November hopes for Prince Rupert's newest recreation area at Seal Cove

The Seal Cove area is still off limits for the public, but that could
all change in just a few months as the Seal Cove Habitat Restoration
project nears a point of opening to the public 

The prospects of a nice summer's walk through the Seal Cove area have since morphed more towards plans for a November opening, with the Seal Cove Habitat Restoration Project now a number of weeks delayed from ithe original opening target of August.

As we chronicled in recent months, work slowed down somewhat over the late summer period, though recently with a flurry of activity, the pace of construction has picked up significantly at the work site on the city's east side. 

The work currently featuring much in the way of heavy machinery criss crossing the Bellis Road side of the site, while workers attend to other tasks in other areas of the expansive recreation area.

The North Coast Review contacted the Prince Rupert Port Authority for an update on the much anticipated project and in a correspondence from Monika Côté, Manager of Corporate Communications, Monika Côte, the cause of the delay and the path forward for the project was outlined.

The project has been delayed mostly due to supply issues with some of the equipment. The environmental rehabilitation work is complete, and the project is in its final stages with landscaping, lighting, and the installation of benches and picnic tables taking place in the coming weeks. 

Some of the elements of the Seal Cove project now taking shape

The Prince Rupert Port Authority anticipates that the project will be completed in November.

The Seal Cove project was first outlined in the fall of 2019, and was one of the feature points from the 2030 Prince Rupert Vision presentation of December 12th that year.

It was designed as a way for the Port to mitigate some of the impact of the Ridley Island Connector Corridor Road which is still under construction between Fairview Terminal and Ridley Island.

The 4 million dollar Seal Cove project wast taken on by the Coast Tsimshian Northern Contractors Alliance, once it opens to the public the recreation area will make for a natural continuation from the Rushbrook Trail which transits the eastern Prince Rupert Waterfront to Rushbrook Floats.

The Prince Rupert Port Authority information release of the time can be reviewed here.

You can trace some of the evolution of the project below.

2021

July 23 -- Pace of Seal Cove Recreation area construction slows somewhat, as work continues to provide much anticipated access to community  NCR

May 31 -- Seal Cove Salt Marsh work approaches midway mark on timeline of mid summer opening NCR

February 23 -- Seal Cove Salt Marsh rejuvenation project progressing well  NCR
February 3 -- Seal Cove revitalization project underway with target for public use set for July this year  NCR

2020

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2019

December 13 -- Port of Prince Rupert expands on plans for Seal Cove redevelopment NCR

For a wider look at the other elements of the Prince Rupert Vision plan see our archive page here.

More notes from the Prince Rupert Port Authority can be explored here.