Doris Parkes was more than a name on a trophy cabinet; she was a true all‑round athlete who dominated swimming, diving, cross‑country skiing, speed skating and canoeing throughout the 1920s and 1930s. Her collection of trophies testified to a competitive spirit that extended beyond any single discipline, and her versatility made her a local legend in Vancouver.
Pioneers on Ice
The story of women’s hockey in the region begins with Lady Isobel Stanley, daughter of Lord Stanley, who organized and played in the first known women’s ice‑hockey game around 1890 at Rideau Hall in Ottawa. Her involvement helped legitimize the sport for women at a time when societal expectations confined many to the sidelines.
In Vancouver, natural ice was scarce, forcing early rinks to rely on artificial refrigeration. This limitation shaped the early scene, but it also spurred innovation. The Patrick family — Lester and Frank — moved from Nelson to Vancouver, where they built the Denman Arena and later the Victoria Arena. Their facilities became crucibles for the sport’s growth, providing a venue where women could finally showcase their talent.
The Pacific Coast Hockey Association, founded in 1912, initially focused on men’s teams in Vancouver, Victoria and New Westminster, but its infrastructure soon accommodated women’s squads as well. Early women’s teams adopted the colours of the Vancouver Millionaires and wore ankle‑length skirts, reflecting the social norms of the era. The Swastika Club, a women’s team that used the swastika as a symbol of good fortune, later fell victim to the symbol’s darker associations.
By the 1920s, the Vancouver Amazons emerged as the dominant women’s hockey team, eclipsing predecessors like the Swastika Club and the Vancouver Ladies’ Hockey Team. Their success was mirrored in other parts of British Columbia, where the Fernie Swastikas captured the Alpine Cup at the 1923 Banff Winter Carnival, a title then regarded as the championship of Western Canada.
Through arenas, family vision and a willingness to break social barriers, these pioneers laid the groundwork for future generations. Their stories, from Doris Parkes’s athletic exploits to the daring women who took to the ice in skirts, remain a vital part of Canada’s sporting heritage.