A month after a barge rammed into Vancouver’s shores, the city’s parks board marked the ship’s unexpected extended stay with a tongue-shaped mark in its cheek.
The “Barge Chilling Beach” sign – a reference to the famous Dude Chilling Park sign in East Vancouver – was unveiled Wednesday morning at Sunset Beach, not far from the landing ship.
“Our little holiday gift to you, Vancouver,” park management wrote on Twitter. “No matter how stormy life may be, we will always be here for you. Wishing you a peaceful, happy holiday and a prosperous 2022!”
A council spokesman confirmed the sign was real, but would not answer any questions about it before a press conference scheduled for 2pm at the beach.
Meanwhile, it remains unclear how long the barge will be stuck on the rock. Last week, the city said work was underway to assess and repair damage to the ship so it could be towed, and that the owner had submitted a restoration plan to Transport Canada.
CTV News has reached out to Transport Canada for more details on those plans.
Officials have repeatedly noted that the ship’s owner, Sentry Marine Towing, is solely responsible for its relocation.
The park management has not revealed how much the Barge Chilling Beach sign will cost, but previously estimated the cost of replacing the Dude Chilling Park sign at $1,300.
That sign was originally installed in Guelph Park without city approval in 2012, as a nod to a large public art installation depicting a figure reclining on a rock. grass.
The park board voted to make the sign a permanent home in 2014, and has paid to replace it several times after it was stolen.
