Route statistics
| Distance | 2.1 km |
| Steps | 2755 |
| Elevation change | 12 m |
Hastings Park is the City of Vancouver’s second largest park at 66 hectares. This area (as well as all of Vancouver) is on the unceded territories of the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh.
Since being redeveloped from its traditional uses into park land by the City of Vancouver, it has served as a venue for public events such as horse racing, concerts, professional sports, the Hobiyee Nisga’a New Year Celebration, the annual summer Fair and the Truth and Reconciliation National event.
Unceded means that First Nations people did not give up land or legally sign it away to Britain or Canada. Vancouver and 95 percent of BC are on unceded First Nations land. In many parts of Canada, treaties were signed with First Nations that gave incoming settlers rights to much of the land, but in BC very few treaties were signed.
Want to learn more? Read First Peoples: A Guide for Newcomers PDF file (5.4 MB)
Route description
A walk in the southwest corner of Hastings Park near Renfrew Street is a fantastic way to experience the rich diversity of this expansive and evolving public space. Hastings Park has a variety of different attractions including theme and commemorative gardens, notable buildings, and a stream covered over by settler development for more than 50 years.
This area was an important site for the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh peoples. An area such as this would have seen a large number of people due to its proximity to both the north and south shores. You can see a variety of diving and dabbling ducks, Canada geese and a hundred other bird species here all year.
Accessibility
This walk is wheelchair accessible. Paths include a mixture of pavement and wooden boardwalks.
Hastings Community Centre was opened in 1956 after extensive fundraising efforts. It serves the Hastings-Sunrise Community by offering a wide variety of recreational programs and events. The Centre is located in Hastings Community Park: one of Vancouver’s oldest parks. This park boasts a wealth of amenities for both children and adults. A highlight is the new children’s spray park. In the summer, shrieks from the adjacent Pacific National Exhibition help create a festive atmosphere. 
In 1998-1999, 15.5 hectares of Hastings Park were cleared of structures and blacktop so that the Sanctuary could be created. Upon entering you are overcome with a feeling of peace in this lush refuge, as it overflows with greenery and bird calls. The main feature of the Sanctuary is the day lighting of a stream that, for more than 50 years, had been contained in an underground culvert. Engineering Services has enthusiastically collaborated on the project of guiding the storm waters from the surrounding neighbourhood into the Sanctuary marsh, where the water is cleansed through a sophisticated biofiltration system. Eventually, the water collected in the pond could run into Hastings Creek; which is planned to deliver the water into a salt marsh north of Hastings at New Brighton Park.
After only a few years, the lake, water plants, islands and still-fragile landscaping are attracting birds into the Park. Local renowned naturalist Al Grass, along with a number of avid bird watchers, has confirmed sightings of 106 species. They include everything from songbirds like the common yellowthroat, to a variety of sea birds such as Caspian terns. The Sanctuary represents the beginning of the greening efforts in the Park, and it is already a fantastic success!
Hastings Bowl Skate Park
Agrodome
Pacific Coliseum
Il Giardino Italiano
Momiji Garden
Chief Dan George Welcome Pole
Christopher Columbus
Young Artist Warriors
McGill Park