STANLEY PARK NOTEBOOK
/BACK ON THE TRAILS AGAIN!
by Jacqui Birchall
After almost six months, I am finally back on the glorious trails of Stanley Park.
They never lose their allure for me. Even when the beaches are full and the roads groaning with backed up traffic, the trails offer tranquility and a chance to experience forest bathing, often in complete solitude. The smells, the sounds, the sights are so beautiful that it is hard to imagine one is in the center of a city.
Sinkholes like this one show that there are still problems with the Stanley Park Seawall.
SEAWALL CHALLENGES … The reconstructed Seawall is a relief to many, especially those whose day begins with a walk or run around the Seawall. The section that was closed for repairs offers some of the most beautiful views. Unfortunately subsidence has reappeared in spots, which emphasizes the difficulties of keeping Stanley Park surrounded by concrete and blacktop. It is reported that the Park Board will begin conversations with residents about valuing our waterfronts, and planning and adapting for the future regarding climate change, rising sea levels and more extreme weather.
Research shows that the Stanley Park Seawall increases the action of the waves. The waves hitting the hard surface of the seawall causes the erosion of the sand outside the wall and because of the wall, the sand is not being replaced from the shore. This causes destruction of the intertidal zone, the home of sea stars, crabs and many other varieties of marine life. They cannot survive if their environment is washed away, which is why seawalls damage both the land and marine life that lies in front of them.
PARK TRAFFIC … There is more controversy regarding the closure to vehicular traffic of one of the lanes in Stanley Park. Local TV news programs have reported on Stanley Park-bound traffic at a standstill on Georgia Street over the Victoria Day weekend. There is a petition which has gained more than 30,000 votes asking the Park Board to reopen the other lane, now a bike lane, to vehicular traffic.
There are also very negative reports on how slow it is to exit Stanley Park onto Georgia Street from the park. With the English Bay route closed because of bike lanes, all traffic has to exit onto Georgia Street. Local news organizations have reported on backed up traffic and idling cars causing air pollution in the park over the May long weekend.
WILL YOU DRINK TO THAT? … The Park Board has passed a motion allowing for the consumption of alcohol in the city’s parks between the hours of 11 a.m. and 9 p.m. starting on June 3 and ending on October 16. Alcohol consumption is not allowed in playgrounds, on beaches, sports fields, ecologically sensitive areas and off-leash dog areas.
There seems to be a chance of much confusion!
Great Blue Herons return to their Stanley Park nesting site.
HERON REPORT … The great blue heron colony that first started in 2001 has evolved into one of the largest urban heron colonies in North America. There is no guarantee that the great blue herons will return to the heronry each year but we are lucky that they have. Great blue herons are classified as a “species at risk.”
If you see a heron chick that has fallen from the nest, call Wildlife Rescue Association between the hours of 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. at 604 526 7275. After hours call Burrard Animal Hospital at 604 738 5683.
As the season progresses and the chicks grow, it is alarming to hear the screams of the herons as they try to protect their chicks from the marauding eagles. Sometimes the eagles will kill the parent heron.
You can observe the heronry from a webcam here.
If there are no lifeguards on duty, what is the guy in the highchair behind the the signs doing?
A CONFUSION OF SIGNS … Signage in the park continues to confound many.
The upper seawall from Second Beach to English Bay, long ago designated pedestrians only, still has cyclists rushing by, despite the very roomy bike lane on Stanley Park Drive. The Park Board has still not had the painted bike signs on this walkway erased, after all this time.
I was amused to see “No Lifeguard on Duty” signs on the beaches over the May long weekend, with life guards clearly visible just beyond the signs.
Other signs show a $10,000 fine for taking one’s dog on the beach. Judging by the number of dogs on the beaches, either there are many deep pockets or that rule is not enforced.
POOL & CONCESSIONS … So nice to see the Second Beach pool, the Second and Third Beach concessions open again, and the lifeguards back on our beaches. There is definitely a hint of summer in the air.
SHARE YOUR VIEWS AND IDEAS … The Vancouver Park Board is currently studying how people access and move within Stanley Park, to generate new ideas to improve access for everyone while focusing on sustainable transportation options.
They want to hear residents’ and visitors’ ideas and thoughts through a survey that is open until June 9. You can also stay up to date with the project by visiting the study’s page on the Shape Your City website.
