Vancouver admits 'poor communication' on partial seawall closure, promises better detour by summer
CBC
The City of Vancouver is admitting it could have done a better job explaining its plan to replace a section of the seawall that had to be closed indefinitely due to safety concerns, and it's promising a workaround by the start of summer.
"A bit of poor communication on our part," said City of Vancouver general manager of engineering services Lon LaClaire in an interview with CBC News.
"It's not going to be 2032. I'm pretty sure it's going to be much, much quicker than that."
In early February, the city announced the closure of a 200-metre stretch of the seawall from Science World to the Olympic Village after a structural assessment revealed potential safety concerns with continued use.
The city also closed a wide swath of land right next to the walking and bike paths and announced a 400-metre detour that went through Quebec Street — a busy arterial — without committing to any alternative detour options.
WATCH | Better seawall detour to come by summer, says City of Vancouver:
Finally, it provided no timeline for replacing the unsafe portion, allowing only that "the planning work for deconstruction is underway, with on-site work planned for 2028-2032."
Since the closure on Feb. 4, the city had given no updates, as criticism from some members of the public grew.
When asked for comment before LaClaire's interview, Coun. Sarah Kirby-Yung said the lack of details was concerning.
"What people want to know is what is the plan to either reconstruct or provide an alternative so people can have uninterrupted, continuous access to the Vancouver seawall," she said.
"Waiting years and years just for deconstruction and having people walk around on the road, I don't think it's acceptable. I think we can do better."
LaClaire said the original 2028-2032 timeline was in the annual capital infrastructure plan based on the city's previous budget for fixing it — when it was assumed the aging wooden pylons underneath the deck surrounding Science World would last several more years.
WATCH | Seawall section off limits over safety concerns:
But when the structural assessment revealed it needed to be closed immediately, it didn't allow time for council to pass a new capital plan or find a creative solution to reconnect the seawall.
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This First Person column is by Eyasu Yakob, who is a nursing student in Edmonton. For more information about CBC's First Person stories, please see the FAQ.
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