Saturday July 25, 2020 ~ GREATER VICTORIA, BC
by Mary Brooke ~ West Shore Voice News
Visitors to CRD regional and electoral area parks are to demonstrate responsible use of parks and on beaches, it was requested by the Capital Regional District (CRD) on Friday.
It’s part of their aim to see that community health is supported through efforts to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
With summer weather conditions in the region, visitor numbers are continuing to increase with many residents choosing to visit swimming beaches in CRD Regional Parks.
These are the guidelines:
Visitors need to do their part to ensure responsible park use including:
· Stay at home if you are sick
· Keep 2 metres apart from other visitors outside of your group
· Share the beaches – maintain appropriate social distancing on the beach and in the water
· Yield to other users on bridges, stairs and narrow sections
· Stay to the right of the trail in a single file
· Only park in designated parking spots to ensure emergency vehicle access
· If you are unable to properly maintain a 2 meter distance from other visitors consider visiting other areas in the park
· If the parking lot is full and/or the park is busy, consider going to a different park or visiting at a quieter time
Enforcement officers will be around:
The CRD will continue to have a more visible presence in the parks to educate visitors about social distancing, monitoring visitor use and continuing to enforce park regulations. Visitors to regional parks can expect to see increased presence of park interpreters, park rangers and CRD bylaw officers.
Parks open to support families:
CRD Regional Parks protects and manages more than 13,000 hectares of natural areas in the capital region. We recognize many families and individuals rely on our regional parks, and we need your support by continuing responsible visitor use in regional parks in order for them to remain open.
Here is a list of CRD parks (maps):
- Albert Head Lagoon Regional Park
- Bear Hill Regional Park
- Brooks Point Regional Park
- Coles Bay Regional Park (Updated Geo PDF with layers)
- Devonian Regional Park (Updated Geo PDF with layers)
- E & N Rail Trail – Humpback Connector
- East Sooke Regional Park (Updated Geo PDF with layers)
- Elk/Beaver Lake Regional Park (Updated Geo PDF with layers)
- Francis/King Regional Park (Updated Geo PDF with layers)
- Galloping Goose Regional Trail
- Gonzales Hill Regional Park
- Horth Hill Regional Park (Updated Geo PDF with layers)
- Island View Beach Campground
- Island View Beach Regional Park
- Jordan River Regional Park
- Jordan River Regional Park Campground
- Lochside Regional Trail
- Lone Tree Hill Regional Park
- Matheson Lake Regional Park (Updated Geo PDF with layers)
- Matthews Point Regional Park
- Mill Hill Regional Park (Updated Geo PDF with layers)
- Mount Parke Regional Park (Updated Geo PDF with layers)
- Mount Wells Regional Park
- Mount Work Regional Park
- Regional Parks and Trails System Map
- Roche Cove Regional Park (Updated Geo PDF with layers)
- Sea to Sea Regional Park – Lakes Section
- Sea to Sea Regional Park – Mount Manuel Quimper Section – (Updated Geo PDF with layers)
- Sooke Hills Wilderness Regional Park (Updated Geo PDF with layers)
- Sooke Potholes Regional Park
- Sooke Potholes Spring Salmon Place Campground Map
- Thetis Lake Regional Park
- Witty’s Lagoon Regional Park (Updated Geo PDF with layers)
CRD COVID response:
For updated information on the CRD’s response to COVID-19, visit www.crd.bc.ca/covid.