First pick
South Surrey Athletic Park
Park or garden
56 ha7.3 km of path
1 h 35 minto walk all 7.3 km of path
2.0 km westfrom the centre
Sunnyside Greenway
Directionsto a point inside
Photo: DJ Cane · CC BY-SA 4.019%protected within 10 km
Outdoors in Sunnyside · parks, protected land & trails
More of the land around Sunnyside is protected than around 9 in 10 Canadian towns
127 areas within 10 km are protected for nature. Peace Arch Park is the closest provincial park, at 3.3 km. The closest of Canada’s national parks is Gulf Islands National Park Reserve, at 31 km.
Protected land
19%
of the land within 10 km
Typical Canadian town: 2.3%
Protected areas
127
within 10 km, 127 public
Typical Canadian town: 14
Nearest national park
31 km
Gulf Islands National Park Reserve
Nearest provincial park
3.3 km
Peace Arch Park
Walking routes
3
named, within 2 km (OpenStreetMap)
Beaches
3
within 5 km (OpenStreetMap)
Character
What sets Sunnyside apart outdoors
Each figure against Canadian towns of 2,500+; tap a tile for the detail.
Protected land all round19% of the land within 10 km, more than 95% of Canadian townsMany protected areas127 public areas within 10 kmWalking routes3 named routes within 2 km
Out of doors, Sunnyside leads with protected land around it, with the number of public protected areas close by close behind.
Against other towns
How Sunnyside compares with other Canadian towns
Each figure against the 2,611 Canadian towns and neighbourhoods of 2,500+ (not city hubs or reserves), with the town marked and the typical one’s line. There is no Outdoors grade for Canadian towns; the figures stand beside the country’s towns of 2,500+ without a letter.
Protected within 10 km19%Share of the land and water within 10 km of the town’s edge in a protected or conserved area
Protected in town1.9%Share of the town’s own area in a protected or conserved area
Public protected areas127Areas within 10 km held by a government or an Indigenous nation
Walking routes3Named OpenStreetMap walking and hiking routes with 300 m+ within 2 km
Beaches3Beaches mapped on OpenStreetMap within 5 km
CPCAD 2.9.0 (ECCC, 2026), OpenStreetMap (November 2026). Distances from the town’s outline.
Towns its size
Among 40 towns its size, Sunnyside ranks 2nd for protected land within 10 km
The 40 Canadian towns nearest in population (16,354 to 17,269 residents), by the share of the land within 10 km that is protected. Hover for each one’s figures; click for its page.
Protected within 10 km
Sunnyside19%
Towns its size3.1%
Towns in British Columbia6.7%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
Public protected areas
Sunnyside127
Towns its size9
Towns in British Columbia14
Typical Canadian town4
Walking routes
Sunnyside3
Towns its size0
Towns in British Columbia1
Typical Canadian town0
Against towns its size, Sunnyside does best for public protected areas: 2 of the other 39 have more.
Every town in the comparison
| Town | Protected within 10 km | In town | Areas | Routes | Beaches | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sooke BC | 23% | 21% | 23 | 3 | 12 |
| 2 | Sunnyside BC | 19% | 1.9% | 127 | 3 | 3 |
| 3 | Tracadie NB | 13% | 9% | 54 | 0 | 27 |
| 4 | Greektown BC | 12% | 0% | 13 | 2 | 73 |
| 5 | Carlington ON | 12% | 2.5% | 33 | 2 | 8 |
| 6 | Grandview BC | 10% | 3.9% | 170 | 7 | 1 |
| 7 | Côte-Saint-Paul QC | 8.4% | 0% | 22 | 0 | 6 |
| 8 | Surrey Centre BC | 8.2% | 1.3% | 190 | 6 | 0 |
| 9 | Elder Mills ON | 7.3% | 8% | 16 | 0 | 0 |
| 10 | Sturgeon Falls ON | 7.2% | 6.1% | 19 | 0 | 0 |
| 11 | East Burnaby BC | 5.5% | 2.6% | 54 | 3 | 17 |
| 12 | Parc-Lafontaine QC | 5.4% | 0% | 21 | 1 | 3 |
| 13 | Davie Village BC | 5.2% | 0% | 11 | 3 | 71 |
| 14 | Stayner ON | 5% | 3.6% | 46 | 3 | 6 |
| 15 | Cap-Rouge QC | 4.7% | 0% | 22 | 1 | 3 |
| 16 | Préfontaine QC | 4.5% | 0% | 20 | 0 | 3 |
