WARNING: High muggle area, be extremely subtle!
Choklit Park is a little park in the Fairview neighbourhood of Vancouver. The name Chokit came to be as this property used to be a Purdy's chocolate factory from 1949 to 1982.
History
In 1949, Purdy's purchased a former cafeteria building and converted it to a chocolate factory to expand their operations. The factory operated continuously until the early 1980s when Purdys Chocolates moved to larger premises at the corner of Kingsway and Earles. The former factory has since been transformed into housing.
Charles Flavelle, who co-owned Purdys Chocolates, got a $5,000 grant from the government and hired a "group of five hippies" to make the playground. They used driftwood and scrap wood along with the materials he provided. The park was finished by the end of summer in 1970 and quickly became popular in the neighbourhood and across the city. The first Choklit Park sign was suggested by a "hippie" carpenter, according to Flavelle, who said it should be spelled like a kid would.
Photos of Choklit Park over the years.
Two very steep wooden slides are pictured
Choklit Park Playground Photo Credit: Vancouver (B.C.). Planning Department, 1974
The building, (on the left) became the site of Purdy's factory. We can also see the Vancouver Iron and Engineering Works building and a portion of the railyard on the north shore, all situated within the industrial area of False Creek, which was revamped in the 1970s.
Photo Credit: Charles Flavelle
The future site of Choklit Park, two years before the revitalization.
Photo Credits: City of Vancouver Archives, 2010-006.207, photo by Ernie H. Reksten
Tree fort at Choklit Park in 1977 (Pictured: Charles Flavelle of Purdy's and unknown)
Photo Credits: City of Vancouver Archives, 2010-006.370, photo by Ernie H. Reksten
The original Choklit Park sign
Photo: Vancouver Heritage Foundation photo
View from the Park in 1977
Photo Credit: Ernie Reksten
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🌿 Land Acknowledgment
This geocache is located on the traditional, unceded territories of the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh Nations.
West 7th cycle path series
For those of you out for a spin with the family, we have planned several easy finds along this cycle route. They are all small as this is a very urban area which is full of muggles night and day! Please bring your own writing implement as they are all micros or small and may not have any room for pens or pencils in the cache. Please replace the caches carefully as the spots were chosen to be tucked away from unintended discovery.
Transportation? If possible, bike, walk or transit while doing this series. It’s great for your health and the environment! If you are transiting, the #99, #9 or the #50 bus is nearby or you could take the Canada Line.