Author(s)

B. G. Wernick, L. H. Nikl & M. A. Adams

Abstract

The Southeast False Creek (SEFC) lands in Vancouver, Canada, had a long history of industrial use and filling prior to their redevelopment first for use as the 2010 Winter Olympic Village and now as a continuation of the residential community along highly-sought-after city waterfront lands. Soil and sediment concentrations of metals and hydrocarbons exceeded regulatory benchmarks in and around a man-made embayment that supported ship building and steel fabrication. As well, the shoreline was highly disturbed with debris, erosion, and non-native vegetation, and consequently limited in its ability to support intertidal species typically expected in coastal waters of Western Canada. The Official Development Plan prepared by the City of Vancouver for SEFC incorporated shoreline improvements to public access, fish habitat, and safety and health objectives in response to community values expressed during an extensive public consultation process. Remediation and reconfiguration of the SEFC shoreline was thus a significant component of redevelopment which included removal of contaminated sediment and soil; filling of a portion of the embayment; stabilization, re-dressing, and planting of the remainder of the existing shoreline; and construction of an island in compensation for the partial filling of the embayment. Three annual surveys of a five-year post-construction monitoring program have been undertaken to date to evaluate the function of the constructed habitat and reconfigured shoreline. Both continue to be colonized by macroalgae and sessile invertebrates, and coverage and community structure is becoming more

Keywords

brownfield development, remediation, habitat compensation, habitat offsets, aftercare monitoring, post-construction monitoring