Little Mountain (British Columbia) facts for kids
Little Mountain, which is about 125 meters (410 feet) tall, is a small mountain right in the middle of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. It's a special place because it's home to Queen Elizabeth Park, which sits right on top of the mountain. You can also find Nat Bailey Stadium, a popular sports venue, near its base. This mountain is so important that it even gave its name to the nearby Riley Park–Little Mountain neighborhood.
The Story of Little Mountain
How Little Mountain Was Formed
Little Mountain isn't just a regular hill; it's actually a very old piece of rock that pushed up from the ground a long, long time ago. It was formed between 31 and 34 million years ago! Imagine, that's even before dinosaurs disappeared! It's what scientists call a "volcanic outcropping," which means it's a part of an ancient volcano that cooled down and became solid rock.
From Quarry to Park: Little Mountain's Past
The land where Little Mountain stands was once owned by a big company called the Canadian Pacific Railway. This company started a quarry there in 1890. A quarry is a place where people dig out rocks from the ground. They were digging for a type of rock called basalt, which is a strong, dark rock.
For over 20 years, until 1911, the basalt rocks from Little Mountain were used to build roads in different parts of Vancouver, like Gastown and Shaughnessy.
Later, in the 1920s, one of the big holes left by the quarry was turned into a water reservoir. This reservoir held water for the city to use. But things changed again! In 1940, Queen Elizabeth Park was created on top of Little Mountain. To make space for the park, the old water reservoir was covered up and became a parking lot for visitors.
