Remember David Oppenheimer. He gazes out over Stanley Park. The David Oppenheimer Bust stands here as a testament to his legacy.
David Oppenheimer was Vancouver’s second mayor. He served from 1888 to 1891. People called him the “Father of Vancouver”. He shaped the city’s early development.
The David Oppenheimer Bust was installed in 1911. Canadian sculptor Charles Marega created the bronze sculpture. The bust sits at the south side entrance to Stanley Park. It faces Beach Avenue. Nearby are the Vancouver Parks Board Office, Fish House Restaurant, and English Bay.
David Oppenheimer was born in 1834 in Blieskastel, Bavaria. He immigrated to New Orleans in 1848 with his brothers. They later moved to California during the Gold Rush. In 1858, the Oppenheimer brothers relocated to Victoria. They established the Charles Oppenheimer and Company supply business.
The Oppenheimer’s realized the importance of transportation. They joined a group lobbying for the Cariboo Road to Barkerville in 1862. David ran the Oppenheimer Brothers warehouse in Yale by 1868. The wholesale provisioners company still exists today as The Oppenheimer Group.
David did extensive business with the Canadian Pacific Railway. Realizing the railway’s importance, the Oppenheimer Brothers bought land near its western terminus. David and his brother Isaac moved to Granville, now Vancouver, in 1885.
In 1888, David Oppenheimer became the second Mayor of Vancouver. During his time as mayor, many city services were established. These included the fire department and a streetcar system. He advocated for city control of utilities. He also lobbied for more parkland. Stanley Park opened in 1888 during his tenure. David focused on transportation improvements. He encouraged steamboat links to Australia and northern British Columbia.
As a philanthropist, David Oppenheimer donated land for parks. He helped found charities. After a fire destroyed Barkerville in 1868, he donated a fire engine. The Oppenheimer family offered land for a synagogue.
After four terms, David Oppenheimer retired in 1891 due to poor health. He died in 1897 at the age of 63. He was buried in Brooklyn, New York. The Vancouver Daily News-Advertiser praised David Oppenheimer. They called him “the best friend Vancouver ever had.”
His monument at Stanley Park’s entrance was dedicated in 1911. David Oppenheimer was designated a National Historic Person in 2008. Vancouver’s Mayor Sam Sullivan proclaimed “David Oppenheimer Day” on July 12, 2008.
Look closely at the David Oppenheimer Bust. You will see inscriptions. C. Marega is listed as the sculptor. Elkington and Co. Ltd. is also inscribed. This David Oppenheimer Bust serves as a reminder of his contributions. He shaped Vancouver into the city we know today.