| 17 | Saint-Basile-le-Grand QC | 4.3% | 0% | 36 | 0 | 0 |
| 18 | A-B-C-D-Section (bramalea) ON | 4.2% | 0% | 7 | 1 | 1 |
| 19 | Petite-Côte QC | 4% | 0% | 18 | 0 | 1 |
| 20 | Étienne Desmarteaux QC | 3.1% | 0% | 18 | 0 | 0 |
| 21 | Humbermede ON | 3% | 0% | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| 22 | Mount Pleasant East ON | 2.5% | 0% | 13 | 3 | 2 |
| 23 | Kennedy Park ON | 2.4% | 0% | 17 | 0 | 8 |
| 24 | Saint-Édouard QC | 2.3% | 0% | 15 | 0 | 1 |
| 25 | Danforth East York ON | 2.2% | 0% | 13 | 4 | 21 |
| 26 | Leaside-Bennington ON | 2.2% | 1% | 11 | 6 | 8 |
| 27 | Scarborough Village ON | 2.2% | 7% | 13 | 0 | 3 |
| 28 | Saint-Émile QC | 2% | 0% | 25 | 1 | 3 |
| 29 | Hillcrest Village ON | 1.6% | 0% | 21 | 0 | 0 |
| 30 | Willowdale West ON | 1.6% | 0% | 19 | 0 | 0 |
| 31 | Laurentian West ON | 1.5% | 5.8% | 22 | 0 | 0 |
| 32 | St.Andrew-Windfields ON | 1.4% | 2.3% | 14 | 0 | 0 |
| 33 | Smithville ON | 1.3% | 0% | 42 | 0 | 1 |
| 34 | Yorkdale-Glen Park ON | 1.3% | 0% | 12 | 2 | 0 |
| 35 | Leduc County AB | 1.2% | 0.7% | 85 | 2 | 4 |
| 36 | La Visitation QC | 1.1% | 0% | 13 | 0 | 0 |
| 37 | Cowansville QC | 0.6% | 0% | 11 | 0 | 1 |
| 38 | Summerside AB | 0.1% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| 39 | Saint-Charles-Borromée QC | 0% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 40 | Strathmore AB | 0% | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0 |
The map
The green map of Sunnyside
The neighbourhood’s parks, woods, protected land and paths, with its named places numbered.
Green: OpenStreetMap parks, gardens, playing fields and woods. Hatched: CPCAD protected areas.© OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL); CPCAD (OGL-Canada)
Places to walk
23 named parks and woods to walk in near Sunnyside
South Surrey Athletic Park is the largest, at 56 ha; the rest follow by size, numbered as on the map.
23 named parks and woods, 176 ha in all
Parks & gardens 170 haWoods 6.0 ha
Add Sunnyside Acres Urban Forest Park to South Surrey Athletic Park and you have 65% of it.
Sunnyside Acres Urban Forest Park
Park or garden
58 ha4.5 km of path
1 hto walk all 4.5 km of path
2.0 km westfrom the centre
Chickadee LoopDr. Roy Strang TrailSalal Trail+5 paths
Directionsto a point inside
Barbara Creek Park
Park or garden · 250 m outside town
15 ha0.7 km of path
10 minto walk all 0.7 km of path
2.7 km north-westfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Sunnyside Park
Park or garden
5.9 ha0.7 km of path
10 minto walk all 0.7 km of path
Centralin the middle of Sunnyside
Directionsto a point inside
Alderwood Park
Park or garden
3.6 ha1.2 km of path
15 minto walk all 1.2 km of path
1.5 km southfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Bakerview Park
Park or garden · 190 m outside town
4.2 ha0.6 km of path
10 minto walk all 0.6 km of path
1.3 km southfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Grandview Heights Linear Park
Park or garden · 50 m outside town
2.9 ha0.9 km of path
15 minto walk all 0.9 km of path
1.3 km north-eastfrom the centre
Oliver Greenway
Directionsto a point inside
Rosemary Heights Park
Park or garden · 340 m outside town
2.6 ha0.9 km of path
10 minto walk all 0.9 km of path
2.1 km northfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
All 23 named parks and green spaces
South Surrey Athletic ParkPark or garden · 56 ha · 7.3 km of path
DirectionsSunnyside Acres Urban Forest ParkPark or garden · 58 ha · 4.5 km of path
DirectionsBarbara Creek ParkPark or garden · 15 ha · 0.7 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsSunnyside ParkPark or garden · 5.9 ha · 0.7 km of path
DirectionsAlderwood ParkPark or garden · 3.6 ha · 1.2 km of path
