Capilano Suspension Bridge
Capilano Suspension Bridge Park | |
|---|---|
_1.jpg) Capilano Suspension Bridge in July 2016 | |
| Coordinates | 49°20′34″N 123°06′44″W / 49.34278°N 123.11222°W |
| Carries | Pedestrians |
| Crosses | Capilano River |
| Locale | 3735 Capilano Road, North Vancouver, British Columbia V7R 4J1 |
| Characteristics | |
| Design | Simple suspension |
| Total length | 140 metres (460 ft) |
| Height | 70 metres (230 ft) |
| History | |
| Opened | 1889 |
| Location | |
The Capilano Suspension Bridge is a simple suspension bridge that crosses over the Capilano River. It is on 3735 Capilano Road in the Upper Capilano area of North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. It is 70 metres (230 ft) above and is 140 metres (460 ft) long.[1] It is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Vancouver, with over 1.2 million people visiting the bridge every year.[2][3]
It was first started in 1888 by George Grant Mackay after he bought 6,000 acres of land on both sides of the Capilano river and then built a cabin there. He had help building the bridge from future Squamish chief August Jack Khatsahlano in which the area and bridge is named after.[4] They had originally built the bridge out of hemp rope and cedar planks. McKay had only wanted the bridge as a way to get from one side of the river to the other and not as an attraction for tourists.[5]
He sold the bridge to Bruno Stelzer two years later after seeing the rise in people coming to see the bridge. Stelzer turned the bridge into a tourist attraction and charged a 10 cent toll to cross it. After replacing the rope bridge with a wire one in 1902, it became the longest suspension bridge in the world at the time with 200 feet and 450 feet across.[6]
In 1911, Stelzer decided to sell the bridge to British baronet Edward Mahon.[7] Mahon continued to make improvements on the bridge and built the tea house.[8] "Mac" MacEachran, a former forest ranger, bought the bridge from Mahon in 1945 and allowed the local first nations to place totem poles in the park.[9]
During the winter season between November and January, the bridge hosts Canyon Lights where the entire bridge is covered and lit up in lights.[10]
References
- ↑ "FAQ: How long does it take to cross Capilano Suspension Bridge?". Capilano Suspension Bridge Park. Retrieved January 26, 2026.
- ↑ "Capilano Suspension Bridge shares in B.C. tourism success". Government of British Columbia. Retrieved January 26, 2026.
- ↑ "A look at the growing tourism sector". Export Development Canada. Retrieved January 26, 2026.
- ↑ "Capilano Suspension Bridge: 125 years of awe and terror". Vancouver Sun. Retrieved January 26, 2026.
- ↑ "After 126 years, Vancouver's Capilano Suspension Bridge still drawing in visitors". Toronto Star. Retrieved January 26, 2026.
- ↑ "Wilderness on the Doorstep: Vancouver's Mountain Playground". MONOVA. Retrieved January 26, 2026.
- ↑ Dempster, Eleanore; The Laughing Bridge: A Personal History of the Capilano Suspension Bridge; Impressions in Print Enterprises, 2004
- ↑ "Legacy Parks in North Vancouver". North Shore Heritage Preservation Society. Retrieved January 26, 2026.
- ↑ "Our Story". Capilano Suspension Bridge Park. Retrieved January 26, 2026.
- ↑ "Canyon Lights at Capilano Suspension Bridge Park". Daily Hive Vancouver. Retrieved January 26, 2026.
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