New Brighton Park salt marsh given the green light

The Vancouver Park Board has approved a concept plan fora $3 million salt marsh on the east side of New Brighton Park.

• New Brighton Park in Vancouver being considered for habitat restoration
• Vancouver wildlife biodiversity strategy approved by park board

The projectwhichwill reverse the work that went into creating an artificial shoreline at the park is part of the city's on-going biodiversity strategy to restore fish and wildlife habitat in the city.

"We realize how much peoplecherish these things inanurbanenvironment and trying to create more of them," said Nick Page, biologist with theVancouver Park Board.

The park board has partnered with Port Metro Vancouver to restore Burrard Inlet's intertidal wetlands.

"It wouldn't havebeen asalt marsh historically, but you can imagine it could have been this productive intertidal zone," he said.

In addition to the salt marsh consisting of vegetated marsh areasand mud flats, viewing decks will be installed.

The park board plans to remove the park's tennis courts and re-locate the dog off-leash area to the west side of the park.

The saltmash is expected to be completed by Spring 2017 with $400,000 of the funding coming fromthe park board and the rest fromthe port authority.

With files from the CBC's The Early Edition and Margaret Gallagher.

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