Reopening B.C.: Most provincial parks open for day use only, visitors asked to physically distance

Most provincial parks reopened on Thursday, more than a month after B.C. shut down the provincial park system due to the novel coronavirus pandemic.

Washrooms, beaches, boat launches, picnic areas and some trails are open for day use at selected parks.

As parks reopened, a lineup of visitors was seen forming outside of Golden Ears Park Thursday.

1:49 Visitors to B.C. provincial parks asked to physically distance, day use only

The province is asking visitors to use parks close to home