Bowen Island group offers $30M to cancel Metro Vancouver's campground plans

Bowen Island group offers $30 million to Metro Vancouver Regional District to cancel campground plans for regional park

Artistic rendering of a trail and campground at the Cape Roger Curtis Regional Park on Bowen Island. (Metro Vancouver Regional District)

An environmental advocacy group on Bowen Island opposed to Metro Vancouver Regional District’s proposal to establish a second regional park on the island is offering up to $30 million to stop the plan in its tracks.

In an open letter dated September 12 to the regional district’s leaders, the Bowen Island Conservancy asserts the plans for the regional park “will result in serious negative impacts” to the group’s adjacent Wild Coast Nature Refuge, and the “conservancy values in the area generally.”

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This past spring, as a key step towards establishing the 240-acre regional park, the regional district finalized the purchase of 24 parcels of waterfront land at Cape Roger Curtis, which is located at the southwest corner of the island. This is an acquisition worth $40 million from a private developer.

The plan is to introduce new day-use and overnight uses with roughly 100 camping spots, along with picnic areas, trails, viewpoints, and waterfront access.

metro vancouver cape roger curtis regional park bowen island

Location of Cape Roger Curtis Regional Park (light green) at the southwest corner of Bowen Island. (Metro Vancouver Regional District)

Proposed concept plan for the Cape Roger Curtis Regional Park on Bowen Island. (Metro Vancouver Regional District)

But the group, comprised of island residents, is particularly concerned about the camping component, asserting that it will bring a significant influx of people, which would not only “disturb” their nature refuge but also increase vehicle traffic, damage the coastal bluff ecosystem, and increase the risk of wildfires and the introduction of invasive species.

“We also note concerns expressed by the Bowen Island Municipality and the Islands Trust, and the overwhelming public opposition to the Park as currently proposed, in particular with respect to camping. We remain concerned about potential impacts on the Wild Coast Nature Refuge and conservation in the adjacent area,” continues the letter.

The group states they are now in a position to offer the regional district a sum of $30 million to purchase the entire property, based on the donations that have been pledged. They expect these funds can be fully confirmed and formally presented by November.

Artistic rendering of a campground with vehicle access at the Cape Roger Curtis Regional Park on Bowen Island. (Metro Vancouver Regional District)

Artistic rendering of a campground at the Cape Roger Curtis Regional Park on Bowen Island. (Metro Vancouver Regional District)

Artistic rendering of a trail and campground at the Cape Roger Curtis Regional Park on Bowen Island. (Metro Vancouver Regional District)

Artistic rendering of an elevated boardwalk trail at the Cape Roger Curtis Regional Park on Bowen Island. (Metro Vancouver Regional District)

Artistic rendering of a scenic viewpoint at the Cape Roger Curtis Regional Park on Bowen Island. (Metro Vancouver Regional District)

The group claims the regional district was not interested in their previous May proposal of providing $20 million “in return for conservation measures” for the site with no development, instead of its proposed publicly accessible uses with overnight camping.

“We believe this proposal is a win-win for Metro and the Conservancy,” reads the letter. “This proposal is of clear benefit to the Conservancy, both enhancing and protecting the Wild Coast Nature Refuge, as well as enhancing conservation in the area generally.”

Based on the regional district’s proposal, during the peak summer months, up to 162 people with up to 39 vehicles can be expected camping on an average weekday, and up to 243 people with up to 43 vehicles can be expected camping on an average weekend day. They would be dispersed across a regional park equivalent to one quarter the size of Vancouver’s Stanley Park.

Number of campground sites by type, and the expected occupancy and traffic for the Cape Roger Curtis Regional Park. (Metro Vancouver Regional District)

Bowen Island is under the umbrella of the regional district, which is aiming to introduce new additional regional park spaces to provide Metro Vancouver’s growing population with greater access to nature and more leisure and recreational opportunities.

Towards the north end of Bowen Island, Crippen Regional Park is also part of the regional district’s regional park system. In 2022, Crippen was the 15th busiest out of 25 regional parks across Metro Vancouver, with an annual visitation of 355,600 — up by 17% compared to 2021.

No camping is allowed on Crippen Regional Park or any Bowen Island municipal park. Private properties are also not permitted to offer camping opportunities. However, the provincial government is currently in the process of building a small marine-access only campsite at Apodaca Park, an existing small provincial park, located near the southeast corner of the island.

This fall, the regional district could make a critical decision over its regional park proposal. Daily Hive Urbanized has reached out for further comment.

Cape Roger Curtis Bowen Island Metro Vancouver Regional Park f

Cape Roger Curtis on Bowen Island. (Metro Vancouver Regional District)

Cape Roger Curtis on Bowen Island. (Metro Vancouver Regional District)

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