Deer Lake Park offers a distinctive natural haven in Burnaby. Even though Metrotown’s skyscrapers tower over the lake, it’s a terrific location for boating, hiking, seeing animals, and learning about local history and culture.
1. Access to Deer Lake Park, Burnaby
From Vancouver, go east on Highway 1. To reach Kensington Avenue, take exit 33. Take Canada Way to the left, then Sperling to the right. One more block on Sperling will bring you to a huge parking space.
Deer Lake looked very much like a peaceful mirror. Well-manicured walking trails are there. The path may be completed in approximately an hour, and the surroundings are breathtaking.
Or take Deer Lake Avenue to the right. This road crosses the park’s eastern boundary and links to parking lots close to the Burnaby Art Gallery, Shadbolt Centre, and Burnaby Village Museum.
Burris Street Guest House is about a 10-minute walk from. It’s just a beautiful place to visit. The 144 bus route is another option for traveling to the park.
2. About Deer Lake Park and Some Nearby Attractions
Watch for wildlife as you stroll along the connected paths around Deer Lake Park, such as magnificent great blue herons fishing in the shallows or turtles basking on logs.
Beaver dam-building in the marshy regions to the west is also a possibility. With the park’s great scenery, it attracts a lot of individuals.
Burnaby’s cultural hub, which includes the Burnaby Art Gallery, Shadbolt Center for the Arts, Burnaby Village Museum(only public art museum), Wonderful Garden, and more, is located north of Deer Lake Park.
Roy Whalen Heritage Museum, Sir Richards Squires Memorial Provincial Park, and Rough Waters Brewing Company are my favorite local spots on the lake.
While rainbow trout, sculpin, and crayfish were likely native to Deer Lake, the Top ways to experience nearby attractions are Grouse Mountain & Capilano Suspension Bridge Park.
During the hectic summer months, it serves as a center of activity, holding events on the Festival Lawn, such as concerts and festivals. It is situated in Central Burnaby, about midway between Burnaby Lake and Metrotown and not far from Burnaby City Hall.
3. What Do You Need to Know?
Please treat fellow park visitors with courtesy and respect and utilize our parks, trails, and open areas responsibly:
- When jogging or walking on trails, please keep your side to the right and pass other users on to the left.
- Urban lakes around North America provide limited swimming chances due to decomposing plant matter and varying water quality. Additional biofiltration ponds have improved the water’s quality, making it appropriate for “secondary contact” like watercraft but not for swimming. This also applies to Deer Lake Park. Try one of the eight indoor and outdoor swimming pools at the city’s leisure centers as an alternative.
- Canoes, kayaks, and paddleboards are permitted in Deer Lake Park, Burnaby. The boat launch (dock) and beach area are off Sperling Avenue near the lake’s eastern end.
- Fishing is permitted from a belly boat, the beach, or the boat launch (dock). Please remember to bring your current BC freshwater fishing license.
- Keep your dog on a leash in every part of the park, including the trails. Dogs are not permitted in the picnic area or on the beach. We appreciate you immediately cleaning up your dog’s feces and properly discarding them.
- Visit your favorite public park and breathe fresh air. Since January 1, 2022, smoking has been prohibited in all City parks and multi-use trails.
4. Advice for Traveling
- To navigate the park, use the map provided.
- At night, the park is locked up. To avoid being locked out of the gate, check the sign at the park’s entry for the current gate closing times.
- Dogs are prohibited on the beach or picnic area and must be kept on a leash in Deer Lake Park.
- The Sperling Avenue parking lot has restrooms.
- AdventureSmart advises taking a bag filled with the necessary safety and first aid supplies on every trek. In the parking lot, be careful. Check the weather forecast and bring extra clothes. So that someone will know where you are going and when you expect to return, provide a travel itinerary.
5. Things to Explore in Deer Lake Park in Burnaby
5.1 Arts and Culture
There are various places for arts and culture on the north side of Deer Lake Park, which has Deer Lake as its focal point. The Burnaby Art Gallery, located at Ceperley Mansion, is mostly on the boardwalk or along well-maintained pathways.
