You’ll spot King’s Square right in front of you-it’s a lush green space, framed by tall, twisty old trees, with a grand two-storey bandstand topped with a dark copper roof rising right in the heart of the park.
Welcome to King’s Square, a green slice of Saint John history! Imagine it’s the late 18th century-1785, to be exact-the city is brand new, granted its official charter, and this very spot is just an open patch with big dreams. Fast-forward to 1844; the empty grounds finally transform into an elegant city park, proudly named after King George III. The city planners laid out the walkways in a Union Jack pattern, perfect for all the British loyalists who arrived-you might say they really walked the walk!
Take a deep breath. Can you smell the leaves and the distant sea air? Some of these enormous trees around you were planted back in 1883 during a big centennial bash to celebrate the Loyalists’ arrival. They survived decades of storms, but in 2019, Hurricane Dorian came barreling through like an uninvited guest at a picnic. Sadly, it toppled five of the park’s almost 200-year-old trees. But this story has a heartwarming twist: In 2021, the community rallied, planting seven new maple trees to keep the shade and history alive for the next generation.
Look at the marvelous two-tiered bandstand in the center-that’s the King Edward VII Memorial Bandstand, all shine and elegance since 1909, donated by the City Coronet Band. Over the years, it’s echoed with music, speeches, and laughter-if you listen closely, you might still hear ghostly horns warming up. Monuments add even more layers: a tall marker honors Charles Gorman, the skater who raced in the 1924 and 1928 Olympics, and the Loyalist Cross salutes the province’s first settlers, while another statue remembers John Frederick Young, the brave young man who drowned rescuing a child.
King’s Square is more than just a beautiful park-it’s Saint John’s storytelling canvas, where history, heroism, and even a touch of royal drama all come together under the leafy branches. Not bad for a bunch of trees, some monuments, and a bandstand, right?
