5 pearls

Seawall

"We seek with our human hands to create a second nature in the natural world." The seawall was built starting in 1917, with Jimmy Cunningham, a master stonemason overseeing the construction until his retirement 35 years later. Finally completed in 1980, the seawall is one of the most used in Stanley Park. As you walk along the seawall, feel the passing by of all the thousands of people before you that have walked along the shore. Now imagine the seawall slowly reverting back to the original rocky shore, being sucked up by the sand and waves. 

Sunset Beach

Sunset Beach. A picture of my father and mother is on this beach, my father Chinese-Indonesian and my mother white. Looking out to the water and both smiling. Today, many mixed-race relationships are common and Vancouver is much different than 1959. Me being here today is a reflection of their courage and love being tougher than the racism they endured. Take your shoes off and dip your toes in the water on the beach and celebrate you, in whatever uniqueness you have.

Cooper's Park

5. Coopers’ Park In this spot, there was a cooperage from the early 1890s but in 1885, there was a small Chinese settlement as there was rumour of the terminus of the railway being extended to this area. Former railway workers also caused the population to grow. But the cooperage was to become the largest barrel manufacturer in the British Empire producing 2000 barrels a day. Maybe you can hear the clank of machinery and the whistle of steam as the barrels were formed. Each layer of Vancouver on top of each other, stacked up until today.