Accessibility

Find us on what3words

Use the links below, or search the 3 word address on the what3words app to find precise site locations.

• Garden entrance
• Accessible drop off
• Parking lot
• Shaughnessy Restaurant

The 3 word addresses correspond to exact locations with an accuracy of 3 m.

Find us on Google Maps

The VanDusen Visitor Centre, Administration Building, Floral Hall, Shaughnessy Restaurant, and most paved garden paths and Bloedel Conservatory are accessible to wheelchairs, mobility scooters and walkers.  

Garden pathways, both paved and unpaved, can be uneven. Care should be taken for those using walking aids. Some steps do not have handrails or handrails on both sides. 

Guided Cart Tours:  

Volunteer Garden Guides offer motorized cart tours for those with mobility challenges during the peak seasons at the Garden. 

Look for the Volunteer Cart Drivers on the outdoor Plaza when you first enter the Garden from the Visitor Centre. 

Daily, 1:00 – 4:00pm from April 1 – Thanksgiving Monday. 

Important information on Guided Tour availability and advance booking: 

• We cannot guarantee that guided walking and cart tours will be available due to the availability of volunteers on any given day 

• Guided walking and cart tours are available on a first-come-first-served basis only and advance booking for tours is not available. 

Assisting Guests with Mobility Impairments: 

Safety is our highest priority for our guests, volunteers, and staff. Volunteers may not assist guests with mobility impairments, due to the risk of injury to both the guest and volunteer with walking aides, transfers or mobility assistance of any kind including getting in or out of our guided tour golf cart, wheelchair, or lending an arm to assist someone in standing. Guests requiring such support should be accompanied by someone able to assist them. Due to safety reasons, we are unable to accept bookings from long-term care facilities for guided tours. 

Working guide and service dogs are welcome. Please leave pets at home.

BC Government Guide & Service Dog Fact Sheet 

Accessible washrooms are located in the VanDusen Visitor Centre. Some accessible portable washrooms are available in the garden. 

A non-gendered washroom is available and washroom facilities welcome diverse genders. 

The VanDusen Botanical Garden parking lot is located on West 37th Ave, just off of Oak St. Accessible parking spots are available and parking is free. There is an accessible drop-off loop just off of Oak St at the front entrance of the garden.

Attendants accompanying those with accessibility needs are offered free access. Simply let our staff at the admission desk know and a complimentary ticket will be processed for the attendant. 

At times, vehicles and machinery such as lawn mowers may be at work in the Garden that could affect those with sensory issues.  Sensory Support Kits, including tinted glasses, noise-cancelling headsets, and other items are available for patrons. Ask admission staff if you would like to borrow a kit during your visit. 

Education programs are offered in-person, online, and hybrid.  

Online and hybrid programs include closed captioning.  

In-person programs take place in the indoor Classroom, general outdoor VanDusen Garden spaces, and the outdoor Learning Garden.  The classroom space in the Visitor Centre is accessible to wheelchairs, mobility scooters and walkers. The Learning Garden is an outdoor space at VanDusen and includes wheelchair accessible raised garden beds, potting table, and various garden tools for classes. Classes in the general outdoor VanDusen Garden space can be designed to avoid uneven paths not fully accessible.  

The education team is dedicated to making our programs welcoming. Please contact us if you have any questions or concerns regarding accessibility in our educational programs cmartin@vandusen.org.  

The main pathway inside the conservatory is fully accessible to wheelchairs, scooters, and walkers. 

Working guide and service dogs are welcome. Please leave pets at home. 

BC Government Guide & Service Dog Fact Sheet 

Wheelchair accessible washrooms are located in the Bloedel Conservatory and? on the Plaza across from Conservatory entrance. 

Bloedel Conservatory is located within Queen Elizabeth Park. Pay parking lots managed by EasyPark are available throughout Queen Elizabeth Park. A drop-off loop is available near Seasons in the Park Restaurant for those with accessibility needs. 

Attendants accompanying those with accessibility needs are offered free access. Simply let our staff at the admission desk know and a complimentary ticket will be processed for the attendant. 

Sensory Support Kits, including tinted glasses, noise-cancelling headsets, and other items are available for patrons. Ask admission staff if you would like to borrow a kit during your visit. 

Education programs are offered in-person, online, and hybrid.  

Online and hybrid programs include closed captioning.  

In-person programs take place inside Bloedel Conservatory, , general outdoor Queen Elizabeth Park spaces, and the Celebration Pavilion adjacent to Bloedel Conservatory..  The indoor Bloedel space, is fully accessible to wheelchairs, mobility scooters and walkers, however the space can be quite crowded during peak season The Celebration Pavilion is an indoor space that is fully accessible to wheelchairs, mobility scooters and walkers. Classes located in  general outdoor Queen Elizabeth park spaces can be designed to avoid paths that are uneven and not fully accessible.  

The education team is dedicated to making our programs welcoming. Please contact us if you have any questions or concerns regarding accessibility in our educational programs cmartin@vandusen.org.