Lily Lake Pavilion

At Lily Lake Pavilion, couples celebrate with the water right outside the windows and more than a century of Saint John stories all around them.

The Pavilion stands on the shore of Lily Lake at the entrance to Rockwood Park, a 2,200 acre park laid out by the landscape architect Calvert Vaux and counted as the second largest urban park in Canada. The park holds 13 lakes, a 40 acre arboretum, caves and miles of trails, and the path around Lily Lake is lit by solar lamps so guests can stroll it after dark.

The building has a story of its own. The first pavilion opened here in 1907 and was lost to fire five years later. A new one rose on the shore in the 1950s, and after it fell into disrepair, local citizens, government and business came together to restore it, reopening it in 2006. Generations of skaters have glided across this lake, and a world speed skating championship was won on its ice in 1926.

Receptions take place in an air conditioned, licensed banquet room that looks out over the lake and the surrounding parkland.

A professional event manager helps plan each detail, and an on site coordinator runs the day itself. The kitchen team cooks fresh, local meals from scratch, and there is free parking for guests.

The Pavilion is about ten minutes from the major hotels in Saint John, and Rockwood Park is part of a UNESCO Global Geopark, so visiting guests have plenty to explore. A spa and a nature centre also share the Pavilion.