001C97BA July 26, 1929. THE WEST VAN NEWS Wonderful Progress Of West Vancouver SHER~IAN -- A small park site has been allocated at Sher- man which is about a mile west of )Vest Bay and a short dist- ance east of Cypress Park. TRESTLE I'ARK -- Just west of )Vest Bay faces on the water. Though undeveloped at present, the site is at a very advantage- ous point fol future use. CYI'RESS I'ARK FALLS The municipality has a very fine park area which includes Cy- press Park Falls. This is one of the beauty spots of West Van- couver and Cypress Falls is one of the pret tiest waterfalls in British Columbia. CA VI.FEII.D I'ARK--Donat- ed by ~lr. F. W. Caulfeild, one of the pioneers of )Vest Vancouver. This pleasant location was laid The Parks of y West Vancouver AVest Vancouver excels in the beauties of nature. At one time it was as one huge park combin- ing most every kind of scenery -- mountain, vale and sea. As its population grew, and with the consequent development of set- tlements of habitation, the fore- sightedness of our councils in making provision for park pur- poses has been well displayed. Today AVest Vancouver is a group of separate districts with the greatest density of popula- tion estal)lished between 10th Street and 27th Street, and the park effect so pronounced in the earlier days is rapidly giving way to metropolitan conditions. Hence it is good to know that IVest Vancouver is in possession of more natural parks than any other section of Greater Vancou- ver. Many admirable park sites ? ave been laid aside for park purposes to take care of present and future needs. These are fit- tingly located in different sec- tions of the municipality, and much care has been exercised in choosing these sites, to take full advantage in locating them at the most advantageous points. Below we give a list of the parks and park sites of EVest Vancouver. It will unquestion- ably be a surprise to many of our readers to know there are so many. AMBLESIDE PARK between Thirteenth Street and the Indian Reserve and. South of Marine Drive covers about 25 acres. In 1927 it was used as a sports ground. Last year the cleared section was more extended and though the land is low lying it can be used for sports purpos- es in the dry weather. Amble- side Park, will it is expected, ult- imately be part of a scheme of Beach development which will include the property bought last year from the Gintzburger es- tate. HOLLYBURN RIDGE -- A large tract of land on the Ridge has been set aside as a park area. This is forested with yellow ced- ar, and has tiny lakes dotted a- long the plateau. At some time in the future it is anticipated that the Ridge Park will be one nf the district's great attrac- tions. It will unquestionably in- crease greatly in in- trinsic value. INGLEWOOD I'ARK --A five acre site be- tween the school and 20th Street on the north side of Inglewood isbeingheld for future needs. IRWIN PARK -- This site at Dundarave, a- bout four acres in ex- tent was secured from ez-Alderman irwin of North Vancouver aft- er whom it is named. Irwin Park is used as a sports and recreation ground. Recently many suggestions have been made for its improve- ment and development to better serve the youth of the district and it is almost a fore- gone conclusion that some action will ulti- mately have to be tak- en in this respect. iVEST BAY--At AVest Bay is located a park which is in possession of a very fine bathing beach and which is very popular w i t h swimmers. It is well sheltered from the prevailing winds and the beach is unencum- bered with rocks. By J. B. LEYLAND "Fair scenes for childhood' opening bloom For sporting youth to stray in; For ~Ianhood to enjoy his strength; And age to wear away in!" --wordsworth In recent years West Vancou- ver has made marked progress in many directions, but in none are changes so noticeable as in the tilde of better and more perman- ent homes being erected, com- pared with those of former years not long since past. As recently FIRST WEST VANCOUVER ~IUNICIPAL COUNCIL 1912 AND TEIE ~IUNICIPAL HALI Left to right--EV. B. Carter, Fngineer; Geo. Hay, Councillor; Chas. Nelson, Reeve; T. F. ~Ierrick. Councillor; S. Gintzburger, Councillor; J. B. Mather. Councillor; G. H. Peake, Clerk. other ~Iunicipalities throughout t"e world. Poet and artist alike. are inspired by the beauty of landscape as seen in wooded areas, sylvan trails, and snow- capped mountains. Few indeed are but thrilled at the panoramic views to be had from any point cf vantage, overlooking lovely bays. rocky cliffs rising sheer from the water's edge, and beau- tiful islands like huge waves swaying lazily on the bosom of