Located in the heart of downtown Vancouver, Victory Square is surrounded by many attractions including Gastown, Chinatown, and the Burrard Inlet waterfront. It has been an integral part of the city’s history since its inception in 1886.
The square was originally known as Carrall Street Park and was named after William Henry Carrall who had served on Vancouver’s first City Council. The park was created to commemorate British Columbia’s victory over Louis Riel during the Northwest Rebellion of 1885-1886. On July 1st 1886, a large crowd gathered at the park to celebrate Canada Day with speeches from civic leaders and military officers followed by fireworks displays that lit up the night sky.
In 1895, it was renamed Victory Square after Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee celebration which marked 60 years on her throne as Queen of England. A cenotaph monument built in 1924 stands today as a memorial for those who fought bravely during World War I and II; this monument also serves to recognize all Canadian war veterans throughout our country’s history. Other monuments located within Victory Square include statues dedicated to Major Matthews (the first City Archivist) and John Deighton (a prominent businessman).
Today visitors can explore several historical buildings surrounding Victory Square such as St Andrew’s Wesley Church which dates back to 1889 or visit one of many nearby restaurants or cafes for some local cuisine before strolling along Hastings Street lined with vintage shops filled with unique items from around BC or taking advantage of nearby public transportation options like SkyTrain station at Stadium-Chinatown Station just steps away from Victory Square Park itself.
Victory Square remains an important landmark in Vancouver due to its rich history dating back more than 130 years ago when it became part of this vibrant city we now call home.
