People walking and cycling on the seawall

South False Creek Seawall Improvements

The City and Vancouver Park Board are continuing a process to improve conditions for people walking and cycling along the South False Creek Seawall between Cambie Bridge and Burrard Bridge. 

The South False Creek Seawall is the oldest section of Vancouver's Seaside Greenway, dating back to 1975. It has a unique character and carries high volumes of people walking and cycling, especially in the summer. 

We're completing construction in two parts during 2017 and 2018 to allow full public use of the Seawall during the summer.

City Council and the Park Board approved the upgrades in May 2016 following public consultation in 2015 and 2016.

Read the Council report about the approved upgrades (330 KB)

Project details

Location

South False Creek Seawall, from Burrard Bridge to Cambie Bridge

Expected duration

Start: March 2017
End: Late spring 2018 - complete

Hours of work

Monday to Friday: 7am to 5pm
Weekends and extended hours as needed

Contact us

seawall
@vancouver.ca

Project timeline

Here is our process and anticipated milestones.

  • Summer 2013

    Consultation with public about ideas, issues, and desires

  • Fall 2014

    Study released evaluating the physical conditions and areas for improvement

  • Fall 2015 to
    winter 2016

    Open houses and stakeholder meetings to show proposed seawall design options

  • Spring 2016

    Designs refined based on public feedback, and approved by Council and Park Board

  • January 2017

    Construction begins

  • May 2017

    Partially upgraded seawall opens to allow full summer use

  • September 2017

    Construction resumes

  • Spring 2018

    Expected completion

  • We are here

  • TBD

    Installation of accessible public washroom

    • ​

Recent developments

Improvements to Stamps Landing walking and cycling paths

While most of the seawall construction was completed in the summer of 2018, Stamps Landing remains the last piece to be finalized.

To reflect feedback from October 2015 and January 2016, we developed a preliminary design for Stamps Landing and reached out to adjacent businesses to refine the design.

Neighbourhood chats

November 2018 - We will be hosting neighbourhood conversations in November, and invite you to meet with us to ask questions and share your thoughts on the design of Stamps Landing.

Where:

Convivial Café and Bakery, 680 Leg in Boot Square

When: 

  • Saturday, November 17, 2018 from 2pm to 5pm
  • Tuesday, November 20, 2018 from 5pm to 8pm

View the notification letter and proposed design  (1 MB)

Stamps Landing summary of feedback from Neighbourhood Chats (286 KB)

The South False Creek Seawall is open and we’re celebrating!

May 30, 2018 – Join us at Leg-in-Boot Square to test the new walking and cycling paths, complete with a bike tune-up station, live music, frozen treats, and other family-friendly activities. 

Bring a water bottle, hang out, enjoy the festivities, and share what you appreciate most about the South False Creek Seawall, the oldest section of Vancouver’s 28 km Seaside Greenway.

When: Saturday, June 2, 2018 from 12pm to 3pm
Where: Leg-in-Boot Square 

Work continues along Creekside Drive

April 9, 2018 – The last segment of seawall improvements is scheduled for completion by the end of April.

  • The cycling path has now been fully paved with some work remaining along the roadway
  • A small section of curb, gutter, and sidewalk work continues along the northwest side of W 1st Avenue and Creekside Drive
  • Single-lane alternating traffic is in effect with routes maintained for walking and cycling

The seawall is now open from Alder Bay Walk to Stamps Landing

March 19, 2018 – The seawall has reopened from Alder Bay Walk to Stamps Landing. Improvements along this segment include: 

  • Wider and largely separated walking and cycling paths
  • Green boulevard to separate walking and cycling where possible
  • Upgraded path lighting
  • A low fence between the Charleson dog park and the new cycling path
  • New benches and landscaping including 17 new cherry trees along Island Park Walk between Alder Bay Walk and The Castings. The trees have been planted in deep tree wells to ensure their viability - and weather permitting - will bloom this spring! 

