Metro Vancouver closes additional parks; asks visitors to stay close to home

METRO Vancouver has closed two more regional parks and is advising people who want to walk, bike or run over the long weekend to stay closer to home and follow the directives from the Provincial Health Officer.  If you want to visit a regional park, stay local and do not travel across the region to visit a park. 

Deas Island Regional Park and Boundary Bay Regional Park in the City of Delta are now closed to the public until further notice, joining Barnston Island Regional Park and Brae Island Regional Park. Additionally, the parking lots at Lynn Headwaters Regional Park and the Lower Seymour Conservation Reserve will be shut during the long weekend.

All other Metro Vancouver Regional Parks remain open, although park facilities such as playgrounds, docks, rental facilities and picnic areas are closed.

Metro Vancouver is asking residents to follow the guidance of the Provincial Health Officer and stay close to home this long weekend. Despite great weather in the forecast, visitors are encouraged to choose parks in their own neighbourhood and not travel further afield to popular destinations such as Bowen Island or Belcarra Regional Park.

Regional parks are important outlets for people to access nature, de-stress and maintain physical and mental health, visitors must do their part to keep themselves and others safe during this critical time. Metro Vancouver has taken additional measures by increasing staffing and posting over 300 signs to remind people to keep their distance from each other.

Metro Vancouver says it is committed to protecting the health and safety of park visitors and employees, and will continue to monitor park conditions, visitation, and health authority direction daily to determine if additional actions are required to manage safe access to its regional parks.

To ensure Metro Vancouver Regional Parks remain open, park users are asked to follow these clear and simple instructions:

  • Maintain a physical distance of at least two metres from others, including in parking lots and trail entrances.
  • Comply with closures of playgrounds, nature play areas and picnic shelters.
  • Wash or sanitize hands frequently during the day and upon returning home from our Regional Parks.
  • Dispose of any tissues in designated garbage bins.
  • If you are sick, protect others by staying home and not visiting our Regional Parks until you are well.

Metro Vancouver’s Regional Parks system consists of 23 regional parks, five greenways, two ecological conservancy areas and two regional park reserves in communities from Bowen Island to Maple Ridge.

View Metro Vancouver Regional Parks physical distancing video here.