Lost in the woods there, is a small amphitheatre with three checkerboards that seem destined to return to nature. Unable to repel nature's attack, without the help of man, it is slowly returning to the primeval forest which surrounds it.

Almost impossible to see, by visitors to Stanley Park, the little amphitheatre lies to the North of Pipeline Road, the road that runs through the Rose Garden. The checkerboard is located West of the turn off to the parking area for the Children's Petting Zoo.

The Park Board staff member that I first talked to didn't know it existed. Rumour has it that a couple of the pieces were broken and the set was put in storage, wherever that is. Further investigation found that the pieces were not chessmen but checkers and rather unique pieces at that.

At one time in Vancouver there was a factory that made wooden pipe. As a gesture of goodwill, the pipe company cut cross sections of the clear cedar pipe, bound them with galvanized wire, fitted them with loops for lifting, and donated them to the park as checkers.

It is believed that a couple of the checkers were broken and as they were irreplaceable they were put in storage and forgotten. According to the Parks Board it has been over twenty-seven years since anyone has asked to use them.

GARTH R. MAKES HIS MOVE.

Not too many blocks distant from the amphitheatre, located on the main level of the Denman Street Mall, its close cousin fares a little better.

It is used occasionally, though when I was, first, there, which, grant you, was in the evening, the surrounding benches were occupied by two persons catching a few winks.

The chessmen are in the cupboard under the stairs to the West side and the key is available from the friendly staff at the Minifoto shop on the North side of the center court.

The overhead banner declares that center court is called `Community Chess Square'.

The chessboard is actually tiles in the floor of the foyer.

According to a 1994 article in the West End Times the idea was borrowed from the Park Royal Mall in West Vancouver in an attempt to bring European culture to the West End. The chessmen were hand carved under the guidance of Haida artist Clarence Mills.

The amphitheatre's more distant cousin resides across the water, on the opposite shore of the First Narrows. If one continues West on Pipeline road from the amphitheatre, gets back onto the Georgia Street Viaduct, and crosses the Lion's Gate Bridge, elder brother to the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, and bears West again, he will reach a split mall in the city of West Vancouver.

In the Southern half of the Park Royal Shopping Center is a constantly busy, man sized, chessboard. If it isn't in use, though it usually is, the chessmen are available from any member of security.

As well as the playing area in the center court, there are tables on the upper level that are usually in use and, as well, towards the administration office, there is a meeting room with eight tables with chessboards. These separate areas were originally designed as smoking and non smoking, however there are no set rules amongst the players or spectators.

Actually there is one rule, no talking of stocks and bonds. Other business conversations are acceptable and in fact have led to fortunes won and lost. More than one high-rise edifice within the city is a result of architects and engineers meeting to play chess.

Originally conceived by the Ambassador from Iran some fifteen years ago, millionaires, welfare recipients, children, seniors, beginners, world class professionals, male, female, players and spectators from around the world gather about the inlaid tiles now nicknamed the TV board.

The chessmen are a hand made Stauton Set. That is to say they are built to Chess Federation dimensions. No one seems to know who made them but awhile ago when a piece was stolen it was replaced by a carpenter in Squamish.

Unloved and unwanted, too shady and damp to be used but on the sunniest of days, our little amphitheatre relaxes in the knowledge that its cousins are known and loved.

(AUTHOR'S NOTE: This article was written in 2000, in 2006 the floor tile was replaced in the Park Royal Mall. The new tiling does not include a chess board. The area is now occupied by a Rogers Wireless outlet.

In 2007 I was told of another outdoor chess set, in Oppenheimer Park.

The pieces are made from lengths of 4 X 4 lumber and are available from the caretaker at the park office.

A HANDY LITTLE CART HAS BEEN DESIGNED TO TRANSPORT THE PIECES

END

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Mark K. of Prince George came across this `man sized' chess set at the Royal Decameron Hotel, near Bucerias (Puerto Vallarta) Mexico

MARK K. SAYS, "YOUR CHOICE, WHITE OR BLACK?"
PHOTO - `08/03 Courtesy of Helena K.

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