{"id":3373,"date":"2025-01-06T09:36:17","date_gmt":"2025-01-06T17:36:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vancouver-name.com\/?p=3373"},"modified":"2025-01-06T09:36:21","modified_gmt":"2025-01-06T17:36:21","slug":"about-the-vancouver-seawall","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vancouver-name.com\/en\/eternal-3373-about-the-vancouver-seawall","title":{"rendered":"About the Vancouver Seawall"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>The Vancouver Seawall is a stone wall built along the perimeter of Stanley Park, as reported by <a href=\"https:\/\/vancouver-name.com\/en\"><em>vancouver-name<\/em><\/a>. This structure was designed to prevent erosion of the park\u2019s shoreline.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Despite being a frequent source of conflict among road users such as pedestrians, cyclists, and skaters, the local population considers this structure one of the park\u2019s significant landmarks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Thus, this article, referencing <em>city.vancouver<\/em>, is dedicated to the Vancouver Seawall.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_74 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a4d5969ee45b\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a4d5969ee45b\"  aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/vancouver-name.com\/en\/eternal-3373-about-the-vancouver-seawall\/#The_Origins_of_the_Idea\" >The Origins of the Idea<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/vancouver-name.com\/en\/eternal-3373-about-the-vancouver-seawall\/#The_Lead_Builder\" >The Lead Builder<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/vancouver-name.com\/en\/eternal-3373-about-the-vancouver-seawall\/#The_Intermittent_Construction_Process\" >The Intermittent Construction Process<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/vancouver-name.com\/en\/eternal-3373-about-the-vancouver-seawall\/#A_Longstanding_Conflict\" >A Longstanding Conflict<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/vancouver-name.com\/en\/eternal-3373-about-the-vancouver-seawall\/#New_Debates_in_the_1990s\" >New Debates in the 1990s<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/vancouver-name.com\/en\/eternal-3373-about-the-vancouver-seawall\/#Expansion_and_Resolution\" >Expansion and Resolution<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Origins_of_the_Idea\"><\/span>The Origins of the Idea<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The idea for building the seawall was initially proposed by Rawlings, who served as the superintendent of the Parks Board.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"532\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.vancouver-name.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/44\/2025\/01\/image-27.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3375\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.vancouver-name.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/44\/2025\/01\/image-27.png 800w, https:\/\/cdn.vancouver-name.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/44\/2025\/01\/image-27-300x200.png 300w, https:\/\/cdn.vancouver-name.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/44\/2025\/01\/image-27-768x511.png 768w, https:\/\/cdn.vancouver-name.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/44\/2025\/01\/image-27-696x463.png 696w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>He suggested to the federal government that financial support for constructing the wall would be beneficial. As the owner of Stanley Park, the federal government could lease its land parcels and was in a position to assist financially.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Federal funding for the construction of the wall was provided only until 1967. By that time, the erosion-prone sections of the park&#8217;s shoreline had been secured.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Lead_Builder\"><\/span>The Lead Builder<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Between 1917 and 1971, only parts of the seawall were constructed. The original wall was built by James Cunningham, a master stonemason, who spent 32 years working on the project.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Despite battling illness and advancing age, Cunningham continued overseeing the construction. Unfortunately, he passed away on September 29, 1963, long before the seawall&#8217;s completion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Intermittent_Construction_Process\"><\/span>The Intermittent Construction Process<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Construction of the seawall progressed in stops and starts. By 1920, the seawall employed 2,300 workers. This workforce enabled the completion of an additional 8,000 feet of the wall by 1939.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The construction process culminated on September 26, 1971, marking the seawall&#8217;s completion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"A_Longstanding_Conflict\"><\/span>A Longstanding Conflict<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The seawall has been the center of a prolonged conflict among road users.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Pedestrians often resisted the presence of cyclists along the seawall, while cyclists found movement restrictions frustrating. As traffic along the seawall increased, the conflict intensified.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Eventually, bicycles were banned from the seawall.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In 1977, Calgary charitable foundations proposed donating $900,000 to the government. The funds were intended to expand the path along the seawall, allowing shared use by both cyclists and pedestrians. Environmental advocates opposed this plan, while the city council supported it. However, the conflict persisted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It wasn\u2019t until 1984 that tensions eased slightly. Even then, proposals to ban cyclists from the seawall surfaced periodically until 1993.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"New_Debates_in_the_1990s\"><\/span>New Debates in the 1990s<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>In the 1990s, new disputes regarding the seawall arose as rollerblading gained popularity. Rollerbladers began using the seawall, followed later by skateboarders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The park&#8217;s users effectively divided into two groups: those with wheels and those without.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In 1992, a survey revealed that 65% of residents supported allowing cyclists, rollerbladers, and skateboarders to use the seawall. Conversely, 20% of respondents favoured banning these activities, though their initiative failed to gain government support.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Expansion_and_Resolution\"><\/span>Expansion and Resolution<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Efforts to expand the seawall continued, leading to the extension of the path to 22 kilometers. This ensured sufficient space for pedestrians, cyclists, and skaters alike, marking the end of most conflicts over shared use.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Vancouver Seawall is a stone wall built along the perimeter of Stanley Park, as reported by vancouver-name. This structure was designed to prevent erosion of the park\u2019s shoreline. Despite being a frequent source of conflict among road users such as pedestrians, cyclists, and skaters, the local population considers this structure one of the park\u2019s [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":458,"featured_media":1658,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[334],"tags":[1533,1534,1528,1522,1532,1535,1510,1513,1537,1407,1526,1527,1523,1536],"moimportance":[30,33],"motype":[325],"moformat":[18],"class_list":{"0":"post-3373","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-engineering-solutions","8":"tag-canada-reservoirs","9":"tag-canadian-dam","10":"tag-canadian-dams","11":"tag-canadian-reservoirs","12":"tag-dam-in-canada","13":"tag-dam-in-vancouver","14":"tag-engineering-solutions-canada","15":"tag-engineering-solutions-vancouver","16":"tag-sea-dam","17":"tag-vancouver","18":"tag-vancouver-dam","19":"tag-vancouver-dams","20":"tag-vancouver-reservoirs","21":"tag-vancouver-sea-dam","22":"moimportance-golovna-novyna","23":"moimportance-retranslyacziya-v-agregatory","24":"motype-eternal","25":"moformat-vlasna"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/vancouver-name.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3373","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/vancouver-name.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/vancouver-name.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vancouver-name.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/458"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vancouver-name.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3373"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/vancouver-name.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3373\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3378,"href":"https:\/\/vancouver-name.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3373\/revisions\/3378"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vancouver-name.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1658"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/vancouver-name.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3373"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vancouver-name.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3373"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vancouver-name.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3373"},{"taxonomy":"moimportance","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vancouver-name.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/moimportance?post=3373"},{"taxonomy":"motype","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vancouver-name.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/motype?post=3373"},{"taxonomy":"moformat","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vancouver-name.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/moformat?post=3373"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}