Lapin Royal Park

The Lapin Royal Park was originally commissioned by the Royal Consort, HRH Erin Righ as a gift to his wife, HRM Queen Sable Aradia, in the spring of 2021. Following the The First Word War, and HRH's reign as The Nite Qing, the royal couple were estranged. His Highness, funded by his Royal Brother, Realm of Music of House Meles, had the park built as a distant token of his continuing love for the Lapin Queen. The ribbon was cut by Her Majesty on May 1, 2021.   The Bunny Queen immediately opened the park to the public, mostly as part of the then City of Vernon rebuilding efforts following the First Word War and the ensuing zombie apocalypse. In the early days, she could often find a little peace there. But as Vernon became Okanagan City, expanding in population from about 100,000 including surrounding communities, to about 1 million people, the park quickly became a community centre for those looking for safety in the shadow of the Warren, and Queen Sable stood aside and left it to her people.   The Mother of Bunnies, and other members of the royal family, can often be seen on an overlooking balcony at the Warren, watching events on the community stage or simply enjoying the view. Occasionally they still visit the park as well, although usually not without the accompaniment of their loyal bodyguards. It is not uncommon to see the Royal Family in the public library, often reading classic children's stories to the children in the Storytime Corner.

The original park was built to replace and restore Polson Park, a beloved community landmark, and some of the surrounding city blocks that were destroyed in the First Word War and The Restructuring. It consisted of a small playground, a natural water feature and a quartz fountain, benches overlooking the new river, docks suited for small boats, a covered cook-out area and community tables, and a number of walking paths, trees, and hedges. Later, the paths were expanded to incorporate the new literomantically-focused Lapin Royal Public Library , adding additional park benches, another fountain, a dog and child-friendly wading pool, a public green space, picnic tables, and beach access.   When the HYLEX high-speed train system was added, the Royal Library Train Station was built in the same style as the Library building, along with a large public bathroom, the WriterGreg Commemorative Bridge, and a public walkthrough leading to the Lapin Royal Military Academy . This centrally-located transportation hub is one of the main access points to the Warren district, which is a traffic-calmed area.

The buildings and play equipment in the Royal Park were built primarily from the rubble of the First Word War. The playground equipment was reclaimed and recycled from urban destruction. The park benches were reshaped from iron rebar and trees that had been destroyed in the conflict. Even the quartz fountain was shaped by local sculptors from the products of the Warren's excavation of Turtle Mountain.   As a result, the overall effect is somewhat eclectic. However, the park buildings, including the library and train station, were shaped into something of a pseudo-Nordic, rustic-medieval style that has often been described by enthusiasts as "charming." They are constructed of oak and pine wood from local trees, stone bricks, and cobblestone. These buildings are designed to be fully functional, with or without modern power or heat, since such niceties can be unreliable during wartime.

Being an open, public park does not lend itself well to defense, and whenever the zombie sirens sound, the park is abandoned.   However, in the lowest floor of the Library, the youth and children's section, there is an escape tunnel that leads into the heart of the Warren, through El'Ahrairah's Garden and the local Ailurus Storehouse. So should zombies (or any other threat, natural or supernatural) attack suddenly, the young can be immediately evacuated to a secure, well-defended location beneath tonnes of rock, where food and supplies are plentiful.   Also, the park, if necessary, can and has served as an effective killing field during wartime. The park is relatively open and therefore, clearly visible from the Warren, and its lower elevation makes it vulnerable to the Warren's firepower.

The Royal Park forms a natural community hub for activities in Okanagan City during the peacetime months. Located right next to the Lapin Royal Public Library which could arguably be considered part of the park complex, it serves as a place to rest and relax between visiting the Library, the preserve of the Lapin Lagomorph Trust (which features a colony of Jackalopes,) El'Ahrairah's Garden , the Lapin Royal Military Academy, Meles Castle , and the Warren and its grounds. It is also within walking distance of the Mollusca Memorial Park and the Lapin Parliament; or one can rent a small paddle-boat and take it across the BX River.   During the Tourneys of Tales (April and July,) it becomes a site of celebration as the city embraces the spirit of these traditional Literomantic festivals. Vendors and food trucks sell their wares, while slam poets, filkers, rappers and bards compose on the spot for tips, and bands, dancers, and other creatives entertain from the small, centrally-located stage. It has served as a site for outdoor summer art festivals, and is a popular go-to for families as they wait for the Woodlander Football game to start at the Military Academy.   Popular attractions include the community chess tables, the giant perpetually blossoming Japanese cherry tree; a magical octopus named Java that lives in the park water system, that can camouflage itself and survive for short periods on land; and the many, many rabbits that run, free and semi-tame, throughout the park.