The Vancouver Fraser Port Authority, Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation, and Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh Nations yesterday celebrated the completion of the New Brighton Park Shoreline Habitat Restoration Project.
The key components of the construction project included earthworks, park feature construction and planting.
As part of the project, crews successfully opened the wetland’s east and west outlets to Burrard Inlet. This is the first time since the mid-1960s that this area has been open to tidal influence.
“ The intertidal zone in New Brighton Park was filled in during the rapid growth of Vancouver in the 1960s. This project removed some of this fill and created a tidal wetland that is critical for migrating fish and birds ,” said Vancouver Park Board Chair Michael Wiebe . “ We realize how much Vancouver residents cherish healthy ecosystems and biodiversity and the Park Board continues to look for more ways to enhance it.”
Other park features include installations of west coast native plant species including approximately 25,000 salt marsh plugs, 200 native trees, and 4,000 coastal shrubs on the newly constructed wetland. Park users will also enjoy additional new picnic tables, view decks and gravel pathways as a part of the project’s park feature components.