DirectionsBakerview ParkPark or garden · 4.2 ha · 0.6 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsGrandview Heights Linear ParkPark or garden · 2.9 ha · 0.9 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsRosemary Heights ParkPark or garden · 2.6 ha · 0.9 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsWills Brook ParkPark or garden · 3.1 ha · 0.4 km of path
DirectionsGreenridge ParkPark or garden · 3.4 ha · 0.1 km of path
DirectionsOliver ParkPark or garden · 1.8 ha · 0.7 km of path
DirectionsMorgan Creek ParkPark or garden · 2.1 ha · 0.5 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsOak Meadows ParkPark or garden · 1.8 ha · 0.6 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsJessie Lee ParkPark or garden · 2.3 ha · 0.3 km of path
DirectionsSouthmere Village ParkWood or forest · 3.3 ha · 1 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsMountain View ParkPark or garden · 2.1 ha · 0.4 km of path
DirectionsSemiahmoo TrailWood or forest · 2.7 ha · 0.7 km of path
DirectionsMacCaud ParkPark or garden · 1.7 ha · 0.2 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsMorgan Heights Linear ParkPark or garden · 1.3 ha · 0.4 km of path
DirectionsGreenbeltPark or garden · 1.0 ha · 0.2 km of path
DirectionsMeridian ParkPark or garden · 0.3 ha · 0.1 km of path
DirectionsMeridian By The Sea ParkPark or garden · 0.4 ha · just outside town
DirectionsGratitude GardenPark or garden · 0.3 ha
DirectionsSource: OpenStreetMap parks, gardens, commons and woods with a name, in the town or within 400 m, © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL. Sizes are the mapped outline’s.
Close to home
9 in 10 people in Sunnyside live near a park
Residents of each 2021 dissemination area, at a point inside it, within 400 m (about a 5-minute walk) of a park or playing field mapped on OpenStreetMap.
Within 400 m (95%)Further (5.1%)
Sunnyside95%
Towns in British Columbia72%
Typical Canadian town83%
Against the typical Canadian town’s 83%, that is high. Around 900 residents are further than 400 m from a park.
Protected areas
The 127 protected areas near Sunnyside
Every protected and conserved area in CPCAD within 10 km of the town’s edge: parks, reserves, wildlife areas and conservation land.
Inside Sunnyside1.9%
Within 10 km19%
Towns in British Columbia6.7%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
The 127 are all publicly owned. Boundary Bay Wildlife Management Area leads for size with 11,770 ha.
Semiahmoo Trail ParkMunicipal park · 12 ha · reaches Sunnyside
114E - GreenbeltMunicipal park · 3.4 ha · reaches Sunnyside
Jessie Lee ParkMunicipal park · 2.0 ha · reaches Sunnyside
Mountain View ParkMunicipal park · 1.9 ha · reaches Sunnyside
Oliver ParkMunicipal park · 1.5 ha · reaches Sunnyside
114F - GreenbeltMunicipal park · 0.4 ha · reaches Sunnyside
Greenridge ParkMunicipal park · 3.8 ha · reaches Sunnyside
104A - GreenbeltMunicipal park · 2.7 ha · reaches Sunnyside
Sunnyside Acres Urban Forest ParkMunicipal park · 143 ha · reaches Sunnyside
Grandview Heights Linear ParkMunicipal park · 1.8 ha · 0.1 km from the edge of town
31 more named areas within 10 km are in the figures.
Source: Canadian Protected and Conserved Areas Database (CPCAD) 2.9.0, Environment and Climate Change Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada.
National & provincial parks
Gulf Islands National Park Reserve is 31 km away
National parks (Parks Canada) and provincial or territorial parks by direction and distance from the town’s edge: every one within 10 km, and the nearest of each within 100 km.
National parkProvincial park
Provincial park
Peace Arch Park
3.3 km south-east0.1 km²since 1939
National park reserve
Gulf Islands National Park Reserve
31 km south-west67 km²since 2010
Closer to home, Peace Arch Park is 3.3 km away.
Source: CPCAD 2.9.0 (ECCC): areas and outlines, distances outline to outline; directions from the town’s centre point.
