Britannia Shipyards
Markus resting at one of the benches along the Steveston walk
You don't have to go very far to know that the city of Richmond is filled with so much history. Just by walking around the famous Steveston Village, we get a glimpse of what Richmond once was by its monuments, statues, structures and buildings that have been preserved all this time.
On one of our recent walks with Markus, we started at Steveston Village, but rather than going around the village, we went along the water and down the length of Shady Island. What we discovered was another part of history - one that extends from the village. While it is a bit hidden off to the edge of Richmond, it is part of a rich history that we got to walk through and experience today, reimagining what it might've been like back in those days.
If you're looking for a walk down by the water, but wanted to try something different other than walking through Steveston Village, we recommend checking this path out. Especially when the weather is nice or around sunset, there's nothing like experiencing Richmond by the water.
Starting from Steveston Village
We started our walk from Steveston Village, but you can definitely start at the other end and work your way back. Please note that this is a one-way trip and it's a walk that took us around 45 minutes to an hour to do. At the end of this trip, you will be about 3km further from your car or where you started.
Wherever you are in Steveston Village, start by heading towards the water or towards Fisherman's Wharf. Once you hit Bayview St., you want to head up down the sidewalk until you hit the Starbucks. From there, you'll want to veer slightly off the sidewalk and towards the water, where there is a dock. While this dock is no longer in use, this area used to be home to the Imperial Cannery, one of the biggest canneries in the world at the time. Boats would be docked at this structure that's been kept and preserved to recognize its place in history.
If you keep following this path, you will eventually wind up at Imperial Landing. From here, there is a small body of water that juts into the path and you can either go around it or take the bridge to go across it. On the other side, there are some more docks and boardwalks for you to walk on and get closer to the water. This area's recently been renovated and it's a quiet, but nice place to walk. Unfortunately, at the time of this writing, there is construction along this path, so you'll have to take a detour to get around.
On the other side of the construction area, you'll find yourself entering a historic site with older looking buildings and a boardwalk that's built above the water. Our little tour into the history of Richmond continues here, at the Britannia Shipyards.
As you walk through this site (dogs are permitted along the outside, just be respectful of the space), you'll begin to realize how this site wasn't just a place of work, but it was a community. The shipyard was once a thriving mixture of canneries, boatyards and even residences. Throughout the site, there are signs in front of building and it's worth taking out a bit of your time to read about its history.
Although it's a small space that you can walk through within a couple minutes, all connected by a boardwalk, it's important to recognize the vibrance of this space and its place in history, including the Murakami House, the Britannia Shipyards and the Chinese Bunkhouse, which was relocated here. You can visit and enter these buildings during the day, but you definitely won't be able to do it with your dog.
About the Britannia Shipyards
Markus standing on the tracks of one of the shipyards
The historical buildings at the Britannia Shipyards National Historic Site were originally constructed as a cannery and it was one of the busiest canneries on the Fraser River, producing canned salmon that would be shipped around the world. In 1912, a landslide would cause the salmon to decline in coming into this area, which forced the canneries to close or change to other uses. The cannery here would be converted into a shipyard for boat repairs and although it's no longer open for business, you can still visit it today.
Murakami House
The Murakami House was built in the late 1800's over a marsh and it housed a family of 10 children and the parents who lived here from 1929 to 1942. If you think your space is cramped, imagine living in this house with 12 people! Beyond the Murakami family, this area had a rich history of Japanese people including a duplex that housed all of the workers at the Phoenix Cannery or the ones that worked as boatbuilders. Today, the house is open to visitors and the story of the Murakami family is told within its walls and the artefacts that they've provided.
The Chinese Bunkhouse
Markus standing just outside the walls of the Chinese Bunkhouse
This is the last surviving Chinese Bunkhouse in the west coast. This building was originally located in Knight Inlet and was eventually located here. Centuries ago, this house was home to 75-100 Chinese cannery workers who were employed through contractors and worked a variety of jobs on a canning line. Today, this exhibit has been restored and is open to the public so they can experience and learn the stories of the hardships that these workers experienced in the early years.
All of the information on the Britannia Shipyards was found on the Richmond website, found here.
Continuing the walk
Markus looking out into the sunset by London Landing
From the Chinese Bunkhouse, you can head upwards past the parking lot towards Westwater Dr. You can follow this path, which eventually becomes Dyke Rd. Along the Great West Cannery Park, there is a trail that'll take you all the way down to No. 2 Rd. and you can take a right from there to go down to the London Landing Wharf. Alternatively, you can keep following the road along Dyke Rd., which will take you around to the wharf.
Whichever one you pick in the beginning, you'll have to stick with that one since there's a ditch that runs in between and you won't be able to cut back to the other path. For the sake of safety, we'd recommend just taking the trail as opposed to walking on the road, even though it's a quiet one.
Once you get to London Landing Wharf, it's a great place to stop and enjoy the stillness, especially if it's around sunset. Around this area are a few of our favourite places, including the Sanctuary Cafe for some coffee, Diplomat Bakery for some of the best cake we've ever had or Ember Indian Kitchen for some fusion of East African and East Indian food!
Our Recommendation for Reactive Dogs
This walk is very open area and it's great for dogs, especially since most of them were on-leash here. Do note that while you can walk through the Britannia Shipyards National Historic Site with your dog, you won't be able to enter any of the buildings. Just be sure to recognize the significance of the space and (as much as possible) try not to let your pup do their business here.
We should mention that the boardwalks of the site are a little bit more confined as well, so if you do come across other dogs, it's going to be harder to get around them. If you're worried about that, you can always stay on the main road rather than going into the shipyards.
When we originally did this walk, we were just hoping to get from one point to another. By the end of it, not only did we get to experience the beauty of Richmond along the water, but we also got a glimpse of its history and what made this city into what it is today.
Disclaimer
Markus is a reactive, but not aggressive dog. His instinct is to avoid other dogs and he may growl, bark or lunge if provoked, but will not attack. We normally do not have issues with leashed dogs when both sides are controlled, but we will be on guard when an oncoming dog is not leashed. There are varying levels to a dog’s reactivity and only you can decide if this park, trail or hotel is appropriate for your dog. Our visits generally will not include off-leash areas; most experiences shared on The Markus Project are within leashed or undefined areas.
Please remember that our past experience visiting a park, trail or hotel may not be the same as your experience at the same park, trail or hotel. We have no control of who visits the park and whether they adhere to park rules - like leashing their dogs on leash-required paths - or not. Please use your discretion with the information provided and with your personal knowledge of your dog’s reactivity when visiting these parks, trails or hotels.
