Callister Park

Con Jones Park was a sports facility located in East Vancouver mainly used for soccer. It opened in 1921, and was renamed Callister Park in 1942. After the demolition of the stadium in 1971, the area was redeveloped into a green space and retained the name Callister Park.BackgroundIn April 1885 builder and contractor John Callister arrived in Vancouver from the Isle of Man. Callister was a pioneer who built his home in a forested area covering about three blocks in 1904. Upon his death Callister, a bachelor, left his property in two nieces. One of the sisters died and Mrs. Ada M. Stevenson inherited all of the property.On September 18, 1920, sports promoter Con Jones entered into an agreement to purchase "lot 5, Town of Hastings, Suburban Lands" for $10,000 from Stevenson. According to the Vancouver city archives only three payments of $1,000 were made. In the space of a year, Jones supervised the building of a grandstand and field and Con Jones Park opened in 1921.The park was destroyed by fire in June, 1934. Jones' sons rebuilt the stadium within weeks.Media reports stated that due to Jones default on payment, Stevenson seized the property and offered to present the land to the city. While many focus on the lack of mortgage payments, it appears to be several years of unpaid city taxes that forced the issue. Both of Jones' sons had died, which brought this to light. The land reverted to the Callister estate, and Stevenson donated it to the city in lieu of paying the taxes on it.On March 20, 1942, she entered into an agreement with the city to present the area for "municipal purposes". The bequest further stated that this expression..."be deemed to include exhibition, recreation or park purposes and the carrying on of public sports."With the opening of Empire Stadium in 1954, many of the touring soccer teams from the United Kingdom shifted their friendlies to the much larger and more modern facility which was only a five-minute walk away on the opposite side of the PNE grounds.