The Roundhouse/David Lam Park on the right track

This converted roundhouse serves as a community centre

Seawall entrance to David Lam Park

The first steam engine passenger train to enter Vancouver

Today Yale, BC  is a small community of 200 people approximately 240 km east of Vancouver. So how did this little unincorporated BC town become heir to the bustling, hip, ecodensity model neighborhood known as Yaletown? In the 1800's  Fort Yale, a Hudson's Bay trading post, was the gateway to the west. Access to the Fraser River made it an ideal steamship port and stage coach hub to connecting points throughout North America. While Canada was completing its National Dream of a coast to coast railroad, the Canadian Pacific Railway used Yale as a base camp to bring its new modern mode of transportation westward. As the railway progressed to Port Moody and on into Vancouver, the rail yard remained behind until the construction of the roundhouse in Vancouver. At this point the small village of rail yard workers left Yale and settled near the newly constructed rail yard. Thus their new digs were dubbed Yaletown. 

Fantastic city views

Busy False Creek

Large fields like David Lam Park are a great place for community gatherings

Yaletown is where you will find David Lam Park and The Roundhouse Community Centre. Long gone are the industrial work yards; they have given way to Vancouver's version of the French Rivera. Cool hip people shop and dine in cool hip stores and restaurants. And when they kick back, they do so in a fantastic accessible green space. This 4.3 hectare park is a real gem with lots of amenities. The washrooms are very accessible with lots of way finding, an accessible boat dock, and an excellent section of the seawall with separate wide paths for bikes and pedestrians. The children's play area is integrated but offers no specifically adapted equipment. Park entrances from the street have all the latest in crossways.

Accessible basketball and tennis courts

Just behind the park is the Roundhouse Community Centre. This artistic social hub is well used with programs and productions throughout the year. The park and the roundhouse are easy to reach. Just take the Canada Line skytrain to Yaletown/Roundhouse skytrain station. For a full slate of programs at the Roundhouse go to http://www.roundhouse.ca/