Don't confuse it with New York's Central Park — this one sits at the west edge of Burnaby, directly alongside the Expo Line between Patterson and Metrotown stations. It was established in 1891 and is the oldest park in Burnaby, with some of the largest mature Douglas fir and western red cedar trees in the urban Metro Vancouver region. At 80 hectares, it's about one-fifth the size of Stanley Park but significantly larger than Queen Elizabeth Park.
The park has almost everything a regional park should have: a network of paved and unpaved forest trails, a 4.5-kilometre perimeter path popular with joggers, a stocked fishing pond (Deer Lake is better for swimming but Central Park is better for trout), a seasonal outdoor swimming pool, tennis and pickleball courts, a disc golf course, a cricket pitch, and a children's playground. The Burnaby Lawn Bowling Club is also located in the park.
For residents of Metrotown, Central Park is the neighbourhood's backyard — it's a 3-minute walk from Patterson SkyTrain station and directly across Boundary Road from the residential towers. For visitors, it's one of the most underrated urban forests in the region, and a good illustration of why Burnaby consistently ranks high on per-capita green space in Metro Vancouver.
How to get there
A 3-minute walk from Patterson SkyTrain station on the Expo Line. The park's main entrance is on Boundary Road at the southwest corner.
Local tips
- The perimeter loop is about 4.5 km and mostly flat
- The outdoor pool is open summer only
- The fishing pond is stocked with rainbow trout
- Disc golf is free and beginner-friendly