Beloved Kits Beach log to be removed and locals are upset | Daily Hive

David Fine/ Supplied

A massive cedar log that rested along the shore at Vancouver’s Kits Beach for decades has been chainsawed and will be removed by City staff, leaving some locals dismayed.

For more than 40 years, the log sat quietly along the shoreline near Trafalgar Street in Kitsilano.

Locals climbed it, sat on it, photographed it at golden hour, and introduced visiting friends to it.

Last week, it was cut into pieces as City staff began its removal process.

“It just feels incredibly ham-fisted and insensitive,” David Fine, a longtime Kits resident, told Daily Hive.

“They could have moved it, preserved it… at least told us. Instead, we woke up and it was gone.”

Park Board commissioner Tom Digby also spoke about the log on his post on X.

Devastated. Staff reports this iconic, mysterious, decades old, massive cedar log, has to be removed to prevent continued damage to the stone wall and stairs. Despite generations of memories and my best appeals. @CBCNews @VIAwesome https://t.co/rjUIFnu0Qs

— Tom Digby 狄弼 (@ThomasDigby1) July 10, 2025

In a statement to Daily Hive, Vancouver Park Board explained the log’s removal is necessary due to the structural risks it posed to the seawall, stairway railing, and retaining wall.

A spokesperson said that crews are also evaluating “how best to remove remaining log material before king tides later this season further threaten the area.”

“We’re aware that certain members of the community are sorry to see the log go,” the Park Board said. “However, there are numerous safety and engineering considerations which necessitated its removal.”

They added that large logs can act as battering rams during storms, damaging shoreline infrastructure, and that while beach logs are typically managed as part of routine maintenance, this case posed a specific threat.

The Park Board is also conducting a “coastal hazard and vulnerability assessment” to address future risks posed by storms, sea level rise, and mobile driftwood in the context of climate change.

Kits locals continue to speak out

But for many in the community, the real issue isn’t whether the log posed a hazard; it’s how little effort was made to protect something that clearly mattered to so many.

“You didn’t have to explain it,” said Sebastien Pinto, who lives a short walk from the beach.

“You’d say, ‘Let’s meet at the log,’ and everyone just knew. It had personality.”

Pinto said he first noticed something was wrong when he saw city crews chainsawing the log on July 7 or 8.

He posted about it on Facebook and was overwhelmed by the 133 emotional responses.

Supplied

“Some people said it saved their lives,” Pinto told Daily Hive.

“Others grew up climbing on it or just sitting there to think. If it doesn’t matter to you, that’s fine. But it clearly meant something to a lot of people… and that should be respected.”

For Fine, the log was part of his regular walking route, a constant presence along the trail from Kits Beach toward Point Grey.

“I’ve got sunset photos, pictures of friends from overseas standing on it, just staring out at the water,” he said. “It was natural. It was beautiful. And it told a story.”

Residents like Fine and Pinto aren’t denying the need for safe public spaces.

But they question whether this specific removal had to happen so suddenly, and without community input.

“This could have been handled so differently,” said Fine.

“Even if the damage was real, there was a chance to be thoughtful. Instead, they treated it like debris.”

According to the Park Board, its Parks Control bylaw prohibits the public from removing natural materials like driftwood from beaches.

While part of the log is now gone, both locals hope what remains might be salvaged, or at the very least, that the city rethinks how it engages with residents before making irreversible changes to shared spaces.

“This wasn’t just driftwood,” said Pinto. “It was a memory. And now it’s a missing piece of the beach.”

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