A section of the seawall in Vancouver’s Stanley Park will be closed throughout November to allow for further removal of hemlocks.

The seawall between Third Beach and Prospect Point will be closed from November 4 to December 6.

The section of seawall will be closed “due to the risks associated with removing these logs on high slopes, and to ensure the safety of crews and park visitors,” the City of Vancouver said Friday. The Prospect Point cafe car park will also be closed, while part of Stanley Park Drive, from the Causeway off-ramp to the Prospect Point picnic ground, will be subject to periodic closures of 15 minutes until at the end of the work.

The Vancouver Park Board continues the second phase of its project to remove approximately 160,000 trees in the park. Weakened or killed by a western hemlock looper infestation, the cut trees are part of the city’s plan to ensure public safety and mitigate wildfire risks.

Despite lots of criticism from environmental groupsthe second phase of the project was given the green light to continue in October.

The second phase of the project is expected to be completed in early 2025, followed by tree replanting in the spring of next year, the city said. Much of the tree work will focus on typically busy sections of the park, including areas near the aquarium, Brockton Point, the Chickadee Trail and along the northwest seawall.

Between November 14 and December 7, a helicopter will be deployed periodically to safely remove and transport felled timber from the cliffs above the seawall. Use of the helicopter will be in accordance with the city’s noise control bylaw and will operate during the day between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.

Also throughout November, park board crews will carry out their annual work to stabilize and maintain the slope near Siwash Rock. The parallel project will see teams remove unstable materials from the slopes and check that the rock slabs are securely connected to the main wall.

“Undertaking these necessary repairs in conjunction with this critical tree removal work will help minimize the impact on park visitors and reduce the risk of having to close this section of the sea wall at a later date,” said the park board of directors.

Temporary detours will be in place for those who wish to bike, walk or ride on the seawall during this time, the city said.