James Cunningham
Jimmy (James) Cunningham was born in 1878 on the Isle of Bute in Scotland. He arrived in Canada in 1910, and served in WW I with the Canadian Expeditionary Force. He worked extensively as a stonemason, working on projects such as UBC, Vancouver homes, pools at Lumberman’s Arch, Second and Kits beaches, and Empress and Banff Springs hotels. In 1917, he began constructing the Stanley Park seawall. He spent over thirty-two years of his life on the project until his death. He continued supervising the construction until his death, and more than once, showed up to the construction in his pajamas. In 1931, he was named master stonemason for Vancouver Parks Board to secure Stanley Park’s shores. Cunningham began the route at Brockton, supervising the building of the lighthouse and seawall. He retired in 1955, but supervised the wall until his death, completing three miles. He died on 29th September 1963, long before the wall was finished, but remains the one most associated with the project, and a commemorative plaque can be found near Siwash Rock, also where his ashes were scattered.
written and posted by Z.T
written and posted by Z.T