It was a perfect item for visual media: the King Tide in Vancouver last week that resulted in shortline flooding around the region.
Perhaps most dramatic was the flooding along the North False Creek shoreline at David Lam Park. (Global, above, featured some footage of exactly that area, with the small pavilion, shown above, immersed in water.)
What the coverage didn’t say was that this immersion was by design. The landscape architect of the park, Don Vaughan, intended for the highest tides to come above the walkway so that the seawall would normally be closer to the waterline than would be the case if it was raised to remain dry in the extreme case of a king tide.
Don named the pavilion “Marking High Tide” – and tells the story here. Notably, there is a large stone in the centre which allows the viewer to see the tide change from hour to hour. It’s placed so that, at the highest water mark, it will just be completely covered. (Presumably, the stone will have to be raised to acknowledge sea-level rise over time.)
It allows us urban dwellers who live in a designed environment where nature is pretty much controlled or mitigated in every respect to be aware of the natural cycles that still prevail. Don write a small poem to that effect which is inscribed in the curved beam at the top:
“As the moon circles the earth the ocean responds with the rhythm of the tides.”
Amy, thanks for the documenting this. I intended to go to the park and see this for myself, but just didn’t get to it. Don
That’s what I recall too.
Thanks for confirming.
I walk past this structure most days, and very much enjoy it. I certainly understand that it was designed to be submerged. What surprises me more is the water rising over the walking paths, benches, and handrails near here. There is an installation on the Cambie Bridge piers, with painted bands, that serves a similar purpose in pointing out sea level.
I think it is good to be reminded of sea level rise, as if we don’t think about it, we are unlikely to care enough to plan for it.
Jeff, The painted bands on the on the Cambie Bridges also deal with tides. An inexpensive and clever piece of Public Art. There is another Public Art on the West Vancouver waterfront at the end of 14th. It is only here on our coast that we experience tides, so I am surprised more artist don’t focus the in their work.
There is at least one more. The rocket (not sure what it is actually called) just off the shore at the southwest end of Marinaside Cres, near David Lam Park, has two floats that cause the rocket to point more skyward with a higher tide. It also rotates with the winds or currents. Do you happen to know the story with this piece?
It’s by Buster Simpson, from 1998, called Brush with Illumination. https://covapp.vancouver.ca/PublicArtRegistry/ArtworkDetail.aspx?ArtworkId=214
Supposedly, “An illuminated environmentally interactive “brush” responds to wind, tide, and wave action, and rests on a steel piling balanced by two large spun steel buoys. The brush moves with the currents and transmits weather and tide changes to http://www.livestream.com/brushwithillumination.” If you head to the website you’ll see it’s offline; at least for now.
Thanks for that.