Memorial Park is the one that everybody stands outside the library to look at on Remembrance Day. Who knew that you were actually allowed to go in there?
We entered through the back entrance on Esquimalt Avenue where we came across the playground. Who knew that Memorial Park has a playground? I, for one, thought that this place was all business. Here is a blurry photo Nina on the teeter-totter by herself while children play together in the background:
Such is the lonely life of an adult park-goer. It's actually quite a fun playground, though. It's even got a tall swing set!
Memorial Park has two other sections besides the playground: a natural section around a creek, and the actual memorial. This is the memorial through a bunch of plants:
You can sort of see it. There was someone sitting in there, so I didn't want to go in and take pictures. Actually, I didn't want to go in at all. I went to the edge of the stones, but couldn't bring myself to step on them. This is the place where people important enough to bring all of West Vancouver out into the rain for ages stand. It's hardly a place for exploring.
The natural area of the park isn't actually that natural. It's carefully landscaped and full of little structures like this birdbath:
It's a beautiful place with plenty of benches, trails, flowers, and stylized bridges over a creek. But it just doesn't feel like nature. It's too planned. Thankfully, there are a few cool corners like this one that gives you a choice of sitting on a bench or a brontosaurus tree:
However, the feeling of guilt for having never fought in a war while being in this park makes the whole thing hard to enjoy. That combined with the synthetic feel of the area made both Nina and I anxious to leave Memorial Park.
PPR
Good: fun playground, technically perfect landscaping, important place for veterans
Bad: it's not difficult to feel out of place here, but maybe that's just us
7/10
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