MacMillan Park established per Order in Council 330/47. Redescribed per OIC 1202/90. Conversion of OIC to Statute designation per Bill 17-2000: Protected Areas of British Columbia Act, 29 June 2000; the whole containing 136 ha. more or less. Boundary redescribed per Bill 24-2007: Parks and Protected Areas Statutes Amendment Act, 3 May 2007; the whole now containing approximately 301 hectares.

Source: BC place name cards, or correspondence to/from BC's Chief Geographer or BC Geographical Names Office

Named after H.R. MacMillan, lumberman. In 1951, Harvey Reginald MacMillan merged H.R. MacMillan Export Company with Bloedel, Stewart & Welch creating the largest operation in Western Canada at the time, MacMillan Bloedel Ltd.

Source: BC place name cards, or correspondence to/from BC's Chief Geographer or BC Geographical Names Office

These 136 dectares surrounding the magnificent tall trees of Cathedral Grove were given to the province by MacMillan Bloedel Ltd. The park is named after H.R. MacMillan, an outstanding British Columbian. A university-trained forester, he came to the province in 1910 and in 1912 became its first Chief Forester. He resigned in 1916 to enter the lumber business, in which he prospered thanks to outstanding intelligence and hard work, becoming the titan of British Columbia's lumber industry.

Source: Akrigg, Helen B. and Akrigg, G.P.V; British Columbia Place Names; Sono Nis Press, Victoria 1986 /or University of British Columbia Press 1997

"Cathedral Grove, located in MacMillan Park, is one of the most accessible stands of giant Douglas-fir trees on Vancouver Island. Here, visitors can stroll through a network of trails under the towering ancient Douglas-fir trees. Some of these trees are over 800 years old and walking through this virgin coast forest can be an inspirational experience. Trails on either side of the highway lead visitors through the mighty stands of this coastal forest. On the south side you will find the largest Douglas-firs, one measuring more than nine meters in circumference. On the northern side of the road you will find groves of ancient Western Red Cedar. A 1997 New Years Day windstorm changed the look of the park forever. Hundreds of the ancient trees came tumbling down with the unusually heavy winds many obliterating the existing trail system. Some sections of the trail system were so badly hit that they have never been reopened. Restoration and cleanup began almost as soon as the winds stopped. Even though all these large trees are lying on the ground they have not lost their value to the park. Since windfall and blow down is a natural event these fallen trees open the canopy to provide light, space, shelter and nutrients for the next generation of plants; natural regeneration is beginning to restore the Grove's natural beauty and the park's diversity." (BC Parks)

Source: BC place name cards, or correspondence to/from BC's Chief Geographer or BC Geographical Names Office