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Urban Wilds, Vancouver-style: (page 3) Queen Elizabeth Park
By JOEL CONNELLY 
SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER REPORTER
Queen Elizabeth Park is situated at the summit of Little Mountain, the highest point of land in the city of Vancouver. The park was once site of two basalt quarries, which have been transformed into lush gardens. A large triodetic dome, the Bloedel Conservatory, shelters tropical plants and miniecosystems.
The conservatory is an excellent rainy-day destination. In fine weather, the park boasts wonderful views of the city and such north-shore peaks as The Lions and Mount Seymour. Mount Baker is again distant and majestic, evoking an old Indian name for the mountain that roughly translates to "the great white watcher."
The 130-acre park is a magnet for locals as well as just about every Japanese tour group to hit Vancouver. The human company can delight, such as when an aerobics class is working out in Cantonese. Still, the crush around Bloedel Conservatory is a bit hard to endure at times: It can be instantly escaped, however, by heading down into the quarries for a visual feast of flowers.
The entrance to Queen Elizabeth Park is at 33rd and Cambie streets. A good tip is to park nearby on city streets and walk up the hill. It's a way to avoid congestion as well as parking fees recently instituted by the Vancouver Parks Board.
- Introduction
- Pacific Spirit Park
- Lighthouse Park
- Van Dusen Botanical Garden and
University of British Columbia Botanical Garden
101 Elliott Ave. W.
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