| Garden City Lands | |
|---|---|
 East-facing view of the Garden City Lands | |
  Location of the Garden City Lands in Metro Vancouver | |
| Type | Urban park |
| Location | Richmond, British Columbia |
| Coordinates | 49°10′25″N 123°07′10″W / 49.173701°N 123.119383°W / 49.173701; -123.119383 |
| Area | 55.2 hectares (136 acres)[1] |
| Opened | June 2018 [2] |
| Operator | City of Richmond |
| Status | Open |
The Garden City Lands is a large urban agricultural and conservation park in the City Centre of Richmond, British Columbia.
The park is bounded by Westminster Highway, Garden City Road, Alderbridge Way and No. 4 Road and has been within the Provincial Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR) since 1973.[1]
History
Federal administration and military use
In 1903, the Government of Canada acquired the 55.2-hectare (136.5-acre) parcel known as the Garden City Lands, initiating a period of federal stewardship that lasted for over a century. The following year, the Department of National Defence established the Vancouver Rifle Range on the site. Operating until 1928, the range served both civilian recreational functions and competitive tournament hosting.[3]
To accommodate the firing range infrastructure, the natural landscape underwent significant modification, including extensive clearing, drainage engineering, and structural installations. During the First World War, the facilities were repurposed to serve as a tactical training ground for Canadian expeditionary soldiers.[3]
In 1949, the land was adapted as a transmitter site for program requirements of the Canadian Coast Guard.[4] In 2005, the Federal Government of Canada deemed the land as "surplus" to its needs and sold the site to the Canada Lands Company, a federal Crown corporation.[5]
Development proposals and municipal acquisition
The City of Richmond, Canada Lands Company, and the Musqueam Indian Band entered a 2005 agreement with the federal government that included the intent to remove the land from the ALR for the purposes of high-density development.[6] In April 2008, an application to exclude the land from the Agricultural Land Reserve was made to the Agricultural Land Commission. The application was rejected on 10 February 2009.[7]
On 8 March 2010, Richmond City Council announced a deal had been approved whereby the city would purchase the entire parcel of land from the Musqueam Band and Canada Lands Company for $59.2 million.[8]
The Musqueam band has since brought a lawsuit against the City of Richmond, claiming they sold it under duress. The lawsuit remains dormant and it is the understanding of Coun. Harold Steves that the lawsuit will remain dormant unless the city wants to develop the lands into anything that is not related to ALR use.[9]
Public park transition
The City of Richmond started their extensive planning for the lands in 2014 and started construction in 2017.
The Garden City Lands opened to the public for the first time in June 2018. [2]
Features
To fulfill the requirements of being an Agricultural Land Reserve, the Garden City Lands incorporates agricultural lands with a bog, along with several trails for public use.
The agricultural lands are leased to nearby Kwantlen Polytechnic University's Sustainable Agriculture Farm Program.[1]
Lining the western edge of the park is the Garden City Lands Community Garden. Opened in April 2022, the site contains 420 plots, making it the largest community garden location in Richmond. The facility is managed by Urban Bounty in partnership with the municipal government. [10]
Richmond Farm Fest
The Garden City Lands host the Richmond Farm Fest, an annual agricultural community festival held during the autumn harvest season. Organised by the City of Richmond in partnership with Kwantlen Polytechnic University, the event features local produce sales, interactive agricultural and gardening displays, and an artisan market. The festival grounds include live musical entertainment on a community stage, farm tours, and educational programming designed to inform visitors about local sustainable agriculture and regional vegetation.[11]
References
- "City of Richmond BC - Garden City Lands".
- Chan, Kenneth (21 June 2018). "New 3-km-long public trail opens in Richmond's new Garden City Lands Park". Daily Hive. Daily Hive Urbanized.
- Garden City Lands Legacy Landscape Play (PDF). Richmond, B.C.: City of Richmond. May 2014. pp. 13–14.
- "Garden City Property Memorandum of Understanding". Fisheries and Oceans Canada. March 18, 2005. Archived from the original on May 21, 2005. Retrieved 28 May 2024.
- Matas, Robert (10 March 2010). "City Garden lands value soars from $9.5m to $59m in four years". The Globe and Mail. Archived from the original on 8 April 2023. Retrieved 24 August 2022.
- "Memorandum of Understanding" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 13 February 2012. Retrieved 21 July 2012.
- "Garden City Lands application status". Agricultural Land Commission. 13 February 2009. Archived from the original on 16 February 2012. Retrieved 21 July 2012.
- Martin van den Hemel. "City to buy Garden City Lands for $60 million". Richmond Review. Archived from the original on 16 March 2010. Retrieved 11 March 2010.
- Wood, Graeme. "Bog meets farm in unique design for Richmond's Garden City Lands". Richmond News. Archived from the original on 2 February 2017. Retrieved 20 January 2017.
- "Garden City Lands Community Garden". Urban Bounty by Richmond Food Security Society.
- Rantanen, Maria (1 September 2025). "Farm Fest returns to Richmond's farm in the city next Sunday". Richmond News.