Vancouver Park Board staff recommending Jericho Pier be demolished

The days of the Jericho Beach Park Pier in Vancouver could be numbered as Vancouver Park Board staff are recommending that it be destroyed rather than fixed.

The pier has been closed since the storm surge in January 2022.

Staff estimate that a replacement pier will cost roughly $25 million to build.

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VPB staff recommend the board consider the following factors when deciding on the next steps for Jericho Pier:

Decolonization and reconciliation: Staff said the Jericho Beach Park and the surrounding areas are particularly sensitive areas for local First Nations communities. Opportunities for collaborative restoration of naturalized areas need to be considered.

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Climate change: Staff said increasingly frequent and severe coastal storms will continue to impact the site. “The pier is located within the coastal floodplain and sea level rise will exacerbate the magnitude, frequency, and extent of coastal flooding at Jericho Beach Park,” staff said in the report.

Aging infrastructure: The 80-year-old pier has reached the end of its service life, according to staff. “The funding required for the maintenance and renewal of the park board’s aging infrastructure far exceeds the funding available,” staff said.

Future development: The nearby Jericho Lands development project contributes to a future need for the park board to embark on a joint comprehensive planning study for Jericho Beach Park with the local First Nations. The board will determine the best future plan for the park, including the site of the pier.

“Staff seeks a decision from the board to deconstruct Jericho Beach Park Pier while keeping in place and suitably reinforcing the breakwater so as to maintain protection of the Jericho Sailing Centre harbour,” staff said in the report’s conclusion.

“The decision will not preclude future opportunities to redevelop the pier site if, or when, sufficient funding becomes available and if future plans for the site call for its replacement.”

Vancouver Park Board staff will be presenting their report to the park board on Monday.

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