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’s 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’s significant landmarks.
Thus, this article, referencing city.vancouver, is dedicated to the Vancouver Seawall.
The Origins of the Idea
The idea for building the seawall was initially proposed by Rawlings, who served as the superintendent of the Parks Board.
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.
Federal funding for the construction of the wall was provided only until 1967. By that time, the erosion-prone sections of the park’s shoreline had been secured.
The Lead Builder
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.
Despite battling illness and advancing age, Cunningham continued overseeing the construction. Unfortunately, he passed away on September 29, 1963, long before the seawall’s completion.
The Intermittent Construction Process
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.
The construction process culminated on September 26, 1971, marking the seawall’s completion.
A Longstanding Conflict
The seawall has been the center of a prolonged conflict among road users.
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.
Eventually, bicycles were banned from the seawall.
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.
It wasn’t until 1984 that tensions eased slightly. Even then, proposals to ban cyclists from the seawall surfaced periodically until 1993.
New Debates in the 1990s
In the 1990s, new disputes regarding the seawall arose as rollerblading gained popularity. Rollerbladers began using the seawall, followed later by skateboarders.
The park’s users effectively divided into two groups: those with wheels and those without.
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.
Expansion and Resolution
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.