The park's major feature is a natural amphitheatre which has been adapted to the staging of outdoor events such as movie showings and concerts. Initially opened in 2005, or shortly after, the park was rebranded as a BC Spirit Square and reopened on May 15, 2010. B.C. Spirit Squares are parks now found in communities throughout BC, created to help celebrate BC150 – the 150th anniversary of the founding of the Crown Colony of British Columbia in 1858.
Behind the amphitheatre are washrooms and benches, near which is a bronze statue of
David Thompson, extraordinary explorer, cartographer, surveyor and fur trader and his wife
Charlotte Small, daughter of a Scottish born fur trader and a Cree woman. The two were married on June 10, 1799 when Charlotte was thirteen and David was twenty nine. They remained lifelong companions. Travelling with Thompson on his voyages of discovery, Charlotte proved invaluable to him as she was fluent in English, French and Cree, and also able to decipher related dialects of other tribes. With her native appearance, she was able to move freely among the natives they encountered in their travels and easily gain their trust.
The statue itself stands atop a heavy four sided concrete plinth with plaques all around and bronze reliefs on each side, each depicting an event in the travels of David & Charlotte. On one side of the plinth is this plaque, honouring Jack Hamill, Les & Edna Price, Charles Osterloh and Norman, Daryl and Heather Johnson. Text from the plaque follows.
MEMORIAL
BRUCE & SANDRA FIELL FAMILY
IN MEMORY OF JACK HAMILL
JOHN AND CAROL MARSHALL
IN MEMORY OF LES & EDNA PRICE
THE FAMILY
IN MEMORY OF CHARLES OSTERLOH
THE JOHNSON FAMILY IN MEMORY OF
NORMAN (DAD) DARYL (BROTHER) HEATHER (SISTER)
COLUMBIA LODGE #38
TO ACKNOWLEDGE ALL OF OUR
MASONIC BRETHREN
PAST AND PRESENT