Whey-ah-Wichen (Cates Park)
North Vancouver BC
səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh)
Cates Park, North Vancouver, BC
səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) · Welcome Site
The Tsleil-Waututh people call this place Whey-ah-Wichen. It means 'faces the wind.' The wind has not changed. The people have never left.
The Place
Cates Park sits on the north shore of Burrard Inlet in the traditional territory of the səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nation. The Tsleil-Waututh name for this place — Whey-ah-Wichen — speaks to the site's relationship with the natural world: it means 'faces the wind,' and the wind off the inlet here has been shaping this land for longer than any map has recorded it.
This is a place of deep Tsleil-Waututh significance. Chief wacəq II, one of the great leaders of the Nation, had his primary residence nearby at təmtəmíxʷtən. It was at Whey-ah-Wichen that his relationship with the marine world — with the sce:ɬtən (salmon), with the waters of the inlet — was most vividly expressed.
Know Before You Go
Cates Park is a North Vancouver District municipal park — free to enter, open year-round. The park offers waterfront access, picnic areas, and trails along the inlet shore. Use the Trail app to navigate to the welcome pole.
Best time to visit: Morning or late afternoon when the light off Burrard Inlet is at its best. Quieter on weekdays than summer weekends.
Getting There
By Transit — SeaBus from Waterfront Station downtown to Lonsdale Quay — 12 minutes across the Burrard Inlet. From Lonsdale Quay, connect east by bus toward Deep Cove, Maplewood, or Phibbs Exchange depending on your stop. Allow 35–60 minutes from downtown.
By Vehicle — Cross the Second Narrows Bridge (Highway 1) or Lions Gate Bridge and follow signs toward the North Shore. Most Trail sites on the North Shore are 20–40 minutes from downtown Vancouver by vehicle.
By Bike — The North Shore Spirit Trail cycling path connects Lonsdale Quay to the Maplewood and Deep Cove corridor.
From the VCC: SeaBus from Waterfront Station — 12 minutes to Lonsdale Quay. The crossing travels through the traditional waters of the səlilwətaɬ people.
From YVR: Canada Line to Waterfront Station, then SeaBus. Approximately 40 minutes to Lonsdale Quay.
CONTINUE THE TRAIL
→ Return of the Orca at Whey-ah-Wichen · TsuKwalton (Jonas Jones) · 0.1 km
→ Serpent Slayer at təmtəmíxʷtən · TsuKwalton (Jonas Jones) · 2.5 km
→ Spirit of the Wind & Sheltered Places · TsuKwalton (Jonas Jones) · Deep Cove · 2.8 km
Hours
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Female Welcome Figure
First Welcome Trail
In Musqueam culture, Welcome Figures welcome visitors to our territory. The original poles were house posts and placed at the entrances of our house - right at the doorway inviting you in, welcoming you. Located behind the Vancouver School Board in public plaza.
Serpent Slayer - Welcome Pole
Public Art
At Belcarra Regional Park, on the shores of Burrard Inlet, stands a welcome pole carved by Tsleil-Waututh master carver TsuKwalton (Jonas Jones). It carries one of the Nation's most powerful origin stories — of a young boy swept away by seals, raised in the sea kingdom, and returned to his people as a warrior who could face what no one else could. This is his territory. This is where that story happened. The pole brings it back to the shore where it belongs.
“Return of the Orca” Welcome pole
Public Art
Return of the Orca” Welcome pole at Whey-ah-Wichen (Cates Park) in North Vancouver, carved by TsuKwalton Jonas Jones. the Return of the Orca carries the story of Great Chief wacəq II, whose deep relationship with the salmon and the natural world continues to guide Tsleil-Waututh teachings today.
