One of the busiest sections of Vancouver’s seawall network has been closed to the public indefinitely amid concerns about its structural integrity.
The section in question, between Science World and the Olympic Village, is actually a deck structure built on pilings above False Creek.
Built more than 40 years ago for Expo 86, it was originally intended to be temporary, but became a public space when the fair ended.
It has since become a critical part of the seaside walking and cycling network, explained City of Vancouver general manager of engineering Lon LaClaire.
“In many respects, it has lived a very long, healthy life considering there were never plans for it to last this long,” he said.
How long the deck will last is now in question.
LaClaire said a recent inspection discovered cracks in the concrete panels the deck surface is made of, which led to the abrupt closure of the entire area “out of an abundance of caution.”
A map showing the closed area of the Expo Deck and walking and cycling detours.
City of Vancouver
For now, pedestrians and cyclists are being detoured south of the deck and then onto Quebec Street, a route LaClaire acknowledged is inconvenient.
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The city is working on improving the detour for the short term. In the medium term, there may be parts of the deck itself that are still usable.
“Ultimately, when we get the results from the further investigation and testing, we will see what we can do in what I would describe as a semi-permanent form,” he said.
“Which is recognizing if there are portions of the deck that can’t be used, what are they? And, for the rest of it, how can we put it into a good condition so it can last many years until we come back to a full reconstruction.”
How long the area is closed and what the city does next could vary widely, depending on how badly damaged the deck structure is.
If just a single concrete panel is unsafe, the city could simply replace it or permanently remove it. But if the damage is more widespread, it’ll be a much bigger problem.
The closed area is the highest-traffic section of the city’s seawall network for bicycles and is also a hub for community activities such as dragon boating.
Dragon Boat BC senior director Dominic Lai said the group expects “some disruption” to its paddling facility in the area.
He said the organization was still waiting for more information from the city on what happens next.
“We’ll be reviewing if we have to activate our event contingency plans due to the seawall closure, including moving up our plans for when seawall dismantling and East Park construction began,” he said.
“As this is happening months prior to our events, we’re aiming to minimize seawall closure impacts across the board, but will be working closely with the city to coordinate our next steps.”
Last year, the city hired a consultant to map out a plan to eventually decommission and replace the deck.
In a media release, the city said that planning work remains underway, with a target date of 2028 through 2032 to actually do the work.
The city has not provided an estimate on the cost for the critical short-term remediation or the long-term replacement plan.
