As a family-oriented community, Tsawwassen is known for having an abundance of parks and recreational facilities. Whether it’s a hot summer day at the beaches of Boundary Bay or a snowy winter afternoon sledding down the hills at Diefenbaker Park, Tsawwassen’s beautiful public parks offer residents joy and relaxation all year round.
Centennial Beach
Located on the Western side of Boundary Bay, Centennial Beach is by far the most popular public beach in Tsawwassen, and probably in all of South Delta as well. The sand here is far softer and less rocky than most of the beaches in the southern part of Metro Vancouver, which helps explain why it is such a popular destination all summer long. While parents often play with their children in the water, senior citizens tend to enjoy scenic walks along the dike or long rests on the park’s many waterfront benches. Area teenagers, for their part, often make use of the park’s volleyball courts for a quick game with friends, or take advantage of the area’s unique aquatic topography to practice their skimboarding in the shallows.
Diefenbaker Park
Named after a former Prime Minister, Diefenbaker Park‘s most popular annual event is probably its large celebration every Canada Day (July 1st), where a family fair is held which includes face-painting, games, and free food. With its large size and geographic bowl shape, Diefenbaker is the site of many impromptu sporting activities, including frisbee games, pick-up soccer, catch, jogging, and dog-walking. Due to its long, gradual slopes of thick grass, Diefenbaker is perhaps best known as a place where children go sledding in the rare event that Tsawwassen sees a snowfall in the winter. It also features a fully-functional playground and a well-maintained central pond.
Tsawwassen Skatepark
Since it was first approved for construction in 2002, the Tsawwassen Skatepark has proven to be an extremely popular local amenity, particularly among the youth. Featuring a number of rails, ramps, steps and inclines, Tsawwassen Skatepark is the perfect place for young skaters to learn the tricks of the trade, and for older skaters to master their art. A number of skateboarding events have been held at the park in recent years, including competitions and demonstrations; these have, in turn, drawn a number of celebrity skateboarders to the park, including Ryan Sheckler of the MTV reality show Life of Ryan.
Pebble Hill Park
There is no place in Tsawwassen that better emphasizes practicality than Pebble Hill Park. Beneath its smooth surface, Pebble Hill Park hosts some of the most important water reservoirs in Metro Vancouver, while above the surface, it features sport courts for badminton or tennis, grassy fields for soccer and field hockey, a baseball/softball diamond, and a small forested area with walking trails. Dog owners will be particularly pleased to hear that a part of Pebble Hill Park under the BC Hydro right-of-way is currently designated as an “off-leash” area where dogs can run and play freely.
Imperial Park
Located beside its namesake neighbourhood of Imperial Village, Imperial Park is a sort of “jack of all trades, master of none” insofar as it boasts an impressive variety of amenities, while specializing in none in particular. The park begins with a sloping hill on its South side which is used by children for sledding in the event of a winter snowfall, and then evens out at the base of the hill to play host to a playground, a baseball diamond, and ample green space for soccer or frisbee games.
Winskill Park
Conveniently located along 56th St. in the heart of Tsawwassen, Winskill Park is probably the community’s most frequently-used park. With multiple baseball diamonds, a disc golf course, and an artificial turf field used for soccer and field hockey, Winskill regularly plays host to a variety of organized sports; beyond that, residents also make use of it for dog-walking, jogging, and picnics. For those who feel more at home in the pool than on the field, the nearby Winskill Aquatic and Fitness Centre boasts a full-sized swimming pool, a kiddie pool, a hot tub, a sauna, and a fully-equipped fitness gym. Winskill is also important to the community’s cultural life, as it is the site of the annual Tsawwassen Sun Festival.
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