Queen's Park is the civic and cultural centrepiece of New Westminster — 75 acres of formally landscaped park and mature second-growth forest at the heart of the Queen's Park heritage residential neighbourhood. It was established in the 1890s as the site of the provincial agricultural exhibition and has been continuously used as public park land ever since, which gives it the oldest continuously maintained park layout of any major park in Metro Vancouver.
The park's two signature summer draws are the rose garden — genuinely one of the best in the region, with over 2,000 roses in dozens of named varieties, at its peak in late June — and the free petting zoo near the First Street entrance. The petting zoo has been operating since 1966 and hosts goats, sheep, rabbits, chickens, and a few exotic birds; it's free, open from late May through early September, and runs entirely on donations and volunteer labour. The Vagabond Players outdoor theatre puts on summer productions in a small open-air amphitheatre, and the Queen's Park Arena hosts the legendary New Westminster Salmonbellies senior lacrosse team from May to August — the oldest continuously operating lacrosse club in North America.
In winter the indoor amenities (the arena, the pool, the tennis bubbles) take over. The park is large enough to accommodate tennis courts, a sports field, two playgrounds, and miles of informal forest trails — it's a substantial real park, not just a small urban green space. For newcomer families specifically, Queen's Park is one of the best free summer destinations in Metro Vancouver.
How to get there
A 10-minute walk from New Westminster SkyTrain station. The main First Street entrance is the closest to the petting zoo and the rose garden. Free parking along First Street and inside the park.
Local tips
- The petting zoo is free but runs on donations — bring a few dollars
- Rose garden peaks in late June; second bloom in September
- Salmonbellies lacrosse games (May–August) are one of New West's best summer traditions
- The indoor pool is open year-round and is cheaper than most Metro Vancouver municipal pools