There’s an unkempt feel to Malkin that makes it seem more like a happy accident rather than a fully regulated park.

The land — formerly the expansive backyard of 1920s Vancouver Mayor William Malkin before he donated it to the city — is mostly a mid-sized field next to a school annex, a fairly good playground (two slides and a number of climbing apparatuses) and fun murals to look at.

However, the only entrance is off a little side street that ends abruptly. The rest of the park is surrounded by the school annex, a couple back yards that blend into the park, a small forest, and a large slope on the eastern edge covered with tall trees. And inside the forest, there’s a couple of amateur mountain bike trails and little walking paths.

The net effect is a park that feels isolated in a good way, with a sense of exploration that’s impressive for a park of medium size and ambition.