
He purchased 6,000 acres of forest land on either side of the Capilano River and eventually suspended a bridge from one side to the other. The bridge was made of hemp rope and cedar planks. In 1903, it was replaced by a wire cable bridge. Capilano Suspension Bridge
Capilano Suspension Bridge
The Capilano Suspension Bridge is a simple suspension bridge crossing the Capilano River in the District of North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The current bridge is 140 metres long and 70 metres above the river. It is part of a private facility with an admission fee, and draws over 1.…
Full Answer
What happened to the Capilano Suspension Bridge?
The original Capilano Suspension Bridge was built in 1889. Its first cables were actually hemp ropes. Since then the ropes have been replaced with cables strong enough to hold up a fully loaded 747 airliner! The bridge is 450 feet (137 m) long and hangs 230 feet (70m) above Capilano River. Millions of people from all over the world have visited the bridge including rock stars, …
What is there to do at Capilano Suspension Bridge Park?
1888. In 1888, George Grant Mackay, a Scottish civil engineer and land developer, arrived in the young city of Vancouver in Canada. Mackay purchased 6,000 acres of dense forest on either side of Capilano River and built a cabin on the very edge of the canyon wall. In 1889 he suspended a footbridge made of hemp rope and cedar planks across the ...
What type of bridge is the Capilano Bridge?
Aug 16, 2018 · In 1903, the bridge was replaced with a wire cable bridge, which was then reinforced significantly in 1914. The current bridge was installed in 1956, with the heavy cables encased in 13 tons of concrete on each end.
Did NCT 127 visit the Capilano Suspension Bridge?
The Capilano Suspension Bridge will forever be the main attraction, as it offers a stunning panoramic view of British Columbia’s most stately Douglas fir trees. Standing squarely in the center of the Capilano Suspension Bridge is akin to floating above one of Canada’s most beautiful forests. Just try not to think too hard about the fact ...

What was the significance of the Capilano Suspension Bridge study?
When was the Capilano Suspension Bridge rebuilt?
Is Capilano Suspension Bridge Safe?
How many owls are in the Capilano Suspension Bridge?
What is the oldest bridge in Vancouver?
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Capilano Suspension Bridge.
Capilano Suspension Bridge Park | |
---|---|
Total length | 140 metres (460 ft) |
Height | 70 metres (230 ft) |
History | |
Opened | 1889 |
Has anyone jumped off the Capilano Suspension Bridge?
Is Capilano Suspension Bridge scary?
Is Capilano Suspension Bridge free?
How long does Capilano Bridge take?
How many can lights at canyon Lights?
Are dogs allowed on Capilano Suspension Bridge?
What is Vancouver known for?
How long is the Capilano suspension bridge?
The current bridge is 140 metres (460 ft) long and 70 metres (230 ft) above the river. It is part of a private facility with an admission fee, and draws over 1.2 million visitors per year.
When did the Down syndrome child get off the bridge?
In September 1999, a woman dropped her 18-month-old child with Down syndrome off the bridge. She claimed she stumbled accidentally and the child slipped from her grasp. The child was not seriously injured. The woman lost legal custody of her child to the child's father as a result of the incident. The woman took legal action against the owner of the bridge, her ex-husband and the Federal Department of Justice. The case against the owner of the bridge was settled in 2004.
Where did the name Capilano come from?
Ever wonder where the name Capilano comes from? It is actually a First Nations name belonging to the Squamish Nation and originally spelled Kia’palano, meaning “beautiful river”. Kia’palano was the name of a great Squamish chief who lived in this area in the early part of the 1800s. Over time “Kia’palano” was anglicized into “Capilano”: a word that has become the namesake of our bridge and park as well as the river and surrounding area.
Who was Mac in the bridge?
Mac swept her off her feet and they married in 1921. Mac was an aggressive promoter, advertising the bridge as the ‘eighth wonder of the world’. Meagre earnings forced Mac to seek employment elsewhere in the off-season and for several winters he managed warehouses in Tahiti for rum-running friends.
Who was Edward Mahon?
Edward Mahon arrived in Vancouver in 1888 and began mining operations in the Nelson-Slocan area, naming the camp Castlegar after his ancestral home in Ireland. Returning to Vancouver, he purchased and developed land and businesses on the North Shore, among them Capilano Suspension Bridge. In 1910, 48 year old Mahon met and fell in love with Lilette, the 19 year old daughter of his deceased friend, James Rebbeck. He arranged for Lilette’s mother, Elizabeth to manage his bridge property. The plan worked – he married Lilette a year later. Mahon built the Tea House in 1911 and continued to improve the Capilano Suspension Bridge property, reinforcing the bridge with additional cables in 1914.
