Lions Gate Bridge · 88th Birthday · 12 November 1938–2026 · 1938–2026
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Topic · 1938–1939

Opening and the royal visit

Published

When did the Lions Gate Bridge open?

The Lions Gate Bridge opened for public use on Saturday 12 November 1938, to people on foot. Cars followed on Monday 14 November 1938. The bridge company held its opening ceremony on 26 May 1939, and King George VI and Queen Elizabeth drove across on 29 May 1939.

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The full account, with every source, is in the story below.

Stories on this topic

  1. 5 November 2026

    Who was the first person to cross the Lions Gate Bridge?

    No one can be sure. On 12 November 1938 The Vancouver Sun named Mrs. Mary Sutton, 75, as first across, but said five others claimed it too.

  2. 29 October 2026

    When did the Lions Gate Bridge open? Why you’ll find four dates

    The Lions Gate Bridge opened for public use on 12 November 1938, on foot. Cars followed two days later; the ceremony and the royal drive came in May 1939.

The record

  1. 12 November 1938

    The bridge opens to people on foot on a Saturday. Some sources call this the opening day for all traffic; most split the days.

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  2. 14 November 1938

    The bridge opens to cars, and car tolls begin.

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  3. 26 May 1939

    The company holds the official opening ceremony at the Capilano Golf Club. The promoter of the bridge, A.J.T. Taylor, is honoured and gives a speech.

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  4. 29 May 1939

    King George VI and Queen Elizabeth drive across the bridge in an open car. They decline a request to stop for an opening ceremony.

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Sources

  1. S108 Vancouver history events archive / chronology · vancouverhistory.ca (Chuck Davis legacy site), n.d.
  2. S052 Lions Gate Bridge (West Vancouver heritage page) · District of West Vancouver, n.d.
  3. S146 80 years ago, people walked across the Lions Gate Bridge for the first time · North Shore News, 2018
  4. S059 City of Vancouver Archives, search for 'Lions Gate Bridge' · City of Vancouver Archives, 2026
  5. S058 Building a Vancouver Icon: The Lions Gate Bridge (online exhibit, 34 pages) · MONOVA: Museum & Archives of North Vancouver, n.d.
  6. S103 The man behind the bridge · Cynthia Heinrichs, BC Magazine, 2014
  7. S002 Lions Gate Bridge National Historic Site (news release backgrounder, archived) · Government of Canada / Parks Canada, 2010
  8. S221 Taylor Made (blog post on A.J.T. Taylor) · Anne-Marie Lawrence, North Shore Heritage Preservation Society, 2024
  9. S109 Lions Gate Bridge (article, wikitext as of 2026-10-23) · Wikipedia, 2026
  10. S089 Exploring Vancouver: The Architectural Guide · Harold Kalman & Robin Ward, Douglas & McIntyre, 2012
  11. S062 Construction of the Lion's Gate Bridge, Vancouver (industrial film 1937-1939, F1986:29/002) · BC Archives / MoTH films, 1939