If you were planning to spend a hot and sunny Sunday at White Pine Beach, you’ll want to make alternative plans.
Metro Vancouver says the popular summer spot in Belcarra Regional Park has been closed until further notice due to a bear in the area.
Metro Vancouver spokesperson Don Bradley said the beach was actually first closed Saturday afternoon.
“The bear had been observed for several hours and, in fact, returned to the beach multiple times, didn’t respond to staff attempts to scare it off,” he said.
“So really as a prudent precautionary measure to protect public safety, the Conservation Office is attempting to capture the bear in a trap.”
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Bradley said that the bear was “in close proximity” to beach users on several occasions.
He added that it is just White Pine that is closed, and the rest of the park remains open as usual.
The closure led TransLink to cancel service to the park via the 150 White Pine Beach/ Coquitlam Station bus.
Metro Vancouver says it will post updates on the park’s status on its website.
The region is also reminding park users that bears that become habituated to people are considered dangerous and may be destroyed.
It adds that negative bear-human interactions can result in closures of areas of the park.
To that end, it’s reminding the public of these bear safety tips:
- Never feed a bear
- Do not leave food or trash unattended
- Use bear-proof trash bins
- Never approach a bear
- Change your route or plans to avoid a bear
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