Sunset Beach (Vancouver)

Sunset Beach is an urban beach park on English Bay situated in the West End neighbourhood of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. It is part of the city seawall system and is bisected by a multi-use path for bicycling, walking, and skating that connects to the adjacent Vancouver Aquatic Centre and Burrard Street Bridge. The park is maintained by the city government and includes public washrooms, concession stands, an off-leash area for dogs, and a False Creek Ferries dock. Between May and September, lifeguards are posted at the beach.^[1]

Sunset Beach
Beach
A sculpture by artist Bernar Venet on Sunset Beach
Sunset Beach Location in Metro Vancouver
Coordinates: 49°16′47″N 123°08′19″W / 49.27986°N 123.13861°W / 49.27986; -123.13861
Location	Vancouver, British Columbia
Website	vancouver.ca/parks-recreation-culture/sunset-beach.aspx

The beach hosted an unofficial 420 protest annually on April 20 in the late 2010s.^[2] It is a popular location for watching Celebration of Light, an annual fireworks display.^{[citation needed]} The beach's indigenous name is Í7iy̓el̓shn ("ee-ay-ul-shun"), which means "soft underfoot" in the Squamish language.^[3]

On November 15, 2021, a 61-metre (200 ft) barge washed ashore at Sunset Beach during regional floods after it broke free from its moored position. Described as a "celebrity", the barge became a local landmark that inspired memes, songs, and parodies.^[4][5] The Vancouver Park Board installed a "Barge Chilling Beach", a reference to Dude Chilling Park, but it was removed after being painted over with the beach's indigenous name.^[3][6] Proposals to dismantle the barge were first submitted in January 2022, but approval was delayed due to the discovery of a goose nest and concerns of lead contamination from the hull paint among other issues.^[7] Removal began on July 25, 2022, and was completed over three months later at a cost of $2.4 million.^[8]

See also

• Engagement (sculpture)

References

1. "Sunset Beach". City of Vancouver. Retrieved May 20, 2023.
2. Ruttle, Joseph (April 13, 2022). "Vancouver 4/20: No Sunset Beach celebration, but smaller event planned for art gallery". Vancouver Sun. Retrieved May 20, 2023.
3. Lazaruk, Susan (January 4, 2022). "Vancouver's Barge Chilling Beach sign painted over with Indigenous name". Vancouver Sun. Retrieved May 20, 2023.
4. Narciso, Gerald (January 18, 2022). "In Times Like These, Even a Beached Barge Can Spark Joy". The New York Times. Retrieved May 20, 2023.
5. Lee-Young, Joanne (December 6, 2021). "Celebrity storm barge still stuck at Sunset Beach". Vancouver Sun. Retrieved May 20, 2023.
6. "Artists waiting for Indigenous place names question quick approval of Barge Chilling Beach sign". CBC News. January 4, 2022. Retrieved May 20, 2023.
7. Carney, Bryan (November 28, 2022). "Why Did It Take a Year to De-Barge Sunset Beach?". The Tyee. Retrieved May 20, 2023.
8. Carrigg, David (March 1, 2023). "City of Vancouver seeks $66,000 in security costs for Sunset Beach barge removal". Vancouver Sun. Retrieved May 20, 2023.