Bye-bye barge: English Bay attraction to be dismantled piece by piece

Daily Hive Vancouver

Instagrammed countless times, used as a proposal backdrop, and even featured in the New York Times, the English Bay Barge has made a lasting mark on many Vancouverites’ hearts.

But the beached boat will be taken away, according to a company that’s been contracted to deconstruct it and remove it piece by piece.

Vancouver Pile Driving Ltd. confirmed to Daily Hive that it will dismantle the boat to leave Sunset Beach barge-free once more.

The company must first do a marine habitat assessment, get permits from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada, and assess the barge’s structure.

Then, it will install fencing around the site and take the barge apart over three to four months.

The removal is still in the planning stages and VanPile said it will share more details as they become available.

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Transport Canada told Daily Hive that marine salvage experts have determined the barge cannot return to service. As such, it no longer falls under Transport Canada’s mandate or regulations.

“How fitting it ends with a demoviction,” the barge’s Twitter parody account tweeted Saturday.

– STATEMENT ON DISMANTLING –

“What a run. From wedding proposals, to orgy invitations, to merchandise, to @nytimes profile, to being blocked & shamed by @angelasterritt & entire CBC, I could not have asked for a more Vancouver experience. How fitting it ends with a demoviction!”

— EnglishBayBarge (@EnglishBayBarge) February 7, 2022

The barge came loose from its mooring and blew into Sunset Beach during a record-breaking atmospheric river in November that also caused devastating flooding and highway washouts.

THERE’S A GIANT UNMOORED BARGE ON THE LOOSE HEADING TOWARDS BURRARD BRIDGE w pic.twitter.com/bmsnbqnlv0

— Jorge Amigo (@AmigoJor) November 15, 2021

The barge inspired costumes and toy sets and even had its own sign installed before Christmas to declare the area Barge Chilling Beach.