Malahat Beach Restoration

Malahat oral history describes màlexelh (or Village Point) as the location of the historic Malahat village, when the land stretched much further out and longhouses lined the beach. It was a site that was intensely used and occupied by the Malahat people on a permanent basis. The site is highly significant in cultural, historical, and archaeological terms. The site is currently a gathering place for community, home to the Malahat canoe shed and canoe races, and is the main access point to the water for the community. This important site has unfortunately been subject to significant erosion due to wave and ferry wake action, resulting in a dramatic loss of land and the exposure and loss of cultural materials. The site was in a vulnerable state, with visible sloughing and worsening of the erosion after king tides and winter storms.

The Phase I of this project involved the immediate protection of the eroding bluff by placing a riprap revetment along the shoreline at the high water mark. This was an emergency measure to halt erosion and is being followed by beach restoration, landscaping, and the creation a of a community gathering space that recognizes the history and ongoing importance of the beach, from canoeing and clamming to ceremony and language.

Phase II (ongoing) will create a new beach area, address flooding behind the riprap wall, and provide a starting point for revitalizing the communal space while protecting clam beds and community infrastructure.