Parc Verdun

Located on Marine Dr at Westport Rd.

During the first summer that I spent in Vancouver as a child, my parents enrolled me in a summer camp at Eagle Harbour Primary School, across the street from Parc Verdun. On the last day of the camp, we had 'rodeo day'. That involved running around the park, having an epic water gun fight. The type of child I was curled up into a ball under a bridge and wondered why anybody would enjoy such a game. However, after returning to Parc Verdun, it has occurred to me just how excellent the place is for hosting water gun fights. 

The majority of the park is forested with a trail running through the trees. The peculiar thing about the trees in Parc Verdun is that so many of them have grown out of stumps. The middle of those stumps have largely rotted away, leaving only a bit of the outsides as the perfect location for a bunker. You can hide behind them, or climb them to get the advantage of holding the highest ground.

 Parc Verdun also has a creek. It has several bridges over it, but it's also very shallow. You can walk through it in a pair of boots and not get your feet wet. And I don't even mean gum boots. My docs were enough:

The other section of the park is a playground area. Let me tell you why I love this playground:

This is not a playground for kids. The fist time I saw this playground, Nina was sitting on the border in front of it nursing a fresh bruise that later turned dark blue.  It was the climbing wall that did it. Of course I took this as a challenge. Although I successfully reached the top, I cannot imagine anyone under the age of 12 making it up. Even 12 is a stretch. This is a park designed for teenagers.

I love this concept because there are so few things for teens to do West Vancouver. Although most teens consider themselves too cool for playgrounds, the climbing wall and the seat that's suspended underneath the main tower make this one much more appealing to the teenaged demographic.

The whole structure is designed to be climbed in creative ways. My message to you, if you are a teenager, is give Parc Verdun's playground a chance. Also, shout out to Josh and Brad: PARQUOI!

But the little kids haven't been excluded. Parc Verdun also has an excellent playground for children, complete with swings, a teeter-totter, a playhouse, and more:

Everything about Parc Verdun is designed for fun. Even the bench where parents can sit and watch their kids play has a special detail. Paint splatters!

 

Parc Verdun has just about everything. There's a tennis court, benches, playgrounds for all ages, a forest, a creek, and a trail. All it's missing is a field and a beach. But there's a field right across the street, and Eagle Harbour beach is less than a five minute walk away via a quiet street and a short trail.

PPR

Good: tennis court, playgrounds, forest, creek, trail

Bad: no field, no beach (see above for why this doesn't matter)

9/10