Finishing works, such as painting crosswalks and lines along the bike path, will be completed later this spring as weather permits.

Work continues along Creekside Drive, the last segment of the seawall improvements.

Construction resumes along Creekside Drive

February 1, 2018 – Construction has resumed along Creekside Drive and will continue until May 2018. Work will begin at the north end, with the road narrowed to single-lane alternating traffic for vehicles, and routes maintained for walking and cycling. Improvements will include:

  • A new raised cycling path and selective brick replacement along the pedestrian pathway
  • Upgrades street lighting and new benches
  • 18 cherry trees to be planted in fall 2018 to replace the 16 removed last spring

Charleson Park washroom – Working group meeting

January 10, 2018 - The first working group meeting was held to review the siting options for an accessible public washroom in Charleson Park. Many thanks to everyone who has provided their time and input to date. A follow-up meeting will be held in February.

Public meeting summary

December 8, 2017 – On Tuesday, October 3, 2017, City and Park Board staff hosted a public meeting to discuss the proposed washroom in Charleson Park. About 100 people participated in the evening meeting, nearly all of whom live in the area of Charleson Park. Read the participant input summary (1.38 MB).

A working group of residents as well as park and seawall users, has been formed to review potential washroom locations in more detail. Over the next few months, this group will use the input from the public meeting to evaluate alternatives in looking for a washroom location that meets as many objectives as possible.

Seawall closure to expand to Stamps Landing

November 10, 2017 - Beginning November 17, 2017, the seawall closure will expand to the west side of Stamps Landing and the seawall will remain closed until March 2018. This closure is necessary to ensure public safety during excavation, seawall resurfacing, and the replacement of pathway lighting.

Blue construction fencing will run along the south curb of Greenchain and along the seawall from Greenchain to Stamps Landing.

  • When: Construction will generally take place Monday to Friday, 7:00am to 5:00pm. Work hours will be extended up to 8:00pm on weekdays and during weekends when necessary to ensure timely completion.
  • Closure: Expanded closure in effect November 17, 2017 until March 2018. View the South False Creek construction detour PDF file (720 KB) on Moberly Road and Lamey's Mill Road.
  • Access to residences: Primary access to residential buildings will be maintained, but due to the unusually tight construction zone, secondary access (such as individual townhouse units) may be intermittently closed.

Seawall closes for construction

October 10, 2017 – The South False Creek Seawall is now closed from Alder Bay Walk to Greenchain to accomodate the second phase of construction and ensure public safety during excavation, seawall resurfacing, and the replacement of pathway lighting. A walking and cycling detour will be in place along Lamey's Mill road.

  • When: Construction will generally take place Monday to Friday, 7:00am to 5:00pm, with work during evenings (up to 8:00pm) and weekends when necessary.
  • Closure: Closure in effect October 10, 2017 until the New Year from Alder Bay Walk to Greenchain. View the South False Creek construction detour PDF file (2.16 MB) along Lamey's Mill Road.
  • Access to residences: Primary residential access will be maintained, but secondary access, such as access to individual townhouse units, will be intermittenly closed for residences along The Castings, Ironwork Passage, and Greenchain.

Public meeting

October 2, 2017 – A public meeting is scheduled to discuss the proposed location for the accessible public washroom, as well as alternative locations brought forward by members of the community. The meeting will begin with a presentation by City staff and follow with a Q&A session and opportunity to provide feedback.

When: Tuesday, October 3, 2017 at 7:00pm
Where: False Creek Co-op Amenity Room, 1092 Sitka Square

Background: During the public consultation for the South False Creek Seawall Improvements, the community expressed the need for a public washroom along the 2.8 km stretch between the existing facilities at the False Creek Community Centre and the Creekside Community Centre in Olympic Village.

To meet this identified need, City Council and Park Board approved the installation of an automated public toilet (APT) at the northwest corner of Charleson Park based on functional requirements informed by the pubilc consultation.

