HAVN Spa Barge Keeps Trying — But It’s Too Big for Heritage Harbour
Good morning False Creek friends,
The HAVN spa barge proposal is back—this time targeting Heritage Harbour after being rejected from the basin. But nothing about the risks has changed. If anything, this new location raises even more concerns.
This is not just about a spa. This is about putting a massive, three-storey, 150-foot industrial structure into an exposed, wind-prone, wave-active shoreline.
A 5,000 sq ft wall of steel—between the beach and the mountains.
Let’s pause and think about that.
We Have Seen This Before
Vancouver doesn’t need to imagine what could go wrong—we’ve already lived it.
In November 2021, during a powerful storm, multiple barges broke free along English Bay. One became lodged on Sunset Beach and remained there for months, costing taxpayers significant money to dismantle. The City is still owed tens of thousands of dollars from that incident.
And that wasn’t a one-off freak accident. It was a warning.
The Power of the Ocean Is Not Theoretical
Some decision-makers seem to treat this as a design problem—something that can be solved on paper, in calm conditions, in boardrooms.
But the ocean does not behave like a rendering.
Hurricane Freda (1962)
In October 1962, Hurricane Freda hit the Pacific Northwest with devastating force. Winds reached extreme speeds, knocking down trees, cutting power, and damaging coastal infrastructure across British Columbia and the U.S. Pacific Northwest.
I was a baby then—but many remember the destruction clearly.
This is part of our history. These storms are not rare anomalies—they are part of the coastal reality.
Kitsilano Pool: A Recent Reminder
More recently, even something as established as Kitsilano Pool—a permanent, land-based structure—has been repeatedly damaged by storms and wave action.
If a fixed pool can be impacted like that, what happens to a floating, multi-storey barge?
King Tides & “Mar de Fondo”
We also need to talk about increasing coastal forces:
- King Tides — extreme high tides that push water levels higher than usual, increasing flooding and wave reach.
- Mar de fondo — a phenomenon well known in Mexico, where long-period ocean swells travel vast distances and suddenly surge onto shorelines with powerful force.
These are not abstract concepts. They are real, observable patterns—and they are becoming more intense with climate change.
A Floating Risk in a Wind Corridor
Anyone who actually walks or cycles along Kitsilano and False Creek knows:
- It is always windy
- Storm days can make it nearly impossible to walk
- Waves can surge unexpectedly onto pathways and beaches
Now imagine placing a three-storey barge in that exact environment.
What happens when:
- Mooring lines fail?
- A tug is not immediately available?
- Wind and current align in the worst possible way?
We’ve already seen barges drift.
We’ve already seen near-misses with critical infrastructure.
What if next time it hits:
- Burrard Bridge
- Granville Island
- Cambie Bridge
Or crushes the historic wooden boats in Heritage Harbour?
We don’t know. And that’s exactly the problem.
Environmental and Social Cost
Beyond safety, we need to ask:
- Why are we adding more infrastructure that consumes energy, water, and resources?
- Who is this really for?
This will not be an accessible public amenity. It will be an expensive, luxury experience.
Meanwhile, the costs of potential failure—financial, environmental, and social—will be borne by the public.
This Is Not the Right Place
Heritage Harbour is not an empty industrial zone. It is:
- A historic marine area
- A community space
- A visual and cultural connection between ocean, city, and mountains
Blocking that with a steel structure changes the character of the entire shoreline.
We Can’t Control the Ocean
No matter how sophisticated the design, no matter how confident the proposal—
We cannot control the ocean.
And we should not pretend we can.
Call to Action
Please speak up.
- Share your concerns with City of Vancouver Mayor and Council
- Talk to your neighbours
- Visit the site on a stormy day and see it for yourself
And if you haven’t already, sign the petition to keep barges out of Heritage Harbour: 👉 https://c.org/QXmHbmSDkn
This is about protecting our coastline, our safety, and our shared public space.
Let’s not wait for another barge to prove the point.
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