Beach bums, rejoice!
The Vancouver Park Board has announced that its crews have begun their work to return the beloved logs to the city's beaches.
In a Tweet, the Park Board states that the work will continue through the month of June, starting with Sunset Beach, Kitsilano Beach, and moving west.
Beach-goers are cautioned to stay safe and maintain a two-metre space from those outside of their households.
In May, the Park Board announced that it would begin reopening the majority of parking lots at parks and beaches and planned to have many of them open by Sunday, May 24.
Parking lots at parks and beaches were closed in mid-March as part of the Park Board’s overall effort to support physical distancing, reduce crowding at destination parks and beaches, and encourage use of neighbourhood parks.
Over Mother's Day weekend, the weather was markedly hotter, with a whopping 17 records weather records smashed B.C.-wide. Of course, the sizzling daily highs lured Vancouverites out to local beaches in droves over that weekend. There is signage directing beach-goers to maintain a safe, two-metre physical distance from one another, but a number of photos taken at beaches over Mother's Day weekend had some people questioning if the rule is being followed.
As a result of the Mother's Day weekend crowding, the Board of Parks and Recreation revealed Monday, May 11 they would, "not be reopening parking lots at beaches and parks in the coming days as a result of a decrease in public compliance with physical distancing."
On Mother's Day weekend alone, Park Board Rangers issued over 1,880 warnings to park and beach-goers who were not in compliance.
The Park Board said it will continue to review the possible reopening other facilities and services and will, "make adjustments to its operations based on the latest information provided by Vancouver Coastal Health, the Provincial Health Officer, and industry partners."
For more information about the status of services and facilities impacted by COVID-19, please visit HERE.
- With files from Lindsay William-Ross.
