Rockwood Park is an urban park in

Saint John, New Brunswick Saint John () is a port#seaport, seaport city located on the Bay of Fundy in the province of New Brunswick, Canada. It is Canada's oldest Municipal corporation, incorporated city, established by royal charter on May 18, 1785, during the reign ...

established in 1894. It is in size, with ten lakes and 55 trails and footpaths. The park includes upland Acadian mixed forest, several hills and several caves, as well as freshwater lakes, with a trail network, and a golf course. It is located in the eastern area of the North End and is one of Canada's largest urban parks. It is also park of the

UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO ) is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) with the aim of promoting world peace and International secur ...

Stonehammer Geopark. The park is open from dawn until dusk and has free parking. Visitors can enter and exit from either the Lake Drive at Lily Lake or Hawthorne Avenue Extension at Fisher Lakes. Paved pathways connect to amenities such as the Interpretation Centre, the Kiwanis Play Park, and the Bark Park.

Description

Rockwood Park is located in Saint John,

New Brunswick New Brunswick is a Provinces and Territories of Canada, province of Canada, bordering Quebec to the north, Nova Scotia to the east, the Gulf of Saint Lawrence to the northeast, the Bay of Fundy to the southeast, and the U.S. state of Maine to ...

, just north from the Uptown region. The park has 55 trails both footpaths and mountain bike routes. The park is in size and contains six natural lakes. One of these lakes, Lily Lake, is a frequent boating and fishing spot used by visitors. Rockwood Park is aptly named for its diverse geological formations. The park features a variety of rocks, including Precambrian marble, gneiss, and igneous rocks from the Precambrian to Cambrian period (such as granite, tonalite, granodiorite, and dacite), in addition to Devonian sandstone and conglomerate. Two distinct geological terranes are present within the park. The Caledonia Fault, a prominent geological feature, separates these two terranes. The main road past the Lily Lake Pavilion follows the fault line. The park offers various trails for geological exploration, accessible on foot, by mountain bike, or on horseback. For those seeking a more interactive experience, rock climbing with a guide is available. In winter, the park is ideal for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing.

History

Rockwood Park was designed in the 19th century by

Calvert Vaux Calvert Vaux Fellow of the American Institute of Architects, FAIA (; December 20, 1824 – November 19, 1895) was an English-American architect and landscape architect, landscape designer. He and his protégé Frederick Law Olmsted designed park ...

, one of the designers of

Central Park Central Park is an urban park between the Upper West Side and Upper East Side neighborhoods of Manhattan in New York City, and the first landscaped park in the United States. It is the List of parks in New York City, sixth-largest park in the ...

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

. Vaux's father had previously made a preliminary report for the park, which Vaux would work on after inheriting some of his father's clients after his death. Initially, Rockwood Park was created around Lily Lake during the late 19th century, being named through a vote conducted for nearby citizens. Lily Lake- near St

As a

geosite, Rockwood has been a site of significant geological study. In the late 1800s, the Natural History Society of New Brunswick conducted an investigation of the park's geology, and specimens collected during this period are now housed in the New Brunswick Museum. Howes Cave, discovered in the 1860s and later described in the Society Bulletin in 1904, formed through the dissolution of carbonate bedrock (marble) by natural acids in rainwater and groundwater. Additionally, a graphite mine operated near the outlet of Lily Lake during the 1800s. Lily Lake was one of the first sources of fresh water for Saint John. It was hauled from the lake by tanks and sold for 1 cent a bucket. In 1907, a court battle ensued as to who had the rights to the ice in Lily Lake; the ice cutters or the skaters. Although the ice cutters had been granted permission to erect an ice block conveyor in previous years, the skaters won and for decades the lake was center for outdoor winter recreation. In 1926, the speed skater Charles Gorman, won the World Speed Skating Championship on Lily Lake. It was estimated that 25,000 people turned out on February 7, 1926, to watch him take the championship, setting a world record in the 220 and 440 yard events.

Lily Lake Pavilion

In 1907, the grand Lily Lake Pavilion was inaugurated, only to be tragically destroyed by fire five years later. In 2006, following a complete restoration, the Lily Lake Pavilion reopened its doors and has since become a central hub of activity within Rockwood Park. The Pavilion is currently operated by Lily Lake Pavilion Inc., a registered charity. In 2012, when the striking granite sculpture Sunshine and Moonlight Over Saint John, created by Japanese artist Hiroyuki Asano, was installed at the park's entrance.

Venues

*Lily Lake Pavilion *Lily Lake Spa *Inside Out Nature Center (Rock-climbing, guided hikes, outdoor equipment and boat rental) *Beaches at Fisher Lake and Lily Lake *Campground *Golf course and driving range

References

External links