METRO Vancouver is reminding people looking to enjoy the outdoors to stay closer to home and to follow the directives from the Provincial Health Officer. Do not travel across the region to visit a park. Instead, park users are encouraged to visit parks in their own neighbourhood, keep a physical distance of at least two metres from others and use transit, walk or ride their bikes so as not to impede traffic in the local area.

With the exception of Barnston Island and Brae Island Regional Parks, all other Metro Vancouver regional parks remain open, although park facilities such as playgrounds, docks, rental facilities and picnic areas are closed.  Additionally, the parking lots at Boundary Bay Regional Park, Deas Island Regional Park, Acadia Beach (Pacific Spirit Regional Park), Lynn Headwaters Regional Park and the Lower Seymour Conservation Reserve will be closed until further notice.

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

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.