Capilano Suspension Bridge

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The Capilano Suspension Bridge is a simple suspension bridge crossing the Capilano River in the District of North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The current bridge is 136 metres long and 70 metres above the river. It is part of a private facility, with a charge for admission, and draws over 800,000 visitors a year. North Shore residents often go to the nearby Lynn Canyon Suspension Bridge instead, as there is no admission fee.

Contents 1 History 2 Other park features 3 Incidents 4 Popular culture 5 References 6 See also 7 External links

[edit] History

In 1888, George Grant Mackay, a Scottish civil engineer and land developer, arrived in the city of Vancouver, British Columbia. As City Park Commissioner he was one of the people to set aside Stanley Park as a recreational area. He also bought and sold farm land in the Okanagan, founding the city of Vernon. Mackay purchased 24 square kilometres of dense forest on either side of Capilano River and built a cabin on the very edge of the canyon wall. Assisted by two local natives and a team of horses, Mackay suspended a hemp rope and cedar plank bridge across the river. Natives called it the "laughing bridge" because of the noise it made when wind blew through the canyon. The bridge and Mackay's cabin became a popular destination. After his death, the hemp rope bridge was replaced by a wire cable bridge in 1903.

In 1910 Edward Mahon purchased the Capilano Suspension Bridge. Mahon built the Tea House in 1911, using cedar timbers stacked one on top of the other. Unsure of the bridge's strength, Mahon reinforced it with additional cables in 1914.

"Mac" MacEachran purchased the Bridge from Mahon in 1935 and invited local natives to place their totem poles in the park, adding a native theme. In 1945, he sold the bridge to Henri Aubeneau.

In 1953 Rae Mitchell purchased the bridge property from Henri Aubeneau. A dynamic businessman, Mitchell aggressively promoted his attraction world-wide. Unsure of the 1914 cable strength, he completely rebuilt the bridge in 5 days in 1956, encasing the cables in 11.8 tonnes of concrete at either end. He developed the trails on the west side of the bridge and converted the Tea House into the Trading Post Gift Store. When Mitchell retired, business declined and Capilano Suspension Bridge and Park faced an uncertain future.

The park was sold to Nancy Stibbard, the current owner, in 1983. Annual attendance has since increased, and in May 2004, Treetops Adventures was opened. This new attraction consists of seven footbridges suspended between old-growth Douglas Fir trees on the west side of the canyon, forming a walkway up to 30 metres above the forest floor.

[edit] Other park features

As well as the bridge itself and Treetops Adventure, the park also features rainforest ecotours, award-winning gardens, nature trails, North America's largest private collection of First Nations story poles, period decor and costumes, and exhibits highlighting the park's history and the surrounding temperate rain forest. Guests can also witness a First Nations performance, featuring costumes, masks, dancing and storytelling.

[edit] Incidents

On September 22, 1999 when a mother, Nadia Hama, dropped her 18 month old child, Kaya, off the bridge. Hama claimed she stumbled accidentally and the child slipped from her grasp. Fortunately, because the child fell in an area with heavy tree cover, the baby was unharmed. Hama took legal actions against Capilano Holdings Limited, the parent company of the Capilano Suspension Bridge. In her suit she claimed that the operators were negligent in failing to warn the public not to carry children across the narrow bridge, that the bridge is "inherently unstable and dangerous" and that signs should be posted warning visitors to watch their step while crossing the bridge. She also claimed that damage was done to her reputation, leaving her unable to hold a steady job. Hama's lawyer later said the notoriety from the incident forced his client to move to Toronto.

The case was settled out of court with an undisclosed outcome. Hama's ex-husband, North Vancouver securities lawyer Kjeld Werbes, now has custody of Kaya and their son, Jovan, who was four at the time of the incident.

On November 26, 2006, a 300 year old Douglas fir tree toppled during a heavy snow storm.^[1] The tree fell across the western end of the bridge. The bridge did not collapse, but park officials anticipate a closure of at least one month while damage is assessed.

[edit] Popular culture

The bridge has been featured as a setting in episodes of several television series, including MacGyver, Sliders, and The Crow: Stairway to Heaven.

[edit] References

[edit] See also

• Capilano River
• Capilano River Regional Park

[edit] External links

• Official Capilano Suspension Bridge and Park website

Landmarks in Greater Vancouver
Canada Place | Capilano Suspension Bridge | Gastown | Fairmont Hotel Vancouver | Grouse Mountain | Harbour Centre | Science World at TELUS World of Science | Vancouver Public Library

Bridges and Tunnels in Greater Vancouver
Road bridges:		Alex Fraser Bridge | Arthur Laing Bridge | Burrard Street Bridge | Cambie Street Bridge | Dinsmore Bridge | Dollarton Bridge | Dunsmuir Viaduct | Georgia Viaduct | Golden Ears Bridge | Granville Street Bridge | Ironworkers Memorial Second Narrows Crossing | Knight Street Bridge | Lions' Gate Bridge | Moray Bridge | No. 2 Road Bridge | Oak Street Bridge | Pattullo Bridge | Pitt River Bridge | Port Mann Bridge | Queensborough Bridge | Sea Island Bridge | Westham Island Bridge
Road-rail bridges:		Derwent Way Bridge
Rail bridges:		CNR Bridge | Fraser River Swing Bridge | Marpole Bridge | Second Narrows Bridge | Skybridge
Pedestrian bridges:		Capilano Suspension Bridge | Lynn Canyon Suspension Bridge
Road tunnels:		Cassiar Tunnel | George Massey Tunnel
Rail tunnels:		B.C. Railway Tunnel | CNR Tunnel | Douglas Tunnel | Dunsmuir Tunnel | Lonsdale Tunnel