley, 16th Earl of Derby) was the 6th Governor General of Canada who served from 1888 to 1893. I learned more about Lord Stanley when we watched the CBC’s Hockey: A People’s History a few years ago, which I highly recommend.

The story goes that Lord Derby (he was Baron Stanley of Preston as well) had two sons that loved to play hockey and got their parents hooked on the game as well. Around 1892-1893 Lord Stanley donated the silver cup that would be awarded to the best amateur hockey club in the country. It was first known as the Challenge Cup and by 1909 it was awarded to professional teams exclusively. Since 1926 it’s been the prize for the top team in the National Hockey League. [source]

However, before there was a cup, there was a park – in Vancouver. From VancouverHistory:

1889 brought us the first visit to Vancouver by a Governor General. On October 29 Lord Stanley of Preston, who had been sworn in the year before, dedicated Stanley Park, which had been opened in September, 1888. An observer at the dedication wrote: “Lord Stanley threw his arms to the heavens, as though embracing within them the whole of one thousand acres of primeval forest, and dedicated it ‘to the use and enjoyment of peoples of all colours, creeds, and customs, for all time’.”

1960. Governor General Georges Vanier unveiling the Lord Stanley statue.
Vancouver archives item# Mon N63.5

A few days before the dedication, incidentally, a letter was written (we’re not sure by whom) promising a suitable monument to commemorate the event. City archivist J.S. Matthews would discover that letter in 1950, more than 60 years after it was written, and realize the promise had not been fulfilled. He began a fund-raising campaign, and raised enough money to commission a statue. It took a while: the statue—created by English sculptor Sydney Marsh, and capturing Stanley’s expansive gesture—wouldn’t be unveiled until May 19, 1960. Fittingly, that ceremony was presided over by another Governor General, Georges Vanier.

Lord Stanley, adorned with a replica cup during the 2011 Stanley Cup Finals in Vancouver, is immortalized at the entrance to the park named in his honor.

Photo credit: PiscesDreamer on Flickr, Luna Blue Photography

You can find him in bronze when you walk along the causeway (from downtown) on the Coal Harbour side – just over the pedestrian bridge. The statue was installed on May 29, 1960, thanks to the research and efforts of our city’s first archivist, Major Matthews.

¹ Thanks to Bob Mackin for the correction on the anniversary stat.