Mosaic Park, Vancouver BC. Artistic direction by Glen Anderson and Kristine Stewart. Photo by J. Chong

A great thing about walking or biking around Vancouver, is getting up close and personal with hidden, outdoor public art.  If you are in a car, it does cut off your art-viewing “sight line” for certain outdoor art.  Especially mosaic art embedded into the ground or sidewalk.

Mosaic Park beckons you to stop, take time to stroll and examine more closely to appreciate its complex stream of 260 different mosaic designs and themes. This small park is located at Charles St. and McLean Dr., one block away from the Adanac bike route. It is in a residential neighbourhood.

It was completed in 1996 but given its buried art form, Mosaic Park is easy for some locals and visitors to miss. It is wonderful place for adults and children to browse for awhile.

Mosaic Park is community based outdoor art work which was funded partially by the city, with  help of over 500 volunteers, primarily residents in the Britannia neighbourhood. Glen Anderson and Kristine German provided artistic direction, with project coordination by Susan White.  Beside the coloured tile stream,  there is also pebble mosaic art that uses natural coloured stones.

Britannia residents originally wanted a water stream which was not approved by the city. Instead Mosaic Park art was conceived –in the shape of a stream.

Mosaic Park, Vancouver BC. Over 260 mosaic designs are interwoven into a flowing art stream. Photo by J. Chong

Bring your camera since there are some designs emblematic of west coast life and culture. You might debate among yourselves if there is a “right” way to see certain designs.  For more photos and details of this gem, click here.

Within 1 km. radius there are outdoor art murals and other artwork  in the Britannia neighbourhood.  Check out the East Side murals and their locations.

Mosaic Park evokes a spirit of harmonious co-existence that is best appreciated by looking at how many designs and perspectives contribute to a single community vision.

City of Vancouver bike map with street details: http://vancouver.ca/engsvcs/transport/cycling/bikeways/routes/