Footpaths and woods
Sunnyside has 98 km of footpaths in and around it
OpenStreetMap footpaths, paths, bridleways and steps, and tracks open on foot, in the town and 1 km around it; woods as mapped (landuse=forest, natural=wood).
Footpaths
98 km
in and around the town (19.3 km²)
Woodland
9.8%
about 1.9 km² of mapped woods
Footpaths · km per km²
SunnysideTowns in British ColumbiaTypical Canadian town
Footpaths5.1
036 km per km²
Share of the land · mapped woods and forest
SunnysideTowns in British ColumbiaTypical Canadian town
Woodland9.8%
0%50%100%
Paths are denser here than in 92% of Canadian towns. For woods, it beats 52% of Canadian towns.
Source: OpenStreetMap, © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL. Mapping varies by place: a dense figure can mean keen local mappers as much as many paths.
Walking routes
3 mapped routes to walk from Sunnyside
Named walking and hiking routes on OpenStreetMap with at least 300 m within 2 km of the town, longest first; national routes lead.
Local
Semiahmoo Greenway5.4 km
Nicomekl Greenway4.0 km
Pioneer Greenway2.2 km
The Semiahmoo Greenway is the big one locally: 5.4 km.
Source: OpenStreetMap (route relations hiking, foot and walking), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL. Trans Canada Trail sections as OSM maps them.
When to get out
The best months for walking in Sunnyside: May to September
Environment and Climate Change Canada’s 1991–2020 normals from Pitt Meadows (20 km), and daylight at the town’s latitude. Good months: 12½+ hours of daylight, highs of 15–30 °C, little rain.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 8.6 | 10.1 | 11.7 | 13.6 | 15.3 | 16.2 | 15.8 | 14.4 | 12.5 | 10.7 | 9.1 | 8.2 |
| High (°C) | 7 | 9 | 11 | 15 | 19 | 21 | 25 | 25 | 22 | 15 | 10 | 6 |
| Rain & snow (mm) | 252 | 134 | 173 | 105 | 95 | 69 | 48 | 36 | 94 | 180 | 249 | 214 |
January is the wettest month (252 mm) and August the driest (36 mm). From 6 °C in December to 25 °C in August: that is the range of daytime highs. The yearly snowfall is near 56 cm. The climate in Sunnyside →
Beaches
Sunnyside has 3 beaches close by
Beaches on OpenStreetMap within 5 km of the town’s edge, nearest first, with directions.
White Rock Beachsand · 2.1 km from town
DirectionsCresent Rock Beachstone · 4.8 km from town
DirectionsCrescent Beachpebbles · 5.0 km from town
DirectionsThe coast is close: 23 km of shoreline within 5 km. Canada publishes no open register of beach water tests; the local public health unit posts swimming advisories.
Source: OpenStreetMap (natural=beach), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
Things to do
Sunnyside has 3 viewpoints within 2 km
Viewpoints, peaks, waterfalls, picnic sites, nature reserves, playgrounds, dog parks, campsites and boat launches mapped within 2 km of the town.
There are 70 playgrounds, more than of anything else.
Every named place, with directions
Viewpoints 3
Plus 3 viewpoints without a name on the map.
Hills and peaks 1
Plus 1 peak without a name on the map.
Nature reserves 3
Grandview Green Infrastructure Network Corridor0.7 km from town
DirectionsSunnyside Acres Urban Wildlife Area1.1 km from town
DirectionsPlus 1 nature reserve more.
Picnic sites 25
Plus 25 picnic sites without a name on the map.
Playgrounds 70
Generations Playground1.2 km from town
DirectionsGrace Point Church1.2 km from town
DirectionsCypress Street Playground1.8 km from town
DirectionsPlus 67 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Dog parks 4
Paws Crossingin town
DirectionsNicomekl Dog Off-Leash0.5 km from town
DirectionsPlus 2 dog parks without a name on the map.
Slipways 1
Firminger Boat Ramp1.9 km from town
DirectionsSource: OpenStreetMap (tourism, natural, waterway and leisure tags), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
Gardens to visit
Darts Hill Garden Park, 2.0 km from Sunnyside, is the garden to visit
Gardens and arboretums within 15 km of the town’s edge, and the historic gardens, parks and estates in the town itself, nearest first.
Darts Hill Garden ParkGarden or park · 2.0 km from town
DirectionsSources: OpenStreetMap (leisure=garden), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL, and Wikidata (CC0), as gathered in TownRatings’ Canadian attractions set; historic places from Parks Canada’s Directory of Federal Heritage Designations, the Canadian Register of Historic Places and Québec’s Répertoire du patrimoine culturel.
