Tipperary Park
History
The land currently occupied by the park was initially designated by Colonel Moody as the location for British Columbia's government buildings. Unfortunately for Moody and the rest of the city, the unification of the Mainland Colony of British Columbia and the Colony of Vancouver Island in 1866 led to Victoria being awarded the capital, leaving the lands of Tipperary Park with no inherent purpose. The land became known as Tipperary Park due to the presence of worker camps, which were formed by street construction workers and their families in 1889. The Daily Columbian, a New Westminster newspaper, published a story about the camps, comparing them to worker and squatter settlements in County Tipperary, Ireland, causing residents of the city to call the area "New Tipperary." The land was eventually used by the New Westminster Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club who set up a sporting facility in 1901 with permission from the provincial government. In 1908, the land which was still under provincial jurisdiction, was transferred to the City of New Westminster, and was subsequently established as a municipal park.
Amenities
Tipperary Park is still the home of the New Westminster Tennis Club, who moved to the park grounds in 1901. The park is also just across the street from Irving House, a heritage home which was converted into a museum about the history of the Irving family and New Westminster in general. Tipperary Park is also the location of the New West Farmers Market, which operates in the spring and summer, where vendors from across the Lower Mainland come to distribute their food products. Friendship Gardens is also a popular spot for photography in the city (especially in the spring), and is frequently visited by couples for wedding photoshoots.
See also
References
- ^ "Tipperary Park History" (PDF). newwestcity.ca. Retrieved April 11, 2022.
- ^ "Tipperary Park". newwestcity.ca. Retrieved April 6, 2022.
- ^ "Club History". nwtennis.com. Retrieved April 6, 2022.
- ^ "About Irving House". newwestcity.ca. Retrieved April 11, 2022.
- ^ "New West Farmers Market". newwestfarmers.ca. Retrieved April 7, 2022.