Construction on water tunnel beneath Stanley Park to kick off this month

Construction is set to begin on a controversial infrastructure project some residents of Vancouver’s West End have been dreading.

Metro Vancouver announced its timeline Tuesday for construction on the new Stanley Park water supply tunnel. Work is slated to begin in mid-November.

The 1.4-kilometre tunnel will replace an existing water main from the North Shore that was built in the 1930s.

“It’s extremely important that we make this upgrade,” Metro Vancouver Board Chair Mike Hurley said in a statement.

2:16 Stanely Park neighbours worried about huge water tunnel project

“This work is also part of Metro Vancouver’s push to ensure our drinking water infrastructure can better withstand strong earthquakes and accommodate future population growth.”

Work involves digging three vertical shafts in Stanley Park, one near Burrard Inlet, one in the middle of the park and one at Chilco Street in the West End.

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It’s that third tunnel that worries some residents, who say a steady parade of dump trucks and other heavy equipment will disrupt the quiet in their neighbourhood and threaten local businesses.

Metro Vancouver is hosting an open house for local residents to meet the project team and ask questions at King George Secondary School on Nov. 7 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Construction on the $495 million project is expected to last through 2029.