Vancouver Icons: Point Atkinson Lighthouse
byThe Point Atkinson Lighthouse and Lighthouse Park are located in West Vancouver however they’re so frequently photographed, from above, below, the rocks, and the water, that they’re the perfect fit for the Vancouver Icon photo feature series:
Charted and named by Captain George Vancouver in 1792, Point Atkinson was an ideal geographic aid to shipping as colonial activity in the area increased. Late in the 19th century, the Government of Canada set aside 75 hectares as a lighthouse reserve, preserving the area for the park we enjoy today. The park is maintained by the Municipality, which leases it from the Department of National Defence. [West Vancouver Parks]
Photo credit: popejon2 on Flickr
Photo credit: The Vancouver Guy & The Vancouver Guy on Flickr
Photo credit: TylerIngram on Flickr
Photo credit: Zorro1968 & Mark Faviell Photos on Flickr
Photo credit: Ted McGrath on Flickr
The park derives its name from Point Atkinson, one of Canada’s first manned lightstations. While a lighthouse has been on Point Atkinson since 1874, the current lighthouse was built in 1912, the year West Vancouver became a separate municipality. The lighthouse is a municipal landmark and can be seen from several viewpoints in the park. Old military buildings can be found near the lighthouse, remnants of the site’s military importance during World War II. [West Vancouver Parks]
Explore Lighthouse Park for yourself by walking its 5km network of trails that wind through old growth stands just off Marine Drive in West Vancouver.
Photo credit: Zorro1968 on Flickr
Photo credit: Kyle Bailey – Da Big Cheeze & Shannon Leigh Photography on Flickr
Photo credit: popejon2 on Flickr
Photo credit: BaseDigital Images on Flickr
Other Vancouver Icons posts include: English Bay Inukshuk, Hollow Tree, Hotel Europe, Lions Gate Bridge Lions, LightShed, Granville Bridge, 217.5 Arc x 13′, Canoe Bridge, Vancouver Block, Bloedel Conservatory, Centennial Rocket, Canada Place, Old Courthouse/Vancouver Art Gallery, Dominion Building, Science World, Gastown Steam Clock, SFU Burnaby, Commodore Lanes, Siwash Rock, Kitsilano Pool, White Rock Pier, Main Post Office, Planetarium Building, Lord Stanley Statue, Vancouver Library Central Branch, Victory Square, Digital Orca, The Crab Sculpture, Girl in Wetsuit, The Sun Tower, The Hotel Vancouver, The Gassy Jack Statue, The Marine Building, and The Angel of Victory. Should you have a suggestion for the Vancouver Icons series please feel free to leave a note in the comments. It should be a thing, statue, or place that is very visible and recognizable to the public.
