Ambleside Beach in West Vancouver has a fascinating past that many locals may not know. If you visit this popular summer spot on the North Shore, you are actually walking on reclaimed land. Before 1965, much of the area was swampy and underwater.
In 1914, Ambleside was divided into lots. People built simple homes and a few small businesses there. Because the land often flooded, many buildings stood on stilts. For example, Overington’s barber shop was raised above the water. Most structures had just a wooden floor, some walls, and a canvas roof.
Back then, a large slough cut through Ambleside, running between the Capilano River and 14th Street. Boats docked on the north side of Marine Drive. In winter, locals skated on the frozen slough. In summer, they fished for cod and hunted pigeons and ducks in the marshes.
During World War II, the Department of National Defence built 18 huts in Ambleside. They had anti-aircraft guns to protect the harbour near the Lions Gate Bridge. After the war, these huts became homes for veterans and their families. This area was called Ambleside Park Village but was known locally as “Diaper Lane.” The huts were on low land that flooded often. When this happened, food and supplies were brought by rowboat.
By 1961, only one of these huts remained. It served as a home for the West Vancouver Rod and Gun Club, later became the Ambleside Youth Centre, and was finally demolished in 2019.
The fields and pitch-and-putt course at Ambleside are built on sawdust, bark, and wood waste from a North Vancouver sawmill. The duck lagoon came from dredging part of the slough. Ambleside Beach itself was created by bringing in 85,000 cubic meters of sand and gravel from sandbanks west of Navvy Jack Point.
At the foot of 14th Street stands the Ferry Building, now a small art gallery. From 1913 to 1947, it was the main office for West Vancouver’s ferry service. The trip to Vancouver took about 25 minutes on a good day. Many locals wish the ferry still ran today.
The Silk Purse is a rare example of the summer cottages that once filled the area before the Lions Gate Bridge opened in 1938. Built in 1925, it was once owned by Vancouver’s former mayor, Tom Campbell. In 1969, John Rowland bought the cottage and nicknamed it the “Silk Purse,” after his son’s joke about making a silk purse from a sow’s ear. Rowland rented it as a honeymoon cottage for $12 a night, including breakfast and champagne. The District of West Vancouver acquired the Silk Purse in 1991, and it now operates as an arts centre.
In 1950, the north side of the Park Royal Shopping Centre opened nearby. It was Canada’s first covered mall.
The Ambleside Swimming Pool opened on July 9, 1954. Despite its heated water, the pool struggled financially and closed in 1976. It was filled in the following year.
Facing Stanley Park, the Welcome Figure is a gift from the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish Nation) to West Vancouver’s people. Carved from an old-growth cedar log from Hollyburn Mountain, it was installed in 2001. The sculpture was restored in 2023 by master carver and elder Sequiliem (Stan Joseph).
In June 2023, the District of West Vancouver traded land with businessman Jimmy Pattison for his waterfront property at Ambleside Beach, valued at $5.4 million. The plan is to turn this land into a park and public walkway. Also, the last remaining house from the original 32 waterfront lots at 1444 Argyle was sold to the district in April 2023 for $7.3 million. This house still stands but is scheduled for demolition later this year. Its lot will be added to the existing Brissenden Waterfront Park.
Ambleside Beach’s rich history is tied to its transformation from swampy land to a vibrant public space. Its past includes war defences, veterans’ housing, early ferry service, and artistic landmarks. Today, it remains a treasured place for recreation and community gatherings.