Administers and cares for the City of Burnaby Permanent Art Collection and provides historical and modern art access.
The Shadbolt Centre for the Arts is a multi-purpose community arts center that offers the general public year-round art workshops, exhibits, concerts, and festivals. Events like concerts and festivals occur in this lake’s park south of Shadbolt Center.
5.2. Gardens in Deer Lake Park
Deer Lake Park is best visited in spring to take in the blooming plants. Visit Century Garden, close to the Burnaby Art Gallery, to see a variety of flowers, including the rhododendron, Burnaby’s official flower.
There is a lovely trail around the lake, great walking in the rain, and local spots for a run or walk. Go here weekly solo or with a running group; you can go for a relaxing walk.
You can spend many a moment ambling about the boardwalk and crushed gravel walkways, snapping plenty of pictures, and wonderful gardens are there. The nearby beach is the second beach.
Launch from the dock at the east end of the lake. You may also visit the Eagles Estate Heritage Garden on the lake’s southeast side. There are Japanese maples, rhododendrons, and magnolias in this 1929 structure.
5.3. Explore the Trails
Several simple hiking routes surround the lake in Deer Lake Park and meander through the neighboring marshes and woodland.
Make sure to climb the observation tower close to the lake’s southwest corner. And watch for Western-painted turtles, which may be seen in the ponds sunning on rocks.
5.4. Connect with the History
Visit the Burnaby Village Museum on the east side of Deer Lake Park. A farmhouse, stores, and a blacksmith forge are just a few of the historical sites you may visit while experiencing the early 20th-century gardens via the eyes of costumed interpreters.
If you visit at dawn or dusk, you might be lucky enough to see beavers building dams in the marshes at the west end of the lake. The refurbished carousel is a must-see. Early May marks the summertime opening of the museum. Free entry is offered.
5.5. Historic Homes
The best-preserved historic residences in Burnaby may be seen in the neighborhood around Deer Lake Park. The homes, built between 1904 and 1935, were intended to resemble the English countryside. You can see them all on a self-guided walking tour of historic properties.
5.6. Deer Lake Boat Rentals
Canoes, kayaks, pedal boats, and rowboats are among the non-motorized watercraft that Deer Lake and Boat Rentals has been renting out on the beautiful Deer Lake Park, Burnaby, British Columbia, since 1972.
Inflatable stand-up paddleboards (SUP) are a new addition this year that we are offering for off-site rentals. We also lease out our equipment for usage off-site.
5.7. The Wildlife
Deer Lake Park is a significant component of Burnaby’s network of waterways and a haven for various animals. It is mainly on the east side of the patronized Deer Lake Park, Burnaby.
Many birds may be seen, such as great blue herons, often fishing in the shallows. Turtles may be seen basking on logs as well.
5.8. Arts Gallery
The core of the art scene is Deer Lake Park, Burnaby. Visit the Burnaby Art Gallery, the first public museum in Canada devoted exclusively to works of art on paper with over 6000 pieces.
You might also enroll in dance, music, media arts, century gardens, sculpture, or other programs at the Shadbolt in the Art Center.
The art Gallery includes over 6000 works and is the only public art museum in Canada dedicated to works of art on paper. Popular mentions include Deer Lake Art Gallery, Hart House City Hall, beautiful walk walking trails, and natural heritage Metrotown.
6. List of the Best Nearby Restaurants
- Joys Restaurant
- Tea18
- Boba Boy
- Pho Den Vietnamese
- Hart House
Conclusion
The City of Burnaby has referred to Deer Lake Park as the intersection of “nature, culture, and heritage.”
That is because the beautiful walking trails with wildlife and greenery in Deer Lake Park are connected to some well-known art museums and restaurants, which include Burnaby Art Gallery, Burnaby Village Museum, Shadbolt Centre for the Arts, and Hart House restaurant, where you can have a delectable lunch.
In the end, Deer Lake Park is a convenient and diverse place to enjoy, and since it provides some of Burnaby’s top amenities, they are all conveniently close by.
Last Updated on by Namrata