Lions Gate Bridge · 88th Birthday · 12 November 1938–2026 · 1938–2026
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Topic · 1889–1939

The lions

Published

Why is it called the Lions Gate Bridge?

The bridge is named after the harbour entrance it crosses. In 1889 Judge John Hamilton Gray suggested calling First Narrows “Lion’s Gate”, after The Lions, the twin peaks on the mountains to the north. The two concrete lions at the south end came later: the sculptor Charles Marega designed them, and they were set on their pedestals on 23 January 1939.

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Stories on this topic

  1. 8 November 2026

    Who made the Lions Gate Bridge lions? Charles Marega’s last big work, and the day he died

    Charles Marega (1871–1939) made the Lions Gate Bridge lions in concrete, on a tight budget. They went up in January 1939; he died two months later.

The record

  1. 1889

    Judge John Hamilton Gray proposes the name “Lion’s Gate” for the entrance. He takes it from The Lions, the twin peaks on the north shore.

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  2. 23 January 1939

    Two concrete lions, designed by the sculptor Charles Marega, go onto their pedestals at the south end of the bridge.

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Sources

  1. S114 First Narrows (Vancouver) (article) · Wikipedia, 2026
  2. S128 The Lions (peaks) (article) · Wikipedia, 2026
  3. S109 Lions Gate Bridge (article, wikitext as of 2026-10-23) · Wikipedia, 2026
  4. S106 Charles Marega (Chuck Davis History of Metropolitan Vancouver) · Chuck Davis / Harbour Publishing, n.d.