Lulu Island

The largest island at the mouth of the Fraser River, in the southwestern province of British Columbia, in Canada, is Lulu Island. Its length is 19 kilometers, and its width is 10 kilometers. Almost the entire territory of the island is occupied by the suburb of Vancouver, the city of Richmond, and only the eastern part belongs to the city of New Westminster.

There are different versions of where the name of the island came from: according to one version, the island was named after the actress of the first theater troupe of New Westminser Lulu Sweet, and another says that the name came from the word “lololo”, which meant “carry” or “wolf”.

Most of the island of Lulu, on which the city of Richmond arose and is located, was once covered with swamps. Richmond City Nature Park carefully preserves the history of the island. There are more than 200 hectares of peatlands in the park. Swamps have long frightened people. They were feared, especially at night, when the “running” lights become visible, which move from one place to another, disappear, and then reappear. It was all associated with evil spirits. Although this phenomenon has a quite natural explanation - the whole point is that plants, dying, when rotting in damp soil, emit gas in portions in water. Gas comes out in bubbles - flashes and extinguishes, giving the impression that it runs over.

The city of Richmond, located on the island of Lulu, came in first place in the world in terms of life expectancy of its inhabitants. It is approximately 83 years old. The locals themselves attribute this to the pure nature of the island.