Cricket in Vancouver
Abstract:
This memorandum aims to enter the dialogue between the City of Vancouver and the Vancouver Parks Board regarding Stanley Park, Brockton Point playing fields, and proposes that the British Columbia Cricket Association (BCCA) and Brockton Point Cricket Grounds be added to the Stanley Park cultural and heritage asset list, with the cricket grounds managed and maintained by a trust.
The Early Years of Cricket in Vancouver
In 1867, cricket was declared Canada’s first national sport. British Columbia joined Confederation on July 20, 1871. The first international cricket test match between Canada and the USA was played in 1884 in Manhattan. Vancouver was incorporated on April 6, 1886. At a City Council meeting on May 12, 1886, Lochlan Alexander Hamilton, Land Commissioner for C.P. Rail, moved that the Canadian Government convey the Coal Harbour peninsula (Stanley Park) to the City for a public park. Permission was granted June 5, 1887, with the condition that Stanley Park could revert to the Dominion for defense purposes if needed.
In 1887, Campbell Sweeney, Manager of the Vancouver branch of the Bank of Montreal, incorporated the Vancouver Cricket Club. The first recorded cricket match in Vancouver took place in 1888 between Vancouver and Victoria at Cambie Street Grounds on C.P Rail land.
The first match of the Vancouver Cricket Club was an intra-club game between under-30s and over-30s, held March 30, 1889, beside George Black’s Tavern near the Pacific National Exhibition grounds.
Construction for the road around Stanley Park began in 1888 with a bridge across Lost Lagoon, allowing access to Brockton Point. Clearing a playing field in the Stanley Park forest began in 1890 and was completed by 1892, hosting the first match between Vancouver and a California side. The pavilion opened July 1, 1893, with Victoria XI opposing Vancouver XI, attracting 3,000 spectators. Brockton Point Athletic Club hosted multiple sports, including cricket, rugby, lacrosse, soccer, polo, golf, tennis, and archery.
Formation of Additional Clubs and Leagues
In 1905, Burrard Cricket Club was formed. Vancouver C.C. and Burrard C.C. joined in 1906 to form the Pacific Coast Cricket Association (PCCA). By 1913, the PCCA hosted a week-long cricket event alternately in Vancouver and Victoria. Vancouver Cricket Club won the BCMCL 1st division championship in 1914. Cowichan Cricket Club, incorporated in 1912, won the Pacific Coast trophy in 1913 and 1914 and continues to operate today.
An Act in 1889 incorporated the Brockton Point Athletic Club, allowing land acquisition, construction, and borrowing, while limiting member liability. A lease agreement with the City allowed the clearing and development of Brockton Point lands for cricket. The Club achieved profitability by 1900 but struggled during recessions and changing sports popularity.
Financial difficulties led to the surrender of Brockton Point grounds in 1913. Title and improvements were transferred to the Vancouver Parks Board. The Rugby section formed the Brockton Point Cricket Club the same year, entering the BC Mainland Cricket League (BCMCL) in 1914.
By 1914, six clubs Vancouver, Brockton Point, Burrard, British Isles Public Schools, New Westminster, and Port Coquitlam formed the BCMCL. World War I reduced the number of active teams, but cricket was maintained through community effort.
The interwar years saw growth, including the Western Interprovincial series in 1922 and expansion to multiple divisions by 1929. In 1932, Bradman’s Australians toured North America, losing only once at Brockton Point.
After WWII, the Brockton Oval was repurposed for soccer and rugby. Cricket resumed in various parks across Vancouver, including Wolfson Field, Connaught Park, Hillcrest, Little Mountain, Montgomery Park, Brighouse, South Arm Park, and later Surrey. Brockton Point and Stanley Park lacked dedicated groundskeepers or forestry management for cricket.
Cliff Cox, a Vancouver cricket ambassador, hosted numerous international teams between 1959–1982, including New Zealand, Yorkshire, Australia, Kent, Hyderabad Blues, and the MCC.
From the 1970s onward, locally trained players emerged from junior development programs. The Vancouver Juniors fed talent into senior clubs, with the Brockton Point Cricket Club dominating the 1st division from 1978–1990. Graduates represented Canada in the 1978 World Cup and beyond.
Junior programs and academies, particularly in Surrey and Vancouver, contributed significantly to the growth of cricket. Women’s cricket development also began to take shape within these programs.
1951: Vancouver defeated MCC at Brockton Point in front of 1,200 fans.
1978: Canadian players from Vancouver Juniors competed in the World Cup.
1988: Brockton Point C.C. won the John Ross Robertson Trophy, marking the last Dominion club championship match.
The 2004 formation of the West Coast Cricket Organization led to a temporary splinter group attempting to access Brockton Point fields. The Vancouver Meralomas’ model of facility management set the standard for cricket, highlighting the need for cricket associations to raise funds and manage grounds professionally.
The BCCA, supported by affiliated cricket associations, should petition to have Brockton Point recognized as a cultural and heritage asset. Proposed actions include:
Leasing the Brockton cottage to cricket at equitable rates.
Restoring Upper and Lower Brockton to grass fields.
Hosting special events to engage the community and sustain cricket.
Grass pitches, historical preservation, and public access are key to maintaining Vancouver’s cricket legacy.
This consolidated page preserves the historical narrative, milestones, and governance issues while making the text easier to read and follow.