Replacing vandalized Spanish Banks trees would cost $15K, parks board says

Replacing nearly a dozen trees that had their tops lobbed off at Spanish Banks beach would cost $15,000, says the Vancouver Park Board, which is investigating the vandalism.

Someone sawed most of the way through the upper part of 10 evergreens at the beach a few days ago. Eventually, the tops cracked off, leaving shorter, decapitated trees along the shoreline.

Some suspect a homeowner may have done it to get a better view of the city skyline and North Shore mountains.

"I think our trees are treasures, and sneaking around, cutting it down for [your] own purposes, I think, is really disappointing," said Charlie Brumwell, who was seated on a bench along the waterfront gravel path.

Collette Albert, who moved to Vancouver from Alberta, shook her head when asked about the vandalism.

"It breaks my heart. This is what makes our city beautiful. If it's somebody wanting a view, it's not acceptable," she said.

While the parks board investigates, city police have been canvassing the area, at the foot of Tolmie Street.

Howard Normann, the city's parks director, said the trees will likely never recover from the damage — which was carried out to make it look like the trees were damaged by the weather.

"If you look at them, they've been cut ... three-quarters of the way through. Then, in this last windstorm, they snapped off. That would tell me somebody clever was trying to disguise it as being broken off in a storm," Normann said.

"It just stunts the growth. The tree will live, but it will grow out — not up," he added.

Normann said replacing the trees, which ranged from two to nine metres tall, would cost around $15,000. The city isn't considering restoration as the trees sit on Squamish, Tsleil-Waututh​ and Musqueam land and no digging can be done under an agreement.