Parts of West Vancouver’s Seawalk could be temporarily underwater next month.
“We know from last year’s significant storm surge that our waterfront is vulnerable to a combination of high tides with a certain kind of wind,” said Jeff McDonald, director of communications for the district. “Under certain conditions, we could see the same kind of flooding as last year.”
West Vancouver is bracing for the impact of perigean spring tides, which are the highest tides, from Jan. 2 to 7 and Feb. 1 to 3. These tides are expected to exceed 4.7 metres at Point Atkinson.
The District of West Vancouver is asking people to be aware of possible Seawalk closures and to respect the decision, McDonald said. “Last year we had people who ignored the warnings and put themselves at risk,” he said.
“The surf that comes up over the Seawalk contains debris that is dangerous,” he said. “It’s not just water, and that’s why it’s important people take this seriously.
“If people ignore the signs and run into a dangerous situation, other people have to help them out, and that . . . creates an unnecessary risk,” he said.
Any Seawalk closures would most likely only be for a number of hours, he said.
Engineering and park staff monitor the situation closely, he said. Updates will be posted on westvancouver.ca, although closures sometimes take place on short notice.
