Vancouver says driftwood in log jail isn't meant for sitting

Virtually all COVID-19 restrictions have now been lifted, so why are some of Vancouver’s beach logs still in log jail?

That’s a question some beach-goers have been asking lately, after spending the summer frequenting beaches with far fewer logs than pre-pandemic.

A pile of logs at English Bay (Daily Hive Vancouver)

The city’s famous beach logs, arranged in neat rows, make for a great place to settle in for the day. They provide back support, privacy, and an anchoring point for a group of friends. Where other cities might have private daybeds on their beaches, Vancouver has its beloved logs — and they’ve been greatly missed over the last two years.

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“Beach log jail makes me kinda sad,” Doug Craig tweeted, asking why logs were still behind a fence at Third Beach.

Is there an official reason for why we’re still doing this? Beach log jail kinda makes me sad 😓 pic.twitter.com/ePUjWRFHWG

— Doug Craig (@dougcraig3) October 17, 2022

According to the Vancouver Park Board,  the wood that’s still in log jail isn’t suitable for sitting. Apparently it’s driftwood — and it’s being kept behind the fences for safety until it’s sent to salvage.

“The logs in the caged area on Third Beach are not the same ones that are placed on beaches,” a spokesperson told Daily Hive Urbanized Tuesday. “They are mostly logs that have washed up on the shoreline and will be sent off for salvage. They’re fenced off to prevent people climbing on them and potentially getting injured, particularly when the beach is busier for things like the drum circle.”

The Park Board added that two to three rows of logs have been on English Bay Beach and Third Beach since the summer.

Logs at Third Beach (Daily Hive Vancouver)

Logs at English Bay (Daily Hive Vancouver)

City crews initially removed beach logs during the COVID-19 pandemic to discourage socializing, and some were kept behind fences — hence the term log jail.

The Park Board told Daily Hive Urbanized this summer that fewer logs on the beach have been helpful for safety, maintenance, and reducing damage. Park rangers noticed there was less trash,  broken glass and fewer needles left on the beach when the logs were removed.

“In the early mornings, our staff would have to do a thorough inspection behind every log to ensure no one was lying there before work could get started. Removing the logs has made the beaches safer for staff and the public using them in the mornings,” a Park Board spokesperson told Daily Hive Urbanized in July.

Daily Hive Urbanized asked where the missing sitting logs went but didn’t receive a clear answer.

The Park Board spokesperson said “most” of the logs from previous years were returned to Third Beach except for rows closest to the water — because of concerns about damage during storms.

“We’re concerned about the logs being caught up in the high tides and extreme weather that damaged a lot of the city’s shoreline last winter,” The spokesperson said. “We’ve removed some of the logs … to avoid damage to our infrastructure (e.g., logs being pushed by the tides into the sea wall) or logs being washed out into the water and impacting water crafts and boats.”