the Pacific. No ~lunicipality can be claim- ed as desirable for residential purposes unless an abundance of pure water, fresh arr, and mod- ern sanitation are assured, and for those in search of health, be they young or old, surely the goal is to be found in a place as ideally situated as is )Vest Van- couver. Unknow~ are the fumes of smoke and gas belching from smoke stacks, inseparable from industrial set tlements. With a Southern exposure, facing the open sea, and protect- ed by the tree-clad forests of Hollyburn Ridge, every breath suggests the tang of salt-sea breezes, or the sweet smell of earth, flowers and forest growth. The purity of water supply, de- rived from mountain streams, and protcted from contamina- tion, is attested by physicians as the best obtainable. ~lodern schools, with splendid equipment serve the educational needs of the younger generation; beaches mountain streams and hills pre- sent every opportunity for clean outdoor sport. Surely no other ~lunicipality is so blessed and the residents may claim their e!tizensbip to be a privilege. 11ay the time be near at hand when West Vancouver will, with the other North Shore IIunici- 1'il:t.es, amalgamate with the i-rowing Citv of l ancouver, re- sulting in the solution of many material problems and when West Vancouver will be acclaim- ed cs the "~lunicipality of a ".cusarr l Charms," progressive in its outlook, «nd without doubt ti e most attractive residential district on the Pacific Coast. Island. However, with the con- structoin of the Second Narrows Bridge, and the opening of the road to Whytecliff, conditions changed almost over night. AVest Vancouver immediately found it- self at the front door o& the City of Vancouver, and promptly took its rightful place along with other municipalities comprising the greater Metropolitan area. The reconstructed 41arine Drive bids fair to become the most popular highway in the Province, more frequent and bet- ter methods of transportation are gradually developing, a&d permanent homes with beautiful gardens are springing up in all sections of the AIunicipaliy. Town Planning regulations, even if not perfect in detail, neverthe- less, in principle reflected the earnest desire of the citizens to see that their 4Iunicipality be de- veloped along orderlv lines, and that the beauties of Nature with which the district has been so richly endowed should be pre- served in all their loveliness. Little imagination is required to understand the reasons for the evolution of )Vest Vancou- ver from a mere camping ground to the most attractive residenti- al district which it is today. In addition to the improvement of material services and public util- ities, the suburb enjoyes a wealth of charm, unparallelled in few iWIR. AND AIRS. JOHN HARTE Mr. Harte is IVest Vancouver's first settler, having taken up residence here in March, 1907. He was responsible for subdivid- i»g the first acreage in the municipality and for building the first house, which still stands. as four years ago, West Vancou- ver was famed as a summer camping ground for hundreds of city dwellers, whose tents and camps were to be seen on every hand; and, the general migra- tion of campers to the city every Fall, left EVest Vancouver like a deserted village during the long winter months. In fact, West Vancouver in the early days gained its popularity as a summer resort, in much the same way as today are such plac- es as Crescent Beach, Boundary Bay, White Rock, and Bowen out by him with walks and shrubbery, the natural contours being taken advantage of. This park constitutes practic- ally the entire waterfront of the subdivision, with a fine sheltered bay and sandy beach. NELSON CREEK CANYON I'ARK--A large park area has been set aside in D.L. 1494 com- prising all the lands surrounding the Nelson Creek Canyon, situ- ated about three-quarters of a mile down stream in a south- easterly direction from Eagle Lake. ' i ' r ~ e ~ v THE Sl'IRIT OF I'ROGRESS \Vest Vancouver is changing v~ry rapidly. Those who have been away from the district for ri few months give expressions to tt'.eir surprise at the changes ~, erywh. re so evident. New and better houses are springing up i!i every district and old build- ings are being re-modelled. All activities indeed point to the fact that the people of IVest Vancu- ver are accomodating themselves to a new order of things. The spirit of progress seems to per- meate all walks and condi:ior,s of life. THE REEVES OF lVEST VANCOUVER FROII THE YEAR OF INCOBI'ORATION-- 1912 TO THE I'RFSENT YEAR Left to right--D. Morgan, Geo. Hay, V. V. Virison, Chas. Nelson, R. C. Procter, S. Gisby and John Lawson.