Burnaby to enhance security at Central Park 3 months after Marrisa Shen’s death

Three months after Marrisa Shen’s murder in Burnaby’s Central Park, city officials have approved a plan to beef up park patrols and add cameras.

Earlier this week, city council approved a plan to add more bike patrols, more bylaw officers, and look at installing security cameras to key entrances of the park.

Councillor Pietro Calendino said the plan was on the docket a year ago but admits Shen’s murder forced council to speed up the process.

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The idea of a park closure bylaw is also being floated, but Calendino said it would only be considered if the city receives reports of “unwanted” activities taking place at night.

Though Shen’s death was believed to be random, homicide investigators have made several public appeals for footage of her whereabouts on July 18.

At the council meeting, Mayor Derek Corrigan said he didn’t want the enhanced measures to provide a false sense of security.

“I do not want anyone to think that this means you should go into isolated areas in parks alone, or that you should be in our parks after dark,” the mayor said. “That’s not what we’re suggesting.”

The city report also recommended adding lighting in remote trails of the parks.

It’s expected the added measures will take three to six months to be put into effect.