Spanish Banks

Vancouver, British Columbia
Managed by Fraser Riverkeeper
MEC proudly supports Swim Guide! Find all you need for a day at the beach at mec.ca
Photo by: Dylan Neild

Spanish Banks beaches are sandy and a popular location for swimmers and sunbathers. The vast area of tidal pools available at low tide make Spanish Banks one of the best places in Vancouver for skimboarding.

Located along Northwest Marine Dr west of Tolmie St, Spanish Banks Beach is composed of three distinct sections, east, west, and extension. At low tide, the water is one kilometre off shore.

AMENITIES:

Spanish Banks East:
On the Seaside Seawall system
Concession
Public washrooms
Barbeques permitted
Picnic tables
Eight volleyball courts
Free parking
Lifeguards from Victoria Day to Labour Day (late May to early September)

Spanish Banks West:
On the Seaside Seawall system
Designated quiet beach (amplified sound is not permitted)
Concession
Public washrooms
Barbeques permitted
Picnic tables
Eight volleyball courts
Dog off-leash area (200m west of the building)
Free parking
Lifeguards from Victoria Day to Labour Day (late May to early September)

Spanish Banks Extension:
On the Seaside Seawall system
Barbeques permitted
Free parking
Lifeguards from Victoria Day to Labour Day (late May to early September) - weather permitting
Dog off-leash area

WATER QUALITY
  • Passed water quality tests at least 95% of the time
  • Historical Status
  • This status is based on the latest sample, taken on . Fraser Riverkeeper updates the status of this beach as soon as test results become available. These results were posted to Swim Guide on at
For water quality icon legend, click:   
CURRENT WEATHER
14°C
Mostly clear
  • Report Pollution
MONITORING FREQUENCY

Spanish Banks is sampled weekly from May 10th to September 10th

SOURCE INFORMATION

Special note: Data on Swim Guide corresponds with the date that samples were collected. However, sample dates are unavailable for Vancouver beaches at this time. Data is displayed based on the VCH test results shared on Thursdays. Please note that for Vancouver the data entry date corresponds with the date samples became available, rather than the date that samples became available.

Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH) monitors the water quality at 31 Vancouver-area beaches. Sampling is conducted during the height of swim season (May – September) and for the annual Polar Bear Swim (December).

VCH follows the Canadian Recreational Water Guidelines. Recreational water is considered safe if the geometric mean result is under 200 E.coli/100mL. Should the geometric mean exceed 200 E.coli/100 mL, or in the event of a known hazard or spill, the Medical Health Officer will make an assessment of the risk to human health. If there is a risk to human health, a warning sign will be posted at the beach stating “This Water is Contaminated and Unsafe for Swimming.” Results are communicated on the Vancouver Coastal Health website (http://www.vch.ca/your-environment/water-quality/recreational-water/beach-water-quality-report/beach-water-quality-report). Data is share on Swim Guide according to these results, as soon as they become available. Data is typically available on Thursdays or Fridays.

Test results from the weekly samples for the Vancouver-area beaches are typically posted on Fridays. Recreational water quality for a beach is determined by E. coli counts from the Greater Vancouver Regional District Water Quality Laboratory.

A beach is marked Green when single sample results are under 200 E.coli / 100 ML water.

A beach is marked Red when the results are equal to or above 200 E.coli / 100 ML water.

A beach is marked Grey when there are no current results or there is no available information.

WATER QUALITY GRAPH

Spanish Banks

Vancouver, British Columbia
Managed by Fraser Riverkeeper
WATER QUALITY
  • Passed water quality tests at least 95% of the time
  • Historical Status
  • This status is based on the latest sample, taken on . Fraser Riverkeeper updates the status of this beach as soon as test results become available. These results were posted to Swim Guide on at
For water quality icon legend, click:   
CURRENT WEATHER
14°C
Mostly clear
MEC proudly supports Swim Guide! Find all you need for a day at the beach at mec.ca
Photo by: Dylan Neild

Spanish Banks beaches are sandy and a popular location for swimmers and sunbathers. The vast area of tidal pools available at low tide make Spanish Banks one of the best places in Vancouver for skimboarding.

Located along Northwest Marine Dr west of Tolmie St, Spanish Banks Beach is composed of three distinct sections, east, west, and extension. At low tide, the water is one kilometre off shore.

AMENITIES:

Spanish Banks East:
On the Seaside Seawall system
Concession
Public washrooms
Barbeques permitted
Picnic tables
Eight volleyball courts
Free parking
Lifeguards from Victoria Day to Labour Day (late May to early September)

Spanish Banks West:
On the Seaside Seawall system
Designated quiet beach (amplified sound is not permitted)
Concession
Public washrooms
Barbeques permitted
Picnic tables
Eight volleyball courts
Dog off-leash area (200m west of the building)
Free parking
Lifeguards from Victoria Day to Labour Day (late May to early September)

Spanish Banks Extension:
On the Seaside Seawall system
Barbeques permitted
Free parking
Lifeguards from Victoria Day to Labour Day (late May to early September) - weather permitting
Dog off-leash area

  • Report Pollution
MONITORING FREQUENCY

Spanish Banks is sampled weekly from May 10th to September 10th

SOURCE INFORMATION

Special note: Data on Swim Guide corresponds with the date that samples were collected. However, sample dates are unavailable for Vancouver beaches at this time. Data is displayed based on the VCH test results shared on Thursdays. Please note that for Vancouver the data entry date corresponds with the date samples became available, rather than the date that samples became available.

Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH) monitors the water quality at 31 Vancouver-area beaches. Sampling is conducted during the height of swim season (May – September) and for the annual Polar Bear Swim (December).

VCH follows the Canadian Recreational Water Guidelines. Recreational water is considered safe if the geometric mean result is under 200 E.coli/100mL. Should the geometric mean exceed 200 E.coli/100 mL, or in the event of a known hazard or spill, the Medical Health Officer will make an assessment of the risk to human health. If there is a risk to human health, a warning sign will be posted at the beach stating “This Water is Contaminated and Unsafe for Swimming.” Results are communicated on the Vancouver Coastal Health website (http://www.vch.ca/your-environment/water-quality/recreational-water/beach-water-quality-report/beach-water-quality-report). Data is share on Swim Guide according to these results, as soon as they become available. Data is typically available on Thursdays or Fridays.

Test results from the weekly samples for the Vancouver-area beaches are typically posted on Fridays. Recreational water quality for a beach is determined by E. coli counts from the Greater Vancouver Regional District Water Quality Laboratory.

A beach is marked Green when single sample results are under 200 E.coli / 100 ML water.

A beach is marked Red when the results are equal to or above 200 E.coli / 100 ML water.

A beach is marked Grey when there are no current results or there is no available information.

WATER QUALITY GRAPH



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