Unlike what the weather forecasts were suggesting, it turned out to be a beautiful Sunday. This is the the middle of our long, Victoria Day weekend. Tomorrow will be a day off for most folks who still work.
We needed to run uptown but detoured for a small walk in our city's main park. It's always a pleasure. Queen's Park is essentially New Westminster's green lung, an absolute necessity when you are living within a dense urban grid. The city had the foresight to set aside these 75 acres back in 1887, and thankfully, they have resisted the urge to pave it over since. It is not just a passive patch of old-growth timber; it is a heavily utilized piece of civic infrastructure. Between the extensive network of walking trails, the historic Queen's Park Arena, the athletic fields, and the tennis courts, it is constantly in motion. They even maintain a spray park to manage the summer crowds and a dedicated rose garden when you just need to step away from the noise. It is a strictly functional mix of preserved nature and active utility, sitting right in our backyard.
I love the foresight of the citizens of my city a century and a half ago. We took a look at the Rose Garden, but I didn't take any pictures as we only spotted a few buds. The area will erupt into a blaze of hues next month. Further along, we took a look at the area behind a fence where the local bee association keeps their hives. Many of the small workers were out scouting down flowers to pollinate. Lastly, we walked on a small pedestrian bridge across a busy highway that used to lead to the Fraser River and old Pattullo bridge, Now the traffic flows across the new stal̕əw̓asəm Bridge (also known as the Riverview Bridge).
I love my city for its small, intimate size and the close proximity to the things we require.
