Barge stranded on Vancouver's Sunset Beach to be dismantled and removed
Contractors working on the project say the piece-by-piece removal will take up to 15 weeks
There is a new plan to remove the barge that has been stuck at a popular Vancouver beach for nearly three months. It will be taken away piece-by-piece.
Vancouver Pile Driving Ltd. (VanPile), which has been contracted to oversee the project, said a fence and signs will be put in place at the site before work begins near the city's busy seawall around the downtown peninsula.
"Once the fence is installed the barge site will be an active work zone and the full removal process will take 12-15 weeks," wrote the company in an email.
The barge ran aground at Sunset Beach on Nov. 15 due to strong winds, rough seas and a high tide. After attempts to refloat the barge failed, it has become a fixture at the site, which included a sign installed by the Vancouver Park Board naming it Barge Chilling Beach. The sign has since been removed.
Sentry Marine Towing, the company that owns the barge named SMT-5000, is ultimately responsible for its removal. The company said it has taken significant steps to ensure the vessel is secure on the beach and not an environmental hazard.
The Canadian Coast Guard said in November that there were no risks of pollution from the barge.
VanPile said that preparation for the removal of the barge has included the assessment of marine habitat in the area and permits from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada, as well as structural assessments of the barge itself.
With files from Jon Hernandez and Joel Ballard