Call to Action: Barge Spa development application feedback Shape Your City
Hello Heritage Harbour protectors. We've arrived at the next stage in the battle. A Shape Your City 1905 Ogden Ave (DP-2026-00589) development application. Accepting comments until SEPT 4th. "HAVN Saunas has applied to the City of Vancouver for permission to develop this site, consisting of:
- A beauty and wellness centre use, to take the form of a floating barge with hydrotherapy activities, located at the Heritage Harbour Marina
- A floor area of 1,274.5 m² (13,719 sq.ft.) over three storeys
- A structure height of 10.4 m (34 ft.) above the water line
Under the site’s proposed CD-1 zoning(External link), the application is “conditional” so it may be permitted. However, it requires the decision of the Director of Planning."
HAVN is still claiming that dredging won't be required. "The floating-barge design also minimizes impacts on aquatic species by avoiding dredging, limiting seabed disturbance, and preserving existing marine habitat conditions."
Flickr Album of photos and videos I took at low tide on August 12, 2026 show how the barge spa in this location will require dredging under the Navigable Waters Act, so that the barge doesn't obstruct navigation in this small heritage harbour. In the process Teetotaler Beach will likely be eliminated as a swimming beach for safety reasons. https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjD3jow
I wrote to the Project Facilitator Erica Tsang-Trinaistich on August 20 with a number of questions (in bold) concerning this application and received the following responses (in italics).
"Hi Erica;
I have a number of questions concerning the 1905 Ogden Ave development application dated August 19, 2026.
The boundaries on the attached photo of the development sign and on the Shape Your City application appear to include Hadden Park. Why is this and please clarify? As you know Hadden Park is protected by the Hadden Park trust and should not be included on the signage.
Confirmed with Rezoning Staff, the development permit and rezoning approval does not affect the lands of the Hadden Trust. The parcels conveyed in the Hadden Trust, which are south of the Vancouver Maritime Museum, are not included in the proposed development permit. The parcels were identified at rezoning stage and attached for your convenience.
What is the timeline for staff review and approval by the Director of Planning?
A development permit typically receives approval from the Director of Planning within 12-16 weeks. To clarify, this does not mean development permit issuance. The applicant will firstly receive a conditional approval letter. This letter, the Prior-to Letter, will need to be satisfied and cleared by the CoV Staff Team for the development permit to be issued.
My understanding is that Havn Sauna has to secure approvals from the Dept of Ocean and Fisheries and Transport Canada as well as conduct environmental and engineering studies. Will the Director of Planning approve the development application prior to all of these approvals and studies or will it be conditional on them? How long will this process take?
These approvals and studies will need to be received before the development permit is issued. As mentioned above, through the development permit process, a conditional approval is provided to the applicant with a conditional letter (the Prior-to Letter). This conditional letter will need to be met before any development permit is issued. It is difficult to say how long the issuance will take because much of it is dependent on how quickly the applicant can fulfill the conditions in the letter.
HAVN is claiming that no dredging will be required without providing any proof of this in their application. Will the development application be approved without the appropriate studies and facts and Transport Canada approvals that provide proof of this?
The development permit review team still needs to review the proposal. If the review team requires more information from Transport Canada, then they will have the opportunity to list it as a condition for HAVN to satisfy before development permit issuance."
FYI, after an email exchange, and me pointing out how the HAVN signage did not follow City development sign guidelines, Erica wrote that she asked HAVN to make adjustments to the sign and its placement.
My email:
"1. The developer “must install a site sign on their property”! As you have confirmed, Hadden Park is not part of the CD-1 Rezoned area, so the sign needs to be moved to that area, ideally in front of the Maritime Museum.
2. The red area on the new sign — “Location image must include “a map with the SITE clearly labelled so the location is easily identifiable.”
The sign does not meet this requirement as the red area on the sign is not a map with the boundaries of the site clearly labelled or easily identifiable, as they were in the previous rezoning map. As I wrote in my previous email the red area includes Hadden Park which is NOT part of the rezoned area. As such the boundaries are not clearly marked nor is the location clearly identifiable. "
Erica's response"
"Thank you for your comments below.
I reached out to the applicant this morning, and the signs will be updated to provide greater clarity for the public. In addition, one of the signs will be relocated.
I have also updated the website to include the location map from the rezoning application to provide further context and clarity.
I hope this helps."
I appreciate this response from Erica and the City, but don't expect the Director of Planning will stop the development given that Council voted unanimously in favour. However this IS another opportunity to voice your opinion and hopefully it will have an impact, if not on stopping the development at this phase, but later on by on ensuring that all of the Federal Government and other approvals and studies will be sought by the developer and that they will be unable to proceed as a result. This is not the end of the road in any case.
Also don't forget that the city election is coming up in October. Vote accordingly and remember that ALL of Council voted for this ridiculous proposal. That will tell you who NOT to vote for.
Thanks for all your support. Keep sharing this petition.
Elvira Lount