Park History
For thousands of years, the land we now call Everett Crowley Park was once a rich and thriving ecosystem, stewarded by the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh Nations. It was a place of vibrant natural beauty, covered with lush old-growth Western Hemlock and Red Cedar forests that supported diverse wildlife, including deer, elk, and even cougars. A massive ravine once cut through the middle of the park, home to a salmon-bearing stream.
The countless generations of care the local First Nations brought to this land is a key part of our inspiration and commitment to restoring the rich biodiversity at this site.
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1944
A Time of Transformation
More than a century ago, this land changed dramatically. It was subjected to periodic logging and, in the mid-20th century, it endured another devastating transformation; from 1944 to 1967, most of the present-day park became the Kerr Road Dump, one of Vancouver's main landfills. During this time, the massive Kinross Creek Ravine was filled in with refuse, destroying the salmon-bearing stream that had once flowed through it. The land was also quarried for sand and gravel in its northeast corner, creating what is now Avalon Pond.
After the landfill closed, the dump was capped with a layer of ‘clean fill’, burying the waste underneath and leaving behind a devastated, barren landscape. This dark chapter left a legacy of environmental damage that seemed insurmountable.
Photo via City of Vancouver Archives
1970
The First Signs of Resilience
Photo by Alan J. Ingram via City of Vancouver Archives
As the years passed, the land faced new challenges: illegal dumping, invasive plant species, and waste decomposing beneath the surface. Yet even through this difficult time, nature’s resilience slowly emerged. Plants began to take root in the nutrient-poor soil, their seeds carried in by the wind from surrounding areas. Curious mallards started to visit Avalon Pond while dragonflies buzzed around in the air. These were the early signs of the land beginning to heal itself.
Photo by Margaret Munro
1970-80s
Community Stewardship
Today, the park is full of greenery and although it is a diverse ecosystem, some of this lushness may be misleading; a few very aggressive invasive species are dominating the natural flora and fauna of the area. Blackberry, knotweed, and ivy are rapacious and outpacing efforts to curtail them. Although these species do provide some limited habitat value, biodiversity cannot thrive in their presence.
As nature quietly made its return, numerous proposals for the land began to emerge. Competing visions for development swirled around the site, ranging from a golf course to a pioneer farm. A hang-gliding training hill was even created in the centre of the park, now known as Mount Everett. But after two years of effort, this project never took flight. In the meantime, the land was a playground for motorcycles, which crisscrossed the terrain unabated.
It was at this crucial moment that our community's passion and vision truly took shape. A determined group of residents from the Champlain Heights community formed the Kerr Road Park Committee. They advocated for the area, sharing the community’s powerful vision: to transform this scarred landscape into a nature park.
1987
Officially Everett Crowley Park
These efforts succeeded in 1987 when the Vancouver Park Board officially designated the site as Everett Crowley Park. The name honoured Everett Crowley, a dedicated Park Board Commissioner and community builder with a strong connection to the area. In fact, his family made a very generous donation in 1984 to transform the former quarry. Now known as Avalon Pond, this area has since become a crucial site for biodiversity, providing rare wetland habitats.
Present Day
Strengthening our Stewardship
Since then, our community’s collaborative spirit has only grown stronger. The Kerr Road Park Committee evolved into the Everett Crowley Park Committee and for decades, dedicated volunteers and staff have worked with the Vancouver Park Board to help heal this special place. This effort has been enriched by partnerships with organizations like the Evergreen Foundation, numerous other non-profits, and local universities. We continue the work of transforming a former landfill into a vibrant ecological sanctuary.
Thousands of volunteer hours have shaped our park. We continue the work of the past to collaboratively steward the land, planting thousands of Indigenous plants, removing invasive species, and hosting community events that welcome and engage visitors.
We are grateful for the commitment of our volunteers, partners, and funders. It's thanks to your dedication that Everett Crowley Park stands as a powerful example of what a community united by a shared purpose can achieve. This collective passion continues to breathe life into the park, with a vision to create a vibrant urban sanctuary that connects people to each other and to the land.