点评:Established in 1941, Thunderbird Park is adjacent to the Royal BC Museum. It’s a small space, but has become synonymous with Victoria thanks to its authentic (but replica) totem poles and “big house.” While I wouldn’t go as far as Roadstories.ca and declare Thunderbird Park to be “one of the most serene and beautiful places in Canada,” it is nevertheless worth a stroll and visit.
The “big house,” also lovingly called “Mungo Martin House” after its architect and builder, is undoubtedly the centerpiece of the park. It, along with the Kwakwaka’walw Heraldic Pole that sits in front of it, tells of a history, culture and tradition that goes back to time immemorial. The surrounding poles, likewise, tell a similar tale and help us better understand the Indigenous traditions of BC’s First Nations. I just wish there was more in the way of information boards to better help people understand the poles and the stories they tell via the figures carved into them.
Beyond the totems and “big house,” Thunderbird Park is also home to Helmcken House (built 1851), which is the historic home of Dr. John Sebastian Helmcken – recognized as Victoria’s first physician. The home is now a small museum and sits adjacent to St. Ann’s Schoolhouse, which was built in 1844 and may be the oldest building still standing in the city.
I enjoyed my brief stroll around Thunderbird Park and, given the structures on site and the histories they tell, fully understand why it has become emblematic of Victoria; however, from a touristy perspective, I probably wouldn’t venture here just to see the park. Instead, make it part of a larger itinerary that includes the Royal BC Museum (where you can see some of the original poles that once stood in the park).
翻译:雷鸟公园成立于 1941 年,毗邻不列颠哥伦比亚省皇家博物馆。这是一个很小的空间,但由于其真实的(但复制品的)图腾柱和“大房子”而成为维多利亚的代名词。虽然我不会像 Roadstories.ca 那样宣称雷鸟公园是“加拿大最宁静、最美丽的地方之一”,但它仍然值得漫步和参观。
这座“大房子”也以其建筑师和建造者的名字被亲切地称为“蒙戈·马丁之家”,无疑是公园的核心。它和前面的 Kwakwaka'walw 纹章柱一起讲述着可追溯至远古时代的历史、文化和传统。同样,周围的两极也讲述着类似的故事,帮助我们更好地了解不列颠哥伦比亚省原住民的土著传统。我只是希望有更多的信息板,以更好地帮助人们了解电线杆以及它们通过雕刻在电线杆上的人物所讲述的故事。
除了图腾和“大房子”之外,雷鸟公园还是 Helmcken House(建于 1851 年)的所在地,这里是约翰·塞巴斯蒂安·赫尔姆肯 (John Sebastian Helmcken) 医生(被公认为维多利亚第一位医生)的历史故居。该住宅现在是一个小型博物馆,毗邻圣安校舍,该校舍建于 1844 年,可能是该市现存最古老的建筑。
我很享受在雷鸟公园的短暂漫步,考虑到现场的建筑和它们讲述的历史,我完全理解为什么它成为维多利亚的象征;然而,从游客的角度来看,我可能不会冒险来这里只是为了参观公园。相反,请将其作为更大行程的一部分,其中包括皇家不列颠哥伦比亚省博物馆(在那里您可以看到一些曾经矗立在公园里的原始杆子)。