Construction starts this month on Stanley Park Water Supply Tunnel Project

Stanley Park Water Supply Tunnel - Cross Section

METRO Vancouver will begin construction in mid-November on the Stanley Park Water Supply Tunnel, a major project that will replace an aging piece of infrastructure and help maintain the regional district’s ability to reliably provide high-quality drinking water.

“The new Stanley Park Water Supply Tunnel will replace a water main that was built in the 1930s and is nearing the end of its service life, so it’s extremely important that we make this upgrade,” said Mike Hurley, Chair of Metro Vancouver’s Board of Directors. “This work is also part of Metro Vancouver’s push to ensure our drinking water infrastructure can better withstand strong earthquakes and accommodate future population growth.”

A new 1.4-kilometre-long water supply tunnel will be constructed deep under Stanley Park to replace a water main that was built in the 1930s. Two new valve chambers will control the flow of water through mains in the area.

To excavate the tunnel, install the water main, and build the valve chambers, three vertical shafts will be constructed in Stanley Park — one near Burrard Inlet, one in the middle of the park in a service yard, and one at Chilco Street.

The shaft locations, along with the tunnel alignment and construction process, were carefully selected based on rigorous geotechnical, environmental, archaeological, technological, and traffic studies. Construction areas at all three shaft sites will be restored to equal or better condition.

The first six months of construction will see the three main sites fenced and cleared, and site offices will be built. At the centre shaft site, an abandoned building will be demolished and the yard entrance moved. At the Chilco shaft site, temporary pedestrian and cyclist paths will be installed to ensure park users can continue to use the area during construction, and a new accessible ramp will provide uninterrupted access to the community garden.

Stanley Park Water Supply Tunnel – Tunnelling Process

“The Stanley Park Water Supply Tunnel is critical to our drinking water system. We appreciate the public’s patience and understanding as construction gets underway,” said Malcolm Brodie, Chair of Metro Vancouver’s Water Committee. “We are taking great care to reduce the impacts that this work will have on neighbours and park visitors.”

Before construction starts, Metro Vancouver will host a community open house where residents can meet the project team, ask questions, and learn about next steps.

  • Date: November 7, 2024
  • Time: 5:30 to 7:30 pm
  • Location: King George Secondary School (Cafeteria), 1755 Barclay Street, Vancouver

Metro Vancouver collaborates with its member jurisdictions to plan for and deliver drinking water to 2.8 million residents using a system of water supply areas, dams, treatment facilities, reservoirs, pump stations, and water mains.

Construction on the Stanley Park Water Supply Tunnel is expected to last through 2029.