BC Parks considering visitor day-pass system for popular locations

While a number of BC Parks have now reopened for public use, others – including some of the province’s most popular destinations – remain closed, as BC Parks look at how to best proceed with their reopening.

In an email to Daily Hive, BC Parks said that ever since the closing of its parks, it has been “working on a phased approach to reopen, working together so people can enjoy parks while managing issues of public safety and the health of the environment.”

However, “the most popular parks pose some unique challenges.”

To help mitigate these challenges, BC Parks said it is considering a number of options, including a proposed “free day-use pass program.”

While BC Parks did not offer further details on what this program might look like or when it may be implemented, it noted that this “is one approach we have been considering to support the next phase of a safe and managed parks reopening. We will have more to say about this in the near future.”

In the meantime, the Ministry of Environment said that to ensure parks stay open and safe for everyone, “visitors are expected to follow physical distancing requirements” and need to manage their own safety.

“If a park is too busy and physical distancing cannot be maintained, visitors using parks for day-use activities are asked to find another outdoor space to enjoy close to home,” the Ministry said.

Parks that remain temporarily closed are listed on the BC Parks website.

The ministry said people are advised to check the website often, “as services and openings may change to align with the status of the COVID-19 response.”