English Bay oil spill temporarily closes Stanley Park seawall

The City of Vancouver issued the following statement this afternoon (April 10) on the English Bay oil spill:

The federal government has advised City of Vancouver and Park Board officials that the formal oil spill recovery and cleanup on the shoreline will begin this afternoon. Initial efforts in the City of Vancouver will be concentrated in English Bay and Stanley Park. This will require a temporary closure of the Seawall around Siwash Rock.

The Western Canada Marine Response Corporation (WCMRC) as directed by the Canadian Coast Guard will be coordinating shoreline cleanup and our staff will assist as required.

The federal agencies have advised the City and Park Board that cleanup efforts will involve crews in protective gear with special expertise in oil recovery and for now there is no involvement possible for volunteers.

We appreciate the thousands of offers of help from citizen volunteers and are impressed by the passion local residents have shown for our beaches and wildlife. We will continue to work with the federal and provincial authorities to find ways our volunteers can help as the cleanup continues.

We urge citizens to stay away from the foreshore and keep pets out of the water. This morning the Park Board placed signage on many of our beaches, cautioning people to stay out of the water and refrain from cleanup efforts.

Park Board Rangers are assisting the contracted wildlife rescue group with bird rescues. At this time, we have been informed that several oiled birds have been taken to a refuge for treatment.

Park Board Rangers continue to patrol the beaches with provincial partners from the Ministry of the Environment, focusing on impact assessment and public education.

Again, we thank all citizens for their commitment and passion for our beaches and natural environments.