Maple Beach Park History

Below is a brief synopsis of the Paul Bemister Community Park history as prepared by executive members of the Maple Beach Property Owners Association. Some of the facts noted below were extracted from Paul Bemister’s interview with the Point Robert’s Historical Society, which can be found here.

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In the early years, there were two separate associations – the Boundary Bay Recreational Club (BBRC) and the Maple Beach Property Owners Association (MBPOA). At some point it was decided to merge these two groups as many families belonged to both groups.

The BBRC was started in the early 1930s as a way to offer swimming lessons in the ocean to the local children on both the Canadian and American side of the Boundary Bay border. The swimming lessons would end each season with the BBRC Regatta, which is a long-standing tradition for many families.

The MBPOA was started in the 1970s in response to controversy over property owners rights to beach access. A court judgment secured those beach rights for generations to come. The beach that runs along Bayview Drive is now a designated county park.

The BBRC had a clubhouse on the Canadian side of the border, a stone’s throw from the lower border crossing at Meadow Lane and Roosevelt Drive. This is approximately where the first colorful townhouse is currently located beside the dental office on the Canadian side. I still remember attending arts and craft sessions and bingo at the BBRC club house. Everyone wanted to win one of Muriel Tuffnail’s seashell collages which was the treasured blackout prize.

Around 1985-86, the BBRC Canadian clubhouse property was sold with the proviso that the proceeds be used by the MBPOA to purchase recreational land in the Maple Beach area solely for the use of the newly merged association, now known exclusively as the MBPOA. Shortly after the property was sold, a search was undertaken to locate a suitable property to house the MBPOA community park. Paul chaired the property committee that considered all available lots in the area. In 1987, Paul Bemister led the negotiations with the Whalen family to purchase seven lots located off Maple Street between Limerick and Derby. At the time, the land was named Maple Beach Park. 

In February of 1988, the lots were purchased and Paul applied to Whatcom County to ensure the park land would be zoned as community recreational facilities to ensure that the MBPOA members could use the parkland for its intended use as a community park. Approval was granted.

Over the next eight years, Paul organized approximately 450 dump truck loads of free dirt fill to be delivered to the land. The leveling was done by Jeff and Hank Peltier of Hank’s Backhoe. Most, if not all, of the dirt came from the residential development just north of Diefenbaker Park in Tsawwassen. The homes all had basements and the developer needed to get rid of the fill. It was perfect timing. The fill was necessary because the parkland was mostly swampy and unusable; not suitable for a park or a residence. The leveling of the park was done in sections with grass seed added until all of the land was seeded.

In 1989 Paul facilitated, organized, and managed the digging of the ditches around the park to allow for the necessary drainage.

In 1990, a perk test was done on the property which failed, confirming that washrooms on the property were not an option.

In 1993, Paul arranged for a power pole to be installed at the park which allowed electricity to be put in place. He and his dad, ‘Peter B’ oversaw this project. That same year he arranged for a sea container to hold the park equipment e.g .tables, chairs, bingo cards and he added spray foam inside the container to keep the moisture out.

Around the same time, in 1992-1993 Paul coordinated the building of the park shelter. This is a covered area where Kid’s Bingo takes place every Friday night in the summer – a longstanding Maple Beach tradition that all the local children look forward to.

In 1996, Paul arranged for final loads of dirt for the last section of the park that needed leveling and seeding on the east side of the property.

In 1994, Paul established the Hard Surface Court Committee to make plans for the next park project. With the help of the Maple Beach community, the project was completed and is now the tennis and pickleball courts.

Eventually, Paul coordinated the addition of a playground with a slide and swing set, a basketball court, concrete table tennis, memorial benches, and A Little Library. 

For many years, Paul was President of the MBPOA and was the Park Manager from its inception. This year he was serving as Past President. He played a leadership role in finding and procuring the property in 1988 and was still taking care of park maintenance as recently as this past summer, even when he knew his cancer was terminal. 

Paul volunteered thousands of hours of his time to several charities, many of which were in Vancouver’s downtown Eastside but it was the Maple Beach Park and MBPOA that was his life’s passion. In a recent post Paul referred to the park as a “labour of love.” He always said that he didn’t build it alone and that he had lots of helpers, but he was likely the guy who had stepped up first to get the ball rolling or to get the project started. 

The below map was hand drawn by Paul in 1991 and shows Paul’s vision for the park. This was drawn when the land was nothing but 7 empty lots of bare land. It is remarkable how closely this map depicts what the park looks like today. 

Paul helped to inspire and build a community where families and friends can gather and celebrate. This meant so much to him. He was devoted to this purpose, and he fulfilled it wholeheartedly. Paul was very much a “pay it forward” person. 

On August 4, the MBPOA renamed the Maple Beach Park “The Paul Bemister Community Park” as a tribute to Paul and his leadership. Paul was incredibly honoured to have this recognition bestowed upon him. I know for a fact Paul did not volunteer those hours for personal recognition but rather he wanted to see the community succeed. He wanted a place to be able to gather and have fun with his friends and family and in doing so, he helped to build not only a park but an extended family. The park was built with the vision of being a community gathering place and achieved that goal beyond all expectations.

Thank you, Paul, for your vision, leadership, dedication, and your selfless hard work for the collective fun.

Paul believed in making memories and these memories will be cherished by the many who knew him. In honor of Paul, let’s keep on making Maple Beach Memories!

The above article was submitted by Darleen Bemister, Paul's sister. Paul Bemister's obituary can be found here: bit.ly/3rAOqCx