VanDusen Botanical Garden and two city golf courses to reopen May 1

In the first sign of easing COVID-19 restrictions in BC, the Vancouver Park Board has announced it’s reopening two city golf courses and VanDusen Botanical Garden on May 1.

Fraserview and McCleery golf courses along with the 55-acre botanical garden will reopen to the public with new physical distancing measures in place, the Park Board said in a press release Monday.

“Combined, Vancouver’s golf courses and VanDusen Botanical Garden provide hundreds of acres of green space for the community. Each of the sites is highly supervised, attendance is managed, and their facilities allow for new physical distancing protocols,” the release said.

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Langara Golf Course, the city’s third course, will remain closed because its clubhouse is being used to prepare meals for Downtown Eastside residents. The city’s pitch and putt courses will also remain closed at this time.

The physical distancing measures at VanDusen include:

• Online ticket sales only
• Guests need to book an entry time slot in advance, and there’s a maximum of 30 guests per slot
• Pathways are one-way
• Guests are required to maintain a two-metre distance from others at all times
• Modified hours: Monday to Friday 10 am to 7 pm, and 9 am to 7 pm on weekends

The Park Board also says walkers will be allowed to use golf course grounds until 8 am, when they need to make way for golfers.