My favourite outdoor spaces and experiences in Burnaby

One of the things we are best known for in Burnaby is our exceptional network of parks, outdoor spaces and natural beauty. As we move into the warmer months, we get more opportunities to enjoy these spaces, and it’s also when we host many of our City events.

Moving from Vancouver to Burnaby many decades ago, it was an eye-opener to see all the parks and outdoor spaces. For someone who grew up on a farm back in Ireland, Burnaby very quickly felt like home.

These spaces and events are central to what makes Burnaby such a great place to be. They support active, healthy lifestyles, create opportunities for our diverse communities to come together, and reflect the values we share as a city.

A vibrant, livable city attracts visitors, which supports local businesses, and helps draw investment. As Burnaby continues to grow as a hub for high-tech and life sciences, many companies are prioritizing environmentally conscious locations with access to green space. It’s also a strong draw for businesses looking to attract and retain top talent.

We saw the true value of these spaces during the COVID-19 pandemic. Like many residents, my wife and I spent countless hours walking through our parks and neighbourhoods—routes and routines we continue to this day.

Like all cities as they grow, living spaces are ultimately becoming smaller. That makes maintaining and ensuring access to parks, nature and community events essential to our residents’ quality of life—and therefore a clear focus for us as we continue to engage with residents and make plans to expand these spaces in line with the city's anticipated growth.

My favourite outdoor spaces in Burnaby

One of my favourite outdoor spaces in Burnaby is Barnet Marine Park. What makes it so special is how different it feels from many of our other great parks—it sits right on the shores of Burrard Inlet, with open views across the water toward Belcarra and the North Shore mountains.

It’s a unique setting, with a sandy beach and a real sense of history tied to the site. Whether it’s an early morning walk, a family picnic, or simply sitting and watching the boats pass by, it always offers a great change of scenery. For me, it’s my favourite place to walk. You’ll always see families and people of all ages enjoying themselves, which really captures what our parks are all about.

Barnet Marine Park is a culturally, environmentally, and historically significant site within Tsleil-Waututh traditional territory. Last year, the City signed a formal co-management agreement that creates opportunities for the City and səlilwətaɬ to work together to enhance recreational use and enjoyment of the park while celebrating and sharing səlilwətaɬ cultural history.

We marked the occasion by relocating a gifted pair of wolf eco-sculptures to Barnet Marine Park, where they are now seasonally displayed and today will be delivered, installed and prepared. Designed by səlilwətaɬ Elders and planted together, the sculptures reflect the belief that the Creator transformed the wolf into the first Tsleil-Waututh on the shores of Burrard Inlet, symbolizing shared belonging and Burnaby’s commitment to advancing reconciliation.

Another favourite is Burnaby Fraser Foreshore Park. It’s a great place to ride a bike, with wide, paved multi-use paths that feel safe and accessible for everyone. The routes are completely off-road, which makes a real difference—especially for families.

You can ride along the waterfront from Byrne Road almost all the way to New Westminster, following the Fraser River the entire time. Along the way, you’re surrounded by nature—meadows, marshes, and wildlife habitats—from river traffic to birds and even eagles nesting nearby.

A 900-metre section of the Fraser River dike in Burnaby Fraser Foreshore Park was completed in 2021, known as Reach 8. It extends from Glenlyon Creek to Byrne Creek and marked the final major dike upgrade along Burnaby’s 7-kilometre Fraser River frontage, as we continue to bring flood protection up to a modern 1:200 water-level standard to better safeguard people, businesses, and critical infrastructure.

The sunsets from Burnaby Mountain are unmatched—from the top, you can see everything from Richmond and downtown Vancouver to the North Shore mountains, and on a clear evening, all the way to Vancouver Island. The colours in the sky as the sun goes down are truly breathtaking.

It’s a spot we often go to for a picnic and glass of wine—with a blanket down on the hillside, watching the sunset unfold. You’ll always see families and people of all ages doing the same. With easy access right by the parking area and nearby restaurant, it’s one of those places that brings together incredible views, nature, and community all in one.

Up on the mountain you’ll also find the Centennial Rose Garden, with a wide variety of roses that change through the seasons, and the Kamui Mintara sculptures, created by Japanese artists, which give the space a distinct cultural presence.

On Burnaby Mountain, we are also investing in long-term conservation through the Burnaby Mountain Trail Management Plan, which focuses on protecting forests, wildlife habitat, and sensitive ecosystems by reducing erosion, restoring damaged areas, managing invasive species and responding to increasing visitor pressure.

We have so many great parks—Central Park has a 3.5 km loop through mature forest with a rubberized surface that makes walking easier on the joints, making it very accessible.

Deer Lake Park blends nature with the backdrop of Metrotown and the city skyline, where you can see wildlife and take in some of the most striking views in the city. Burnaby Lake offers a more immersive nature experience, with its 10 km loop and rich birdlife. Seeing the lake on a misty morning is one of my favourite views.

Not all green space in Burnaby is a City-designated park; parks are lands the City has formally set aside and protected—through Council and bylaws—for recreation, nature, and community use. All parks in Burnaby—there are over 150—are managed or co-managed by the City, with the sole exception of Burnaby Lake, which is managed by Metro Vancouver under a long term agreement due to its regional ecological significance.

Burnaby building on our legacy to become Canada’s competition capital

We also have Robert Burnaby Park, which is where I often start many of my cycles. From there, you can connect into a growing network of cycling routes around 6th Street and over the new overpass, passing the new community facilities under construction and the Burnaby Lake rugby fields, before linking onto the Central Valley Greenway. It’s a largely off-road route that gives you a continuous way to travel across the city and out toward Boundary Road.

Burnaby Blooms this weekend

Some of the best outdoor experiences in Burnaby come through our City events, which are among the most popular in the region—from summer street festivals to outdoor concerts. Burnaby Blooms this weekend is one of those.

Many of these events are free, making them accessible to everyone while showcasing our natural spaces and supporting local businesses, attracting people into the city and strengthening Burnaby’s reputation as a great place to live, work, study, invest and visit.

Held at Deer Lake Park this Sunday, this family-friendly celebration of art, nature and community features plant and artisan vendors, food trucks, eco-art installations, hands-on workshops, guided talks and tours, and live music. 

I’ll be there myself and performing with my guitar at 3:30 pm on the East Plaza, and I hope to see you there.

Increasing affordable housing supply–with Burnaby Housing Authority CEO John Brendan McEown