Next door
Next to Sunnyside
The nearest places, coloured by the share of the land within 10 km that is protected; tap one for its outdoors page.
Semiahmoo Town CentreSouth SurreyGrandviewMorgan CreekAnderson WalkWhite RockSunnyside
Under 1%1–5%5–15%15–40%40%+
| Town | Protected within 10 km | Areas | Routes | Beaches |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sunnyside | 19% | 127 | 3 | 3 |
| Semiahmoo Town Centre 1.7 km | 21% | 103 | 2 | 4 |
| South Surrey 1.9 km | 22% | 130 | 3 | 4 |
| Grandview 2.1 km | 10% | 170 | 7 | 1 |
| Morgan Creek 2.1 km | 17% | 157 | 4 | 1 |
| Anderson Walk 2.2 km | 23% | 180 | 8 | 4 |
| White Rock 2.6 km | 22% | 101 | 2 | 4 |
More routes are mapped around Anderson Walk (8). Sunnyside holds its own on protected land: no neighbour has twice its share.
How to read these numbers
What this data can and can’t tell you
- Beaches. The count includes unnamed stretches mapped as beach, which can make a lakeside town’s figure large.
- Private land. Areas held by land trusts or private owners stay unnamed here, though they count in the shares.
- Walking routes. Routes are what OpenStreetMap’s volunteers have mapped as named walking or hiking routes; many good trails aren’t mapped that way.
- Protected land. The share is of the land and water within 10 km of the town’s outline, from CPCAD’s mapped areas; marine areas count, so a coastal town can score high on water.
- National and provincial parks. Distances run from the town’s edge to the park’s, so 0 km means they touch.
Questions about the outdoors in Sunnyside
When is the best time for walking in Sunnyside?
May to September, on the 1991–2020 normals and the daylight: long days, highs of 15 °C or more, light rain for the place.
What is the biggest park or reserve near Sunnyside?
Boundary Bay Wildlife Management Area: 11,770 ha, a wildlife area.
Is Sunnyside near a national park?
Gulf Islands National Park Reserve, 31 km from the edge of town.
How far is the nearest provincial park from Sunnyside?
Peace Arch Park, 3.3 km away.
Are there protected areas near Sunnyside?
Within 10 km, 19% of the land lies in protected areas.
Where can you swim near Sunnyside?
Try White Rock Beach, 2.1 km from town, first of several.
Where can you walk near Sunnyside?
OpenStreetMap maps the Semiahmoo Greenway, Pioneer Greenway and Nicomekl Greenway close by, with others.
Sources
Where Sunnyside’s outdoors figures come from
Protected areas: Canadian Protected and Conserved Areas Database (CPCAD) 2.9.0, Environment and Climate Change Canada, 2026: every area within 10 km and the nearest national and provincial parks, measured outline to outline.
Walking routes and beaches: OpenStreetMap, November 2026: named hiking, foot and walking route relations within 2 km and beaches within 5 km.
Towns: Statistics Canada 2021 Census boundaries and populations; the comparison is the Canadian towns and neighbourhoods of 2,500+, not city hubs or reserves.
When to go: Environment and Climate Change Canada, Canadian Climate Normals 1991–2020, from the nearest station that publishes them.
Gardens: OpenStreetMap (leisure=garden) and Wikidata gardens within 15 km, as gathered in TownRatings’ Canadian attractions set; historic gardens and parks from Canada’s heritage registers (Parks Canada DFHD, the Canadian Register of Historic Places, Québec’s Répertoire du patrimoine culturel).
Green space, paths, woods, things to do: OpenStreetMap (Geofabrik’s Canada extract), November 2026: parks, gardens, playing fields, woods, footpaths, the coastline and things to do in and around each town.
Residents: Statistics Canada 2021 Census dissemination areas (population, boundaries), each at a point inside it.
Walking routes and beaches © OpenStreetMap contributors, available under the Open Database Licence (ODbL).
Not on this page: trailheads and trail grades, and beach water quality. No open Canadian dataset gives these for every town yet.
Adapted from Statistics Canada (Census of Population 2021, population estimates 2025, 2021 census boundaries) under the Statistics Canada Open Licence; this does not constitute an endorsement by Statistics Canada. Neighbourhood names in some cities © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).