Port Moody’s Shoreline Trail Boardwalk open to public, as first phase of $6.2 replacement project complete

Residents of Port Moody can once again amble over the tidal mudflats, now without having to watch their step.

On Friday, Dec. 6, the city announced phase one of the Shoreline Trail Boardwalk Replacement Project, between Murray Street and Suter Brook Creek, was complete and open to the public.

“The public is invited to explore the view of the inlet from this new accessible amenity,” the city stated in a release.

Phase one of the $6.2-million project to replace Port Moody’s 30-year-old boardwalk with a modern structure began last December.

Approximately 440 metres of boardwalk, bridge and gravel is being replaced, a viewing platform is being built, where a newly crafted house post from the Katzie First Nation will stand as part of the ‘In the Presence of Ancestors’ project.

The city said the main goal of the project is to improve safety, accessibility, environmental protection, and climate adaptation related to sea-level rise. The boardwalk is now higher, wider, and has hand railings and ramps at access points.

Initial work on the project began after a 2021 engineering assessment showed immediate and near-term issues had to be addressed. During king tides and storm surges, the old wooden structure was often submerged. In late 2022, it had to be closed for safety reasons following a high tide. 

Port Moody’s is funding nearly $4 million of the work itself, and additional funds have been secured from senior levels of government.

The project is $800,000 over the city’s initial $3.15 million budget, which staff said was due to increasing construction costs and challenges related to building in an environmentally sensitive area. 

No heavy machinery is being used for the installation, as the mudflats are a critical ecosystem area for fish, birds, and other wildlife, and staff have said minimizing disruption to the habitats is a key factor for the project.

The northern section of the boardwalk, between Suter Brook Creek and Noons Creek, will remain closed as phase two of the project begins. Walkers wanting to travel from Murray Street to Old Orchard Park or Trasolini Field must detour via the paved Shoreline Trail multi-use path.

Phase two construction is expected to wrap up by summer 2025.