Sea Island (British Columbia)

Sea Island

Sea Island (in red) within the rest of Richmond (pink, which occupies much of Lulu Island) and Metro Vancouver (green)
Geography
Location	Fraser River Estuary
Coordinates	49°12′N123°10′W / 49.200°N 123.167°W / 49.200; -123.167
Administration
Canada
Province	British Columbia

Sea Island (hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓: sqʷsaθən) is an island in the Fraser River estuary in the city of Richmond, British Columbia, Canada. It is located south of the city of Vancouver and northwest of Lulu Island.

Sea Island is home to Vancouver International Airport (YVR), a nature conservation area, and a permanent resident population of 814, ^[1] most of which live in the neighbourhood of Burkeville.

History

The island was traditionally home to the Musqueam First Nation, and they retain ownership over a parcel of land on the island's northwest corner under the administrative title "Sea Island Indian Reserve #3". ^[2]

The name Sea Island has been credited to Colonel Moody, who surveyed the geography of the Lower Mainland and noticed that at high tide, the island was partially hidden by the sea. ^[3] It had previously been referred to as McRoberts' Island, after the first European settler on the island, Hugh McRoberts. ^[4]

Map of Sea Island, then known as McRoberts Island, 1965

Construction of residential neighbourhoods on the island began during World War II. Under the authority of the Wartime Housing Authority, a 328 home subdivision was built in 1943 to house the employees of the nearby Boeing facility. ^[4] This village on the island's east side became known as Burkeville, after then-President of Boeing Canada, Stanley Burke. ^[4]

A second neighbourhood, known as the Cora Brown subdivision, was constructed in 1946 on the north side of the island, originally with 50 houses. Although it grew to the point of requiring the construction of the island's second elementary school in 1962, airport expansion led to the community being disbanded in 1978. No trace of this neighbourhood remains.^{[ citation needed ]}

Vancouver International Airport

Main article: Vancouver International Airport

Sea Island and Vancouver International, seen from above

The Vancouver International Airport first opened on Sea Island in 1931, and began servicing commercial flights in 1937.^{[ citation needed ]} The airport received relatively light traffic for the next fifty years until extensive growth in international traffic, primarily between the United States and Asia, necessitated expansion of service. With investments from the airlines and the Canadian government, and a surcharge on tickets to cover costs, the airport began a significant overhaul in the 1990s.^{[ citation needed ]}

As of 2024, the airport is the second largest in Canada, with over 20 million passengers travelling through each year. ^[5] It has grown to three passenger terminals and three main runways servicing over fifty airlines.^{[ citation needed ]}

The YVR Airport South Terminal is located on the south shore of Sea Island.

Ground transportation

Grant McConachie Way is the primary east–west artery leading to the main airport terminal, while a significant amount of commuter traffic from Vancouver to Richmond crosses Sea Island north-south via Russ Baker Way. Sea Island is connected to Vancouver to the north via the Arthur Laing Bridge, and to Richmond via the No. 2 Road Bridge, Dinsmore Bridge, Moray Bridge and the Sea Island Connector.

Sea Island is served by three stations on the Canada Line branch of the SkyTrain rapid transit network, namely, Templeton, Sea Island Centre, and YVR-Airport. The SkyTrain connects Sea Island to central Richmond and downtown Vancouver.

TransLink also operates one bus on Sea Island, route 412, which connects the YVR South Terminal to Bridgeport Station. ^[6]

Environmental areas

Sea Island Conservation Area

The Sea Island Conservation Area (SICA) is located adjacent to Vancouver International Airport (YVR) and consists of approximately 140.1 hectares (1.4 square kilometres) of land on the north side of Sea Island dedicated for conservation of wildlife and habitat. SICA was transferred to Environment Canada as a compensation package funded by Transport Canada to replace wildlife habitat lost as a result of runway expansion at Vancouver International Airport (YVR).^{[ citation needed ]} The main goal for management of SICA is to maintain existing populations of wildlife that do not compromise aviation safety.

