Christoph Stadel

Stanley Park, Vancouver, Canada: Challenges for Managing a Metropolitan Park Christoph Stadel

Stanley Park is "the jewel of Vancouver". It covers almost 400 ha and is located on a peninsula adjacent to the City center. One of the Park's key features is its large area of coastal rainforest. Managing Stanley Park includes many divergent aspects of "nature conservation", "recreation" and "native heritage". The book begins with some theoretical background knowledge about the urban parks movement in North America and the management of urban parks. Also, the City of Vancouver and its region are introduced, including information about First Nations. The subsequent chapters refer to Stanley Park. After some Park history, the various recreational facilities in Stanley Park are described. Then, the Park's role for nature conservation in its urban environment is discussed. Another chapter deals with the native heritage of Stanley Park. The book further reflects the Park's multifunctional role and its conflicts, and reveals current management aspects and challenges. Oral interviews with several stakeholders of Stanley Park constituted an important source of information.