After eight months of land preparation, the fences around Strathcona Park are coming down.
Back in February, the Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation started the process off by clearing the park of temporary shelters and erecting a fence around the entire west side of the East Vancouver park. While fenced off, the west side remained open for park-goers while the east side underwent remediation.
“Work primarily included removing turf and gravel surface areas before replacing, levelling and maintaining it until it was ready for public use,” the board stated in a media release issued Oct.12. “Crews also undertook arboriculture work such as replanting trees.”
Although it will take a few days for all the fencing to come down, the park will be open for public use while work is underway.
“We know this park is integral to the community, and we are pleased that this will once again be a space to socialize and connect with one another,” says Donnie Rosa, General Manager, Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation. “We also know that a lot has happened here, which is why we have worked closely with Indigenous and community partners to ensure we were providing the extra care needed to treat the land.”
The all-weather sports field at Strathcona Park will also reopen for permitted activities shortly. User groups can now book for sessions beginning in November. All other sports fields in the park will remain closed for organized play to allow for the new turf to take root.
Staff will also be working with the public in the coming months to improve off-leash dog amenities in the park.
