Stanley Park Update

Comments 6 by Rebecca Bollwitt

Last week, a tree that John and I have passed many time on the Third Beach Trail was toppled by Mother Nature.

Lions Gate Trek

…Staff report that likely the heavy rains on Sunday morning weakened the root mass, and the severe easterly winds that followed later in the day were the cause of the demise of the ancient Western Red Cedar.

When the tree fell on Sunday, it split in half, falling across Third Beach Trail. The tree will be left where it fell and the trail around it adjusted to allow safe public access.

The Western Red Cedar gained widespread recognition when it was featured in the October 1978 edition of the National Geographic magazine. [Vancouver Parks Board]

The last time I walked by that tree it was during one of our early morning walks. I was huffing and puffing up a hill with John leaning back, “almost to the top!” when suddenly we heard the faint sound of music coming from the bushes below. It grew louder and more audible and I soon made out the lyrics, “And thank you very much, Mr. Roboto – For helping me escape just when I needed to…”. That park is always full of surprises.

This morning’s update is that the Sea Wall is expected to re-open next week.

The opening will finally afford public access to the most heavily damaged area of the park, 15 hectares of sloped terrain between Third Beach and Prospect Point. Merilees trail, which runs southwest for about 1.5 kilometres from Prospect Point to Third Beach and Ferguson Point resembles a disaster zone. [VancouverSun]

The article ends by saying more closures will come in the spring, but as for opening next week? I’ll believe it when I see it.

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6 Comments  —  Comments Are Closed

  1. Duane StoreyMonday, October 29th, 2007 — 2:01pm PDT

    I think we should organize a sea wall walk next week and find out!

  2. JennyMonday, October 29th, 2007 — 2:38pm PDT

    If you don’t come back we’ll know that wall isn’t fixed

  3. Derek K. MillerMonday, October 29th, 2007 — 6:15pm PDT

    I hope they leave the cedar there so it can be a nurse log.

  4. Miss604Monday, October 29th, 2007 — 6:31pm PDT

    Me too, I think they’ve removed far too much already

  5. Miss604’s Canuck Life :: A Vancouver Blog » Blog Archive » Sea Wall, La Nina, and 1996 callingThursday, November 8th, 2007 — 11:00am PST

    […] to reports on October 29th, Stanley Park’s sea wall has not been reopened this week. They’ve pushed the date back […]

  6. Miss604’s Canuck Life :: A Vancouver Blog » Blog Archive » Forbidden Stanley Park Trek, 1 Year LaterSaturday, November 10th, 2007 — 5:56pm PST

    […] the muddy Tatlow Walk, over to Rawlings, and down the Third Beach Trail, we had to check in on an old friend (”Sam“), a 800-1,000 year old tree that was toppled recently due to unstable […]

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