A number of Remembrance Day Ceremonies take place in Vancouver on November 11th including one at the Japanese-Canadian War Memorial in Stanley Park.
The ceremonies took place as a live event in 2022. They were also livestreamed. This is likely to be the case in 2023.
Stanley Park on Remembrance Day
Vancouver’s main Remembrance Day Ceremony takes place at Victory Square in downtown Vancouver. In years when it happens, it attracts thousands of people and includes a fairly large parade. Smaller ceremonies also take place in Chinatown and Stanley Park.
The Remembrance Day event in Stanley Park is held at the Japanese-Canadian War Memorial which is located in the vicinity between the Stanley Park miniature train venue, the Vancouver Aquarium and Lumberman’s Arch.
The Stanley Park ceremony is small compared to most other Remembrance Day events in the Lower Mainland. It attracts up to a couple of hundred people most years and lasts for less than an hour. The ceremony usually begins at 10:40 am and finishes at around 11:30 am.
Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the 2020 Remembrance Day ceremony was closed to the public. However, the private event was livestreamed online. 2021 details were the same.
Fortunately, the ceremonies were open to the public in 2022. They began at 10:40 am and could also be watched online on the Nikkei Centre YouTube page.
The ceremony in Stanley Park has a special focus on remembering the sacrifices of Japanese-Canadians who have fought for Canada, including in the First World War and Korean War.
After the ceremonies in Stanley Park there is often a reception with refreshments and informational displays at the Vancouver Rowing Club which is located at 450 Stanley Park Drive (near the entrance to the park). However, the reception didn’t take place in 2022.
JAPANESE CANADIANS, WAR AND BC TRIVIA
During World War I over 200 Japanese Canadians enlisted in Alberta to fight in the Canadian Armed Forces. British Columbia, meanwhile, shamefully did not allow Canadians of Japanese descent to volunteer in the war effort.
The Japanese Canadian War Memorial has been a Stanley Park landmark since 1920 and is in honour of those who died serving their country (including Japanese Canadians who lost their lives at the Battle of Vimy Ridge in 1917).
To learn more about the role of Japanese Canadians in our country’s past war efforts (as well as the discrimination they faced), be sure to attend the November 11th ceremonies at Stanley Park and the post-service reception at the Rowing Club.
Tips & Advice
Below are some tips and advice to help you make the most of your November 11th experience at the Stanley Park venue.
TIP #1: The Stanley Park ceremony is a small event, which means there aren’t big crowds and it’s pretty easy to see everything that’s going on. Consequently, you don’t have to arrive way in advance to get a good spot.
TIP #2: There is ample parking in Stanley Park including near the miniature railway, along Pipeline Road, at the Aquarium and by Lumberman’s Arch. Just don’t forget to pay for your parking.
TIP #3: Combine your trip to the Remembrance Day ceremony with a visit to other parts of Stanley Park. The Vancouver Aquarium is a popular attraction, the seawall is close by and there’s just so much to explore!
Other Information
For more information about the Remembrance Day event at Stanley Park see the Nikkei Centre website.
To see a list of other similar (and larger) events at other venues click Remembrance Day Events in Metro Vancouver.
For ideas on other things to do in the area after the ceremony see our article about Stanley Park.
For details about other things to do in Vancouver both this month and at other times of the year, see our November Calendar or click Festivals & Events.