The Draw of the Bridge
Having said that, I was shocked and baffled to learn that the most popular tourist attraction in the city—nay, in the entire province—is a footbridge. Incredible but true: each year over 800,000 people pay a healthy sum to walk across the Capilano Suspension Bridge. Now, it is indeed quite a nice bridge, as suspension footbridges go.
Weights and Measures
The Capilano Suspension Bridge is 450 feet (137m) long and 230 feet (70m) above the canyon floor. Because it hangs freely between the supports on either end, it sways and bounces as you walk across it. This gives the illusion that it’s risky, but the bridge has been designed for complete safety.
When was the Capilano Suspension Bridge built?
The bridge was originally built in 1889. The earliest version of the Capilano Suspension Bridge was built in 1889 and made from hemp rope and wooden planks. In 1903 the original bridge was reconstructed and made from wire cable.
How high is the Capilano suspension bridge?
The Capilano Suspension Bridge is 230 feet high. The Capilano Suspension bridge is situated 230 feet above the Capilano River. It spans 460 feet from end to end. The bridge is constructed of cable and concrete and according to the park’s website, can hold up to 96 fully grown elephants. 3.
Where did the name Capilano come from?
Through this exhibit you’ll learn that Capilano came from the First Nation’s word Kia’palano, meaning beautiful river. Kia’palano was the name of a Squamish Chief from the Squamish Nation who lived in the region in the early 1800s. Over time, Kia’palano was anglicized to Capilano.
What is the cliff walk in Capilano?
One of the most exciting features of the Capilano Suspension Bridge Park, well besides the suspension bridge of course, is the Cliff Walk. The Cliff Walk is a series of narrow walkways that circle around the rainforest tree tops.
How long to spend in the park?
You should plan to spend anywhere from 90 minutes to 3 hours inside the park. There’s a lot more to see than just the bridge. Take your time and read the information signs around the park, it’s history is quite interesting. Plus it’s fun to learn about all the plants and critters that live there.
Where is the Capilano Suspension Bridge?
If you travel a up the Capilano River from its mouth near the Lions Gate Bridge in Vancouver, BC, you’ll come to a long bridge suspended high up over the valley. This is the Capilano Suspension Bridge, one of British Columbia’s oldest and most popular tourist attractions.
Who was the first park commissioner in Vancouver?
In 1887, a Scottish civil engineer and real estate developer named George Grant Mackay sold his assets in the Highlands and left for the young city of Vancouver, Canada. An avid outdoorsman, he quickly became one of Vancouver’s first park commissioners, and was instrumental in the formation of Stanley Park.

Overview
History
The bridge was originally built in 1889 by George Grant Mackay, a Scottish civil engineer and park commissioner for Vancouver. It was originally made of hemp ropes with a deck of cedar planks, and was replaced with a wire cable bridge in 1903. In 1910 Edward Mahon purchased the Capilano Suspension Bridge. "Mac" MacEachran purchased the Bridge from Mahon in 1935 and invited local natives to place their totem polesin the park, adding a native theme. In 1945, he sold the bri…
Incidents
In September 1999, a woman dropped her 18-month-old child with Down syndrome off the bridge. She claimed she stumbled accidentally and the child slipped from her grasp. The child was not seriously injured. The woman lost legal custody of her child to the child's father as a result of the incident. The woman took legal action against the owner of the bridge, her ex-husband and the Federal Department of Justice. The case against the owner of the bridge was settled in 2004.
Popular culture
The bridge has been featured as a setting in episodes of several television series, including MacGyver, Sliders, The Crow: Stairway to Heaven, and Psych.
In 1974, social psychologists Donald Dutton and Arthur Aron conducted a well-known experiment on the bridge. Men approached by a female researcher on the bridge were more likely to call her later than men approached on a more solid bridge across the river. Dutton and Aron argued that …
See also
• Capilano River
• Capilano River Regional Park
• Lynn Canyon Suspension Bridge
• List of notable pedestrian bridges
External links
• Official Capilano Suspension Bridge and Park website
• Capilano Suspension Bridge (1889) at Structurae
• Capilano Suspension Bridge (1903) at Structurae