Questions & AnswersStanley Park | Damage | Clean-Up and Restoration | Costs | Environmental Impacts Updated March 6, 2007 Overview of Stanley Park
A: The land which we now know as Stanley Park was established as a Federal Government Reserve in the 1860s, and when the first Vancouver City Council was established in 1886, their first order of business was to petition the Federal Government to convey those lands to the City for use as a park. Q: Who owns Stanley Park? A: The park is owned by the federal government. A 99-year lease of the park site by the City of Vancouver was signed on November 1, 1908. Stewardship of the park falls under the jurisdiction of the Vancouver Park Board. Q: How many people visit the park each year? A: We estimate that 8 million people drive through the park each year (that includes the causeway), and likely 2-3 million walk or bike in the park or visit a facility or attraction. Q: What are the main facilities and attractions in the park? A: Second Beach Pool, a spray pool, and Miniature Railway; four fine dining restaurants, six food concessions a number of gift shops and the Interpretation Centre at the Totem Poles; display gardens, sports facilities - the Brockton cricket pitch and rugby field, pitch & putt course, tennis courts, playgrounds, a lawn bowling facility - horse and carriage rides; the Vancouver Aquarium. But probably the best used (and free) facility in the park is the seawall, an 8.8 km (5.5 mi) seaside walkway for pedestrians, cyclists and rollerbladers. Q: How much of the park is forested? A: The total area of the park is 405 ha (1000 acres), with 243 ha (600 acres) forested and 27 km (17 mi) of trails. Q: What is the annual maintenance budget for Stanley Park and what does that cover? A: 2005 budget figures:
(Expenditures include arboriculture, horticulture, structures maintenance, sanitation, and other operating costs. Revenues include user fees for park attractions.) Overview of Damage in the Park
A: About 40 ha (100 acres) of the 243 ha (600 acres) forested area of the park sustained the most damage, although there were downed trees throughout the park. Q: How many trees were lost? A: It is estimated that over 10,000 were lost (trees over 20cm in diameter), many of which were centuries old. Q: What are the areas of most extensive damage? 1. Prospect Point area took the brunt of the storm and sustained the greatest number of knock-downs with weakened cliffs and compromised trees above the Seawall. Slides/falling trees are still a threat. 2. Area around Third Beach north of the Sequoia Grill lost most of its trees, including a significant group of red cedar. Area above Seawall was compromised. 3. Smaller area of the inner forest near the intersection of Tatlow and Lover's Trails sustained severe damage. 4. Area just north of North Lagoon Drive. 5. Area east of Beaver Lake flanking Pipeline Road. 6. Smaller pockets of damage occurred on the east side of the park (between Avison Way and Brockton Point). Q: What kinds of trees were most affected by the storm damage? A: Hemlock (which comprised the largest percentage of trees in the park) sustained the most damage, followed by cedar and fir. To a lesser extent, deciduous trees, including maple and alder were damaged. Q: What is the value of trees lost? A: Cannot be determined until assessment has been completed. Clean-Up and Restoration Strategy
A: Staff are working on the development of a restoration plan that will be presented to the Park Board at the end of March 2007. Q: What are the next steps involved in the clean-up and restoration of the forest? A: Assessment of the damage is being carried out. This involves the enlistment of forestry, geotechnical engineering and environmental expertise. Staff are also working to clear trails and remove storm debris. Q: What is involved in the assessment component and when will it be complete? A: Aerial photography of the affected areas was the first step and has been completed. The next steps in the assessment process involve enlisting a "timber cruiser" (an expert from the forest industry) whose task is to review the photographs, examine the major damage areas and assess the value of the downed tress and how best to remove them. Another component of the assessment will involve enlistment of geotechnical expertise to assess areas where slopes and cliffs have been compromised. Finally, environmental expertise is required to assess the damage and develop recovery strategies which will be developed and combined with the forestry and geotechnical findings. Q: What are the Park Board's priorities in handling the trees that were knocked down? 1. First priority is to move log/debris out of the way to create a level of safety for park users and to reduce fire hazard. 2. Second is to address the community's concerns for the provenance and social value of the downed trees - everything from requests for totem pole carving to commemorative structures, to perhaps use in a structure planned for the Olympics. 3. Finally, wood that may have some residual economic value would be assessed. Q: What options will be considered after the assessment process? A: The assessment will help the Park Board in determining the following: what percentage of fallen trees should be removed and their value; the choices and actions related to slope stability; the selection of the best tree/debris removal techniques; and the environmental strategy choices to promote recovery. Q: Who will be conducting the strategy for clean-up and restoration and what timeline will be followed? A: A dedicated staff team led by Jim Lowden, Director of Special Projects, will prepare a plan for the assessment, recovery and restoration of the park. A staff review group and partners/stakeholders committee will assist a staff project team and steering committee to develop the overall plan by the end of March. Q. When I visited the park recently, I noticed that most of the downed trees and debris from the storm in the open, grassy areas of the park has still not been removed. Why is it taking so long to remove the debris and fallen trees from the open areas of the park? A. Staff are currently trimming branches from fallen trees and consolidating debris into piles for pick-up in the open, grassy areas of the park. There are two factors that are affecting the removal of downed trees and debris. First, park lawns must be dry enough to allow heavy vehicles to access downed trees and debris piles without extensive damage to grassy areas. Second, it is a more efficient use of staff and equipment to wait until all the debris has been consolidated into piles. When all the debris is consolidated and lawns are dry enough for vehicles, removal will happen very quickly... Q. Why wasn't the Park Board able to save the large Catalpa tree near the entrance to the park that was downed by the December storm? A. Arboriculture staff reviewed the damage to the Catalpa tree to determine if there was a chance that the tree could be saved. Their review found that more than half of the roots had been ripped out of the ground and the remaining roots and the core of the trunk were severely cracked when the tree fell making the tree's survival impossible. CostsQ: What is the estimated cost of the total restoration process? A:
Q: Where is the money coming from to cover these unexpected costs? A: The costs related to the storm clean-up were unexpected and not part of the Operating Budget. We have received strong support fom the three levels of government, the public, organizations, partners and stakeholders. Q: What is the estimated cost of the total restoration process? A: It is estimated that the restoration will cost $9 to $10 million. Part of the assessment process will be to offer us options to address specific issues and the options chosen will determine the costs. Q: How will this be paid for? A: Fundraising efforts to-date have garnered close to $9 million toward the restoration of the park. Q: How will this be used? A: The money will be used to make the park safe through the removal fallen and weaken trees, clearing debris, thereby reducing fire hazard and clearing areas for eventual replanting. It will also be used to clear and stabilize the cliffs and embankments above the Seawall in order to restore access to the Seawall. The final stage will be replanting throughout the park. The goal of the plan will be to establish safe and environmentally sound conditions under which the damaged forest areas can regenerate into a healthy and mature natural coastal forest that is appropriate for a busy urban park. Environmental Impacts of the StormQ: What is the extent of the environmental impacts on the park? A: Large areas of once-forested canopied areas have been opened up, ground stability has been compromised in some areas, particularly by the upheaval of tree roots on slopes and cliff areas above the Seawall. Q: What is the effect on wildlife and their habitat? A: The loss of extensive areas of forested canopy resulting in creation of more open areas and "edge" environments will impact wildlife habitat, resulting, in the short-term, in higher species diversity in the once-forested areas.
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Q: How did Stanley Park come into existence?
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Q: How much of the park was affected by the storm? 
Q: What is the next step for the Park Board in the restoration plan? 
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