Named after King Edward VII's Epsom Derby-winning Irish thoroughbred racehorse, Minoru, the area started out as a horse-racing track on August 21, 1909, to an audience of 7,000.

Almost one year later, on March 25, 1910, the first-ever Canadian airplane flight west of Winnipeg took off from Minoru Racetrack, with 3,500 witnesses on hand.

[citation needed] Another year later, on April 28, 1911, William Templeton flew a homemade biplane at Minoru.

[5] American Alys McKey Bryant became the first woman in Canada to make a solo flight, taking off from Minoru Park on July 31, 1913.

[6] In early August 1919, the first-ever flight in Canada to cross the Rocky Mountains took off from Minoru Park.

It was manned by Vancouver's Ernest Charles Hoy, who flew the plane from Richmond to Calgary.

[8] One of the more interesting incidents that took place at Minoru Park involves Vancouver's most frequently elected mayor, L. D. Taylor.

A local aviation pioneer commented, "It sliced off the top of his head, you know, and knocked him unconscious.

[10] In 1968, it was converted to an interdenominational chapel housing mainly weddings and funerals; it remains in this state today.

The facility houses a small weight room, a co-ed sauna and two hot tubs.

Most of the swimming lessons offered by the city take place here, as well as the water-based first aid training for residents.

Swim competitions no longer take place here since Watermania Aquatic Centre was completed.

The provincial headquarters of WorkSafeBC, the workers' compensation board, is located to Minoru's northwest.

The project was designed by the Richmond Sports Council, and the purpose is to replace the aging and inadequate facilities that no longer satisfied the community.