In 1888, it was officially designated Stanley Park and opened to the public. To this day, the city of Vancouver pays the federal government a dollar a year lease payment. Natural disasters have played a part in shaping Stanley Park. Some 28,000 seedlings were planted in 1962 after Hurricane Frieda uprooted thousands of mature trees. In 1992, more than 1,000 trees were lost during a windstorm.
Continuous maintenance is required to keep the park safe for visitors.
Trees are regularly removed and new ones planted. Without human intervention, the forest in Stanley Park wouldn't be nearly as healthy as it is today. Pacific Spirit Park Vancouver's largest urban park is Pacific Spirit Park. Transferred from the UBC Endowment Lands to the Greater Vancouver Regional District in 1989, it encompasses 7.8 square kilometers of forest and trails. To the uninitiated, the forests of Pacific Spirit Park appear to be natural, old growth woodlands.