Vancouver officials caution public over damaged seawall sections as repairs continue

The Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation say repairs are continuing along a stretch of the seawall in Stanley Park that was damaged a week ago by high tides and extreme weather.

Officials are asking people to stay off the seawall from Sunset Beach to Lions Gate Bridge to allow crews to work and to avoid potential dangers.

Ian Stewart, manager for park development, said in a recorded statement posted on Twitter that many sections of that stretch are still undermined and could collapse.

He also said there are areas with loose logs, piles of boulders and exposed rebar from damaged concrete.

"It looks safe — it's not," he said.

"We know how much our residents and park users love our beaches and our seawall. The biggest thing you can do right now is to stay away and let the crews do their job."

The Park Board has not said when repairs will be finished or the closed sections reopened. Engineers have been working on short-term repairs, and other repairs that will take place over a longer period of time.

On Jan. 7, high tides and extreme wind pummeled B.C.'s South Coast, resulting in damage not only to Vancouver's seawall, but in other coastal communities such as West Vancouver and Qualicum Beach on Vancouver Island as well.

Vancouver's Park Board is asking people to not move or go around barricades set up to closed sections of the seawall that were damaged.

"Huge efforts are getting results on the repairs to the #StanleyPark Seawall. Lots more to do but a big thanks to @ParkBoard team for what has been accomplished," said commissioner Tricia Barker on Twitter.