With British Columbia continuing to reopen parts of the economy, both the Island’s Pacific Rim and Gulf Islands national parks are preparing to welcome visitors in June.
Starting June 4, Pacific Rim National Park Reserve will offer limited visitor access and some basic services, like parking areas, beach access and washroom facilities in the Long Beach Unit, which includes Long Beach North, Long Beach South and Wickaninnish Beach.
It’s not only about spending some time in the sand, select day-use trails in the Long Beach Unit are also opening up including the Rainforest Trail A and B, as well as the Shorepine Bog Trail.
Not everything in the park, however, is opening up immediately. The Green Point Campground in the Long Beach Unit will remain closed until at least June 21.
Camping in other areas of the national reserve, like the West Coast Trail, Keeha Beach, and Broken Group Islands is suspended until further notice until Parks Canada and First Nations can assess how these backcountry services might resume.
Gulf Islands National Park Reserve is opening up a touch earlier, on June 1. Visitors will be able to access all parking lots, day-use areas, and trailheads.
All washroom facilities will remain closed and Sidney Spit seasonal dock and ferry service will not be in operating. All front-country and back-country camping facilities in the Gulf Islands National Park remain closed until at least June 21, while Parks Canada assesses whether and how these services might resume.
Both parks want to remind everyone these amenities and areas are not open until June 1 and June 4, and ask all visitors to respect the closures to allow staff to prepare for the reopening.
Both of the parks say visiting the area will be very different than it was before the pandemic, and all visitors are asked to plan ahead by checking wither the Gulf Islands National Park Reserve website, or the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve website. before they travel, to find out what is open, what to expect and how to best prepare for their visit.
Parks Canada is asking Canadians to be cautious and conservative when in the parks and urges everyone to follow the guidance of B.C.’s health officials.
“Anyone participating in recreational activities should be extra cautious to avoid injury or getting lost to help minimize the demands placed on search and rescue teams and on the health care system,” said Parks Canada in the new bulletin released on Thursday.
Since the start of the pandemic, search and rescue crews have seen an uptick in calls, and the coast guard is asking the public to avoid unnecessary travel.
More information on Parks Canada’s response to COVID-19 can be found on their website, along with regular updates.
Rebecca Lawrence
