In Richmond, BC, we have a renewed park to hang out in. It’s very clean and new. Minoru Park. Read all about it here!
About the Minoru Park renovation
In April 2022, the Minoru Lakes area in Minoru Park, near Richmond Hospital in Richmond City Centre, was temporarily closed so construction could start to improve the lakes and the surrounding public space.
The City of Richmond decided to do this because the lakes, built in the 1970s, have become dirty and need much maintenance.
They also use a lot of clean water to keep the water levels up.
They made the lakes smaller. The surface of the lakes was reduced from about the size of a big house to a smaller area. But even though they’re smaller now, they have more water.
They made the lakes deeper so they could hold more water. This will help keep the water from evaporating and improve the water quality.
They’re also adding a new waterfall to the lakes. It will help move the water around and make it fresher.
They’ll use rainwater and stormwater instead of clean drinking water to fill the lakes. This will be better for the environment.
During the construction, they used new materials to line the lakes and build up the edges.
They also made changes to the islands in the lakes. The old island on the north side was replaced with a new one with a bridge and a place for people to look at the lakes.
Also, they added new trees and spaces for birds to make nests. But they will make it so that geese want to avoid coming to the island.
The island on the south side stayed the same but will be improved.
It’s important to mention that “the lakes” refer to two small ponds. Not actually lakes like the one they have in Trout Lake, Vancouver.
I visited the park yesterday, June 17th, 2023, for the first time since it closed.
I really enjoyed taking walks there. I was excited to see what they had done.
At first, I felt a bit disappointed, but as my husband and I walked around the park, I realized they did a great job.
They added new benches and chairs facing west, perfect for sunbathing. There are plenty of places to sit.
Some people were having picnics on the grass, but there was a lot of goose poop, which was a bit gross. But that’s pretty common everywhere in Vancouver.
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They also have water fountains with clean drinking water to fill your water bottles.
It was a lovely afternoon walk in the park in June. It’s excellent that Richmond has more spaces like this.
The Highlight
The highlight of the park is the waterfall. But expect something other than huge or extraordinary. It is just a waterfall fountain, cute enough.
This is a great spot if you want to hang out with friends or walk alone. It’s a little small, but you can walk around a couple of times.
It’s not worth coming all the way from Vancouver just for the park, but if you’re visiting Richmond, it’s worth seeing.
And for the locals in Richmond, we have a new park to hang out in. It’s very clean and new!