Things to Do in Ladner

The vibrant blooms and lush foliage of approximately 12,000 plants greet visitors' eyes as they wander along the outdoor paths of UBC Botanical Garden. Guest are encouraged to make small talk with plants on display, which include international varietals such as Asian maple trees, alpine and montane flora, more than 400 species of rhododendrons, and vascular plants from the rainforest. Inside the Nitobe Memorial Garden, waterfalls and streams reflect the harmony of nature framing a traditional Japanese teahouse. The garden's classes can help students cultivate home botanicals, teaching techniques such as pruning and training fruit trees. The picturesque surroundings also play host to researchers, weddings, and school groups.

Strengthened by its affiliation with UBC's Biodiversity Research Centre and more than 500 natural-history exhibits, the Beaty Biodiversity Museum aims to foster a deep bond between its visitors and all life on the planet. Exhibits include a 26-metre-long blue whale skeleton within the two-storey glass gallery of the Djavad Mowafaghian Atrium, as well as the third-largest collection of fish in the country and a vast assemblage of fossils, insects, birds, reptiles, and Fred Flintstone's ties. In the Allan Yap Theatre, films championing biodiversity play, and on the south side of the atrium, baristas grind coffee beans at the Niche Café while serving snacks to patrons. Designed by Vancouver-based Patkau Architects, the building also hosts interactive activities in the discovery lab, as well as public presentations and community gatherings aimed at illustrating the interconnectedness of all living things.

Not many people realize that the sea undergoes a radical transformation every night. Those who have taken UBC Aqua Society's night diving course do; they’ve witnessed nocturnal creatures and plants, which are strikingly different than their daytime counterparts, first hand. This night course is just one of 15 different specialty courses offered by UBC Aqua Facility, a non-profit organization that has helped its community explore subaquatic worlds for more than 50 years.

In addition to its specialty programs, the facility offers learn-to-dive courses for beginners, as well as rescue classes that prepare students to retrieve people that can't swim or the perfectly good burrito they threw overboard in a regretful fit of rage. Through it all, the business maintains a laid-back, yet professional attitude, evidenced especially by its frequent social gatherings for club members.

Nimble players send shuttlecocks flying in gravity-defying volleys across Ace Badminton Centre’s 12 courts, guided by a team of highly qualified instructors. The centre’s coaching staff overloads its collective mantle with a wealth of awards and trophies, such as Ximing Yao’s1986 US Open Doubles victory, or Shawn Zhang’s 2010 British Columbia men’s championship title. Trainees and players hone their skills on the courts’ floating-floor system, replete with a triple-layered PVC buffer and high-density foam cushioning for absorbing shock—much safer than floors cushioned by subterranean lava pits. After studying under a professional badminton coach or practicing against a worthy opponent, students can join the ranks of Ace’s trophy-bearing alumni, who sport medals from junior championships at both the provincial and national level.

Recipient of a British Columbia Recreation and Parks Association award for facility excellence, Watermania shelters aquatic attractions and swimming areas that drench bathing-suit-clad attendees of all ages. Patrons can practice backstrokes in a 57-metre competition pool, leap from 1- and 3-metre springboards, or use a pair of slides to drop into the water with more ease than an inflatable submarine. A wave pool enthralls tykes with a giant play structure boasting sprayers and a large seahorse that dumps water into a massive tipping bucket. Visitors aged 15 and older can relax in the steam room, whirlpool, and sauna. Rigorous workouts come to fruition in Watermania's 3,000-square-foot fitness centre equipped with 20 cardio units, Olympic weights, and exercise balls.