Mountain View Cemetery

I don’t know anyone who resides here, however, I come here to have walk along the paths. For some reason, I feel more at peace knowing that below people are at peace. Very well maintained.

It’s Vancouver’s only cemetery so it sure is as good as it gets. Is it the best cemetery in the world visually? Maybe not, but it sure has a great view. I have used it as a location in a few of the film projects I’ve worked on, including an autobiographical one about a Cemetery Runner. One night I sat against a gravestone, smoked a clove cigarette, and wrote a poem for a girl that I liked. I thought it sucked, so I lit it on fire with the cigarette, and watched it burn on the gravestone.
The cemetery is awesome.

Milestone: 450^th review
Vancouver’s only cemetery! A beautiful cemetery with so much history.
I am often compelled to walk through here when traversing this part of the city. If I am alone I often feel like singing, for some strange reason. (This is what I end up singing if anyone is curious:
)
Self guided walk pdf:
It is divided into many sections, some of these sections spread out in different parts of the cemetery.
Commonwealth graves. Over 500 men and women who served and died in the First and Second World Wars are buried here. An additional 12,000-plus veterans who did not die during these conflicts (but have passed since) are interred here.
Columbarium. Spaces for cremated remains, this area was completed in 2008. I find it a lovely and beautifully peaceful area. A piece of art.
Jewish section: In the section north of 37^th, the Jewish section is in the southwest corner behind the hedge. (Just at the intersection of Fraser & 37^th)
There is a walking tour upcoming on July 11, 2012 @ 6:30 pm. Find out more about the people here as well as their customs and practices.
Event link:
Infant Area (s): For years, up to the 1970s, children who died at or close to birth were placed in common areas. Two of these sections have now been memorialized and marked for the special places they are.
Tragedy: Rogers Pass avalanche. The worst tragedy of this kind in Canadian history. The area, since 2010, has been marked with specially folded crane markers, lanterns, and Japanese cherry trees.
Firefighters sections. There is a total of 3 sections set out for those men and women who served their city in this fashion.
14 Vancouver Mayors including 1^st mayor: Malcolm Alexander MacLean
Tragedies: 1909 Street Car Disaster. Worst transit accident in Vancouver’s history when a lumber carrier crashed into a train killing everyone on board. It’s victims rest and are memorialized in a part of the Old Section (north of 37^th).
1919 Princess Sophia Wreck. Close to 41^st Avenue, nearly 60 victims of the tragic wreck are laid to rest.
Tragedy and unsolved mystery is found in the section south of 41^st. From her tombstone:
Janet K. Smith
Who met her death while in
the bloom of youth at Shaughnessy Heights
on July 26 1924 AD
22 years 1 month and 1 day
«On earth one gentle soul
the less, in heaven one
angel more.»
(Pic:
)

Haven’t had the pleasure of using the services of Mountain View Cemetery yet, but my dad and I did attend one of the Sunday tours, touted as Murders in Early Vancouver and Other Accidental Deaths. Sadly, the tour died before it even began.
Badly organized, no murders to speak of, uninspiring tour guide.
We had attended previous local tours with Secrets of the City and with John Atkin — both phenomenal.
I’ll probably give the tours another chance because this sort of thing is right up my alley even though this event was really disappointing. I think these tours have the potential to be great.