Brockton Point, Stanley Park, Vancouver

May 2016:  Brockton Point, located in Stanley Park, is on the north side of Coal Harbour. The present Brockton Point Lighthouse was built in 1914, but the story of the light on the point began in 1890, a year after the dedication of the Park.  A number of ship collisions in the waters around the point led to the construction of a lighthouse and signaling station at Brockton Point. 

Francis Brockton, the engineer aboard the HMS Plumber, which between 1857 and 1860 was used to survey the British Columbia coast, discovered a vein of coal near Vancouver.  Captain George Henry Richards of the Plumber chose to call the site of the find, Coal Harbour, and the nearby point, Brockton Point, in honour of his engineer.

With the completion of the transcontinental railroad, Vancouver became a vibrant, growing city in the late 19th century, and shipping traffic in and out of Burrard Inlet increased.  In 1890 a  light consisting of red and white lanterns mounted on a mast was placed at Brockton Point, to mark the sharp turn toward First Narrows for outbound ships and toward Coal Harbour for inbound vessels.

In 1914, Brockton Point was transformed with the construction of the tower, which continues to stand at the point.  Designed and constructed by Colonel William Anderson, the thirty-five foot tower is supported by arches, which allow visitors to pass beneath along the shoreline path.  The lighthouse, with a focal plan of 12.5 metres (41 feet) above the water, has been managed by the Vancouver Parks and Recreation Board since 2006.