April 17, 2024 Update
In September 2023 the District began work to install a permanent sewer line servicing homes in the Moyne Drive area, along a new, low-risk alignment. This realignment is critical to continue to provide essential sanitary services to over 530 homes in the area and to prevent a spill to the Capilano River which would cause environmental impacts to the river, including the Capilano 5 First Nations Reserve downstream, and fish, animals, and vegetation that depend upon the river. Work began the week of September 25, 2023, and will take approximately ten to twelve months to complete.
Map of Moyne Drive Sanitary Sewer Realignment
Please note that any updates regarding the Capilano Pacific Trail will be posted at westvancouver.ca/capilano-pacific.
Project impacts
Construction impacts beginning Friday, April 19 will include:
300 block of Moyne Drive
- work will begin to complete the sanitary lift station adjacent to the Moyne Drive cul-de-sac
- construction equipment and materials will be staged on the Moyne Drive cul-de-sac, requiring temporary parking restrictions
- residential access will remain; however, there may be temporary delays
- trail access from Moyne Drive to the Capilano Pacific Trail will be temporarily closed for safety starting on Monday, April 22 until the work is completed, estimated to be this summer
- a bypass pump, encased in a soundproof enclosure, will be required to run periodically to maintain essential sanitary services in the area
- construction-related traffic on Taylor Way, Stevens Drive, Rabbit Lane, and Moyne Drive
- construction signage and traffic control personnel will be on-site to facilitate traffic
Capilano View Cemetery
- Equipment staging and construction activity at the cemetery will resume when the lift station work on Moyne Drive is complete
Hours of construction: Work will take place Monday to Friday, between 7:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m., and if required, on Saturdays, between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.
Background
The Capilano Pacific Trail goes from Ambleside Park and follows a path along the river until signs direct you up to Keith Road. The trail used to continue through the Capilano River Regional Park to the Fish Hatchery, Cleveland Dam and Capilano Lake, but that is no longer accessible as a result of a landslide. The landslide occurred on January 6, 2021, in the area of Moyne Drive, and removed a section of the trail and compromised the sanitary sewer line that ran beneath it.
Late in the evening of January 12, another, smaller slide occurred in the same area. Fortunately, there were no injuries, and no residential properties are at risk.
The landslide caused the failure of a section of the trail and put the sewer infrastructure underneath the trail at risk. District crews secured the sewer line and were successful in preventing any spillage into the Capilano River. A gravity sewer line that was temporarily installed as an emergency measure is not a long-term solution. This project is to install a permanent sewer line, using long-term, low-risk alignment.
Council decisions
At their closed meeting on May 15, 2023, Council passed the following resolutions:
THAT staff be directed to continue with design, tender, and construction activities associated with reinstating the sewer as described and directed within the Council Report, “Capilano Pacific Trail”, dated June 28, 2022.
THAT staff be directed to send a request to Metro Vancouver for financial support to preserve the Capilano Pacific Trail, including funding for a feasibility study for constructing a bridge as well as ongoing trail maintenance costs.
THAT the resolutions passed at the May 15, 2023 closed special Council meeting regarding the Capilano Pacific Trail and Sewer Line be released for public information.
View the Council meeting minutes
Answers to Frequently Asked Questions
How was this realignment chosen?
The sanitary sewer realignment was designed to utilize gravity and pumps to convey effluence flows as efficiently as possible, to minimize the length of pipe, reduce manhole access points, and minimize tree removals. These factors influenced the location and design of the realignment and serve to keep costs at a minimum.
The new sanitary sewer realignment project will be staged in an undeveloped area located along the eastern border of the District-owned Capilano View Cemetery. Construction vehicle access to the Capilano Cemetery will be via Mathers Avenue. Construction vehicle access for the pump station and Moyne Drive force main works will be via Stevens Drive to Moyne Drive. The placement was also chosen for the purposes of future access and maintenance, keeping in mind the future development of the cemetery.
The re-route of the sanitary main ties into the existing alignment, north of the landslide area, and adjacent to homes on the 300 block of Moyne Drive. Due to existing gradients within some of the realigned system, a sewage lift station and force main are required to convey flows up onto Moyne Drive where the sewer main heads off Moyne Drive through the right-of-way between two homes on the 300 block of Moyne Drive. This route stays on the terrace flat and crosses level to gentle terrain underlain by well-drained sandy gravels and presents no significant slope hazard issues. The only steep slope encountered is a short section of roughly 14 m descent over the escarpment from the cemetery storage area to tie into the existing alignment. In addition, the realignment is more favourable from a risk and asset longevity perspective.
How many trees are being removed? What will happen to the timber that is removed?
Approximately 200 trees are anticipated to be removed to accommodate the sanitary sewer realignment and construction. All efforts will be made to retain trees and vegetation and to minimize these impacts. Upon project completion, a vegetation replacement plan will be implemented.
Some of the cedar trees that are removed will be taken to be used by the Parks Department for projects around the District. Future uses can include bridges, parks stairs, railings, and benches among others. The remainder will be taken off-site by the tree removal contractor and processed for other uses.
Watch this video to learn more about how the District uses timber:
YouTube video
How are we protecting the environment?
The sanitary sewer realignment project was carefully designed to retain as many trees as possible and to keep removals to the minimum required. Upon project completion, a vegetation replacement plan will be implemented.
All work will take place outside of bird nesting season.
Why can’t this work wait until there is a decision made about a trail realignment?
Over 530 homes rely on the sanitary sewer services provided by the temporary sanitary line along the Capilano Pacific Trail. The environmental risk associated with a potential failure of the sanitary system which would release untreated effluent into the Capilano River is of significant concern. The existing slope continues to be unstable, and the likelihood of future erosion and further failures is likely. The current sanitary line that replaced the one compromised by the landslides in 2021 was installed on a temporary basis as an emergency measure and is not intended or designed to be permanent. Since a preferred long-term, low-risk alignment with no significant slope hazard issues has been identified, this permanent alignment and system should be put into place as soon as possible before further slope failures occur.