Construction resumes

September 5, 2017 – Construction has resumed to begin Phase 2 of the seawall improvements. Full walking and cycling access will be maintained until Thanksgiving. On Tuesday October 10, sections of the seawall will be closed to accommodate construction with detours posted onsite.

Seawall re-opens

May 19, 2017 - The South False Creek Seawall has reopened for the summer! Public realm improvements along Island Park Walk from Anderson Street to Alder Bay Walk are now complete. The wider 6-metre path provides separate lanes for walking and cycling along with new lighting, benches, landscaping, and a public water fountain.

To enable full public use of the seawall during the summer months, there will be no further construction until September. The eastern end of the construction closure from the wooden wharf to the Castings has been paved with a temporary treatment.

Once construction resumes in the fall, we will plant new cherry trees and rebuild separated walking and cycling paths with paving and asphalt.

Spring construction: Sutcliffe Park

April 13, 2017 - We will be installing new street lighting from April 16 - 21. To accomodate these improvements, the seawall closure will be temporarily extended west to Anderson Street. After April 21, the closure will be restored to previous conditions. In the meantime, seawall users are encouraged to watch signage for temporary changes to the construction detour and parking restrictions.

January 20, 2017 – Upgrades from Granville Island to The Castings are underway. Work includes widening the pathway, painting to separate walking and cycling, new pathway lighting, signage, and benches.

Some landscaping will be moved to allow for pathway expansion. Cherry trees in poor health will be removed this spring and new cherry trees will be planted in the fall.

  • When: Work will take place from 7:00am to 3:30pm, Monday to Friday, with occasional work on evenings and weekends if required.
  • Access to residences and businesses: Access will be maintained at all times. Local roads will be used by construction vehicles.
  • Closure: This section of the seawall will be closed during construction and alternate routes will be provided for pedestrians and cyclists. Drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians should remain alert as routes may change from day-to-day.
  • View details on pages 15-16 of the staff presentation  (8 MB)
  • View the South False Creek construction detours  PDF file (2 MB)
  • View notification letter on closure of Charleston to non-transit vehicles PDF file (9 MB)

Past updates

November 2018 neighborhood chats

January 2016 open house display boards

October 2015 open house display boards

Related documents

Timeline of the study

Summer 2013

City staff will be on location in August to get direct feedback from active transportation and recreational users of the seawall and answer questions. Staff will be collecting information on how people currently use the seawall (e.g. walking and cycling volumes, and demographics), existing conditions, and conflicts at key locations.

Fall 2013

We will analyze all of the public feedback and additional seawall information collected in the summer. From this analysis, we will develop potential active transportation improvements that will incorporate benefits, impacts, and cost using the following:

  • Existing policy context
  • Project goals
  • Data analysis
  • Transportation and engineering considerations

2014

We are continuing to analyze the user survey, and pedestrian and cycling information. We will review the existing conditions and identify potential issues. Meanwhile, we will gather more feedback and identify an appropriate time to discuss potential solutions.

Work leading up to the study

Walking and cycling have been a transportation priority in Vancouver for over 15 years, demonstrated through these in-depth plans:

2012 - Transportation 2040 Plan

Aims to make walking and cycling safe, convenient, and comfortable for people of all ages and abilities. Some of the goals of the 2040 Transportation Plan include:

  • Moving toward 2/3 of all trips made by walking, cycling, and transit by 2040
  • Moving toward zero traffic-related fatalities
  • Improving the seawall

2011 - Greenest City 2020 Action Plan

This plan sets out a broad long-term vision as well as 20 specific goals to achieve by 2020, and makes walking, cycling, and transit the preferred modes of transportation.

1999 - Launch of the Bicycle Plan

1997 - Introduction of the City of Vancouver Transportation Plan

1995 - Launch of the Vancouver Greenways Plan

Related initiatives