Park Board apologizes after watering David Lam Field in violation of water restrictions

The Vancouver Park Board is apologizing after violating Stage 3 water restrictions at a local park.

A concerned citizen informed Global News that the city was watering the field at David Lam Park in the early morning hours, every day since Tuesday.

Stage 3 water restrictions came into effect in Metro Vancouver Monday afternoon. The restrictions prohibit any residential and non-residential lawn sprinkling.

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READ MORE: Metro Vancouver moving to Stage 3 water restrictions

Bill Harding, Director of Parks with the Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation told Global News that David Lam Field was, in fact, watered Thursday morning for the third day in a row. However, municipalities had 72 hours to implement Stage 3 restrictions.

“This should not have happened. It will not happen again,” says Harding. “As you may know, Stage 3 watering restrictions do allow for twice weekly watering of Grade A sand based fields like David Lam. This is to maintain minimum playing conditions on these very well used fields.”

Harding says they have 36 sand-based fields in the Park Board inventory and their irrigation techs are in the process of re-programming all of the automated watering systems for compliance with Stage 3 restrictions.

“Clearly an important step was missed in this instance. We apologize to the public and recognize that we failed to set a good example at David Lam Park,” he says.