Advertisement

Coronavirus: Vancouver cemetery asks public to go elsewhere for leisure activity

A man walks through Mountain View Cemetery in Vancouver on Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2019. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

With many public spaces and recreational facilities closed due to the novel coronavirus pandemic, Vancouver’s Mountain View Cemetery is asking people to respect the burial services they’re still providing.

In an interview on CKNW, Mountain View Cemetery manager Glen Hodges told Simi Sara recreational use of the property has increased due to the pandemic.

“The last couple weeks, the activity in terms of people coming to the cemetery — walking, jogging, riding their bikes, wandering around — the traffic just increased tremendously, causing all sorts of concerns for staff and visitors to the cemetery,” Hodges said.

Story continues below advertisement

There has always been some recreational use of the park, but Hodges says staff are unhappy with the recent behaviour they’ve seen, including “kids running scooters down the hills, kids climbing and having fun in the dirt pile and climbing on headstones.”

For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen.

Get breaking National news

For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen.
By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy.

Mountain View Cemetery is installing perimeter signage to request people take their leisure activities elsewhere and interior signage asking people to keep their distance and be respectful of ongoing services.

Sponsored content

AdChoices