Introduction to Riley Park

This neighbourhood is located on the city's highest point. The Riley Park area was originally known as Little Mountain and is home to Queen Elizabeth Park and Mountainview cemetery. This area is bounded from Cambie Street to Fraser Street and from 16th Avenue to 41st Avenue. The houses are of different architectural designs ranging from modest bungalows east of Main Street to mini-estates surrounding Queen Elizabeth Park. Along Main, between 16th and King Edward Avenue, Riley Park has series of antique shops, unique second-hand stores and curio shops. This series of "old" shops has come be known as Antique Row. One unique fact of Little Mountain is that it is part of an extinct volcano.

History & Heritage

In 1893, pioneers logged Little Mountain and had cut trails around its base. The community was of Little Mountain quarry workers, who mined volcanic rock and used them as surface for the area's first roads. In 1920, one of the open pit rock quarries was converted into Vancouver's water reservoir. Little Mountain was later renamed Queen Elizabeth Park in 1940 and the water reservoir was covered to serve as the park's parking lot. Another open pit rock in the park was made into a beautiful sunken garden. This is now tourist site and a popular place of wedding photographs.

In 1911, the first post office was opened on Main Street and the street lined with shops. Soon the area became crowded with small houses crowded onto small lots. In 1957, located at the foot of Little Mountain, Capilano Stadium, now called Nat Bailey Stadium, became home to Vancouver's first professional baseball team. In 1960's, a swimming pool called the Percy Norman Pool opened next to Riley Park and Vancouver then began calling the area Riley Park.

The heritage of Riley Park is most known for Mountain View Cemetery built in 1886. It is one of Vancouver's most significant heritage sites. It is on a crest of a hill facing south with a view overlooking the whole downtown area. Its monuments reflect the city's history and catastrophes of Vancouver's people.

Heritage buildings include the 1908 Brock School. It is the most well preserved of three identical school designed by architect W.T. Whiteway. The wood framed school features a hipped bellcast roof, large windows, rounded entry arches and wood sidings. This is located at 4860 Main Street. A 1914 Craftsman house on 296 West 17th Avenue is also a heritage house and the area north of King Edward has a set of older homes designed in Edwardian and Craftsman styles. These buildings are two-storeys high and higher.