Habitats on SICA consist of woodland, wetland sloughs, and old agricultural field habitat which support a diversity of birds, land mammals, and terrestrial plants. SICA habitat management discourages populations of flocking birds that may pose hazards to aviation safety, as well as discourages populations of beavers that can cause prevalent, severe and costly damage to habitat.

Sturgeon Bank Wildlife Management Area

Sturgeon Bank is a designated wildlife management area located off the west side of the island at the delta front of the Fraser River estuary. The area consists primarily of nearshore, foreshore, and subtidal waters. Boating is prohibited in the area in order to protect the habitats of numerous bird and fish populations. ^[7]

Beaches and parks

Sea Island boasts two public beaches, McDonald Beach Park and Iona Beach Regional Park.

McDonald Beach is operated by the city of Richmond. It is a recreational space, with an off-leash area for dogs, picnic tables, and boat docking available.

Iona Beach is operated by the Greater Vancouver Regional District, with a focus the protection and study of the native flora and fauna. It is located on Iona Island, the peninsula on the northwest corner of Sea Island, and houses two jetties that extend into the Strait of Georgia.

Other services

Sea Island's south shore features a Canadian Coast Guard station, as well as floatplane docks and a business jet terminal. The island is home to Richmond Fire Hall No. 4, which was built in 2007 to replace the 60-year old hall that was formerly located within Burkeville. ^{[8] [9]}

The island is also home to the Aerospace and Aviation Technology campus of the British Columbia Institute of Technology, as well as two hotels run by Fairmont and Radisson. In 2015, the McArthurGlen Designer Outlet opened on the island as a joint venture between the Vancouver International Airport and the McArthurGlen Group ^[10]

Burkeville was previously served by the Sea Island School, which taught children from kindergarten to grade 3, after which they would commute to schools on Lulu Island, primarily Samuel Brighouse Elementary. However, in 2019 the school was closed by the Richmond School District, despite protest from members of the community, ^{[11] [12]} due to low enrolment and high seismic risk. ^[13]

See also

• Canada portal
• Island portal

• 98 B-Line
• Airport Station
• Mitchell Island

References

1. "Census Profile, 2016 Census - 59153602 [Dissemination area], British Columbia and Canada [Country]". Statistics Canada . February 8, 2017. Archived from the original on June 28, 2021.
2. "SEA ISLAND 3". Crown–Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada . Retrieved May 24, 2024.
3. "Sea Island Elementary School - City of Richmond, BC". City of Richmond . Retrieved May 24, 2024.
4. Keen, Mary (2002). A bridge to the world: The Life and Times of Sea Island. City of Richmond Archives. ISBN   0-9690031-5-3.
5. Chan, Kenneth (April 17, 2024). "Vancouver International Airport reclaims North America's best airport title". Daily Hive . Retrieved May 24, 2024.
6. "412 Bridgeport Station/Sea Island South". TransLink . Retrieved May 24, 2024.
7. "Sturgeon Bank Wildlife Management Area - Province of British Columbia". Government of British Columbia . Retrieved May 24, 2024.
8. "Our Locations". Richmond Fire-Rescue. Retrieved May 26, 2024.
9. "Firehall No. 4". Richmond Museum. Retrieved May 26, 2024.
10. Siebert, Amanda (July 9, 2015). "McArthurGlen Designer Outlet Vancouver Airport's opening day draws thousands of shoppers". The Georgia Straight . Retrieved May 24, 2024.
11. Wood, Graeme (March 9, 2016). "Bid to save Sea Island's heart". Richmond News. Retrieved May 24, 2024.
12. Jung, Angela (July 3, 2019). "Parents fighting to keep Richmond school with 13 students open". CTV News . Retrieved May 24, 2024.
13. Rantanen, Maria (July 10, 2019). "Richmond's Sea Island elementary shuttered after only 13 students registered". Richmond News. Retrieved May 24, 2024.

External links

• YVR - Airport Conservation Area
• YVR - Who We Are
• Air Highways Magazine - Vancouver