While Stanley Park may be Vancouver's gem, Hastings Park may be Vancouver's Swiss Army Knife.
The park has seen a lot, some of it amazing, some of it . It was the site of daring car races, a Japanese internment camp, and one of the most important sports venues in the city's (and arguably Canada's) history.
Now it's home to everything from Playland to Italian Gardens to a small wildlife sanctuary. So here are a few pieces of its history you may not know.
1. It was originally supposed to
After the original agreement, when the city was granted the land that would become Hastings Park in 1889, Mayor David Oppenheimer commented that it would remain woodland for the public to enjoy.
That vision didn't last long; a horse race track was built a couple of years later.
2. The site of one of the first skydives
It wasn't long after the first powered flights that skydiving (though it wasn't called that at first) started.
It's not clear exactly who was the first person to jump out of a plane with a parachute on purpose, but it's generally thought to be one of two people: Albert Berry in March of 1912 in Missouri or Grant Morton sometime in 1911 in California. Morton's first jump with a specific date was in April 1912.
In either case, Vancouverites were among the first to see the daring stunt pulled off in person.
A newspaper article from May 1912 announced that Morton and his pilot, Phil Parmalee, would pull off the same stunt later that month at Hastings Park.
"For the second time in his career and third time in the history of the art, Parmalee will undertake the spectacular feat of taking up Prof. Morton, who, attached to a parachute, will jump from an elevation of 3,500 feet," reads part of a .
3. There's a dedicated to an Oscar-nominated actor
Chief Dan George was not only a chief of the səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh Nation), but also an activist, author, poet, actor, and more.
As an actor he appeared in local stage productions and in a variety of films later in his life, including in 1970. That role earned him an Oscar nomination.
In honour of his grandfather, artist and carver Zac George created the Chief Dan George Welcome Pole that now stands in front of the Pacific Coliseum. It was installed for the 2010 Winter Olympics.
4. There was a
The City of Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»may not seem like the usual place for a massive ski jump, but in 1958, one was set up at Hastings Park.
It was built for a three-day ski jump competition, using an area around the south end of Empire Field and standing 165 feet above the ground.
After the competition, the massive wooden structure was taken down, and the competition was never revived.
5. The in Canada
Parkour has only been around a little while, compared to other sports and activities, with its roots in 1980s France.
The practice grew quickly in the 2000s and 2010s (helped no doubt by a ).
While it originally started with people using buildings, roofs, and a city's urban landscape, eventually gyms were set up with parkour courses.
But there's a place in Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»where people can practice for free. Canada’s first public outdoor parkour park opened in Hastings Park in 2015.
