Stanley Park covers 400 hectares, about 17% more than New York's 843 acre Central Park. Here is how to see it, plus the seawall closure to Nov 14.
Stanley Park is bigger than New York's Central Park. Vancouver's park covers 400 hectares. Central Park is 843 acres, which works out to about 341 hectares.
That makes Stanley Park about 17% bigger (our math: 400 divided by 341). The City of Vancouver calls it the city's "first, largest, and most beloved urban park," a 400 hectare natural West Coast rainforest with trails, beaches, wildlife and Canada's largest aquarium.
The size, side by side
- Stanley Park: 400 hectares, per the City of Vancouver.
- Central Park: 843 acres, per the Central Park Conservancy. At 0.404686 hectares per acre, that is about 341 hectares (our math).
The seawall took 63 years
Construction of the seawall began in Stanley Park in 1917. The entire loop around the park was declared officially complete on September 21, 1980, with the final paving between Third Beach and Second Beach, according to the City's seawall page. That is 63 years from start to finish (our math).
Since then the seawall has kept growing. The City says the 28 km seaside greenway, from the Vancouver Convention Centre to Spanish Banks Park, is "the world's longest uninterrupted waterfront path."
How long the loop takes
The City says the 9 km stretch around Stanley Park takes 2 to 3 hours to walk or about 1 hour to cycle. Walkers and joggers use the side closest to the water; cyclists and inline skaters use the inside path. The park is open from 6am to 10pm unless otherwise posted.
Heads up: a closure until Nov 14
The seawall between Lumberman's Arch and Third Beach is fully closed until November 14, 2026, while the Park Board removes speed gates and does its annual rock scaling, the City says on its seawall upgrades page. People on foot and on bikes can follow detour signs through Beaver Lake. Intermittent closures may continue until November 20, 2026, so follow posted signs.
Sources
- City of Vancouver, Stanley Park and Seawall in Vancouver, read October 26, 2026.
- City of Vancouver, Stanley Park Seawall safety and accessibility upgrades, read October 26, 2026.
- Central Park Conservancy, About, read October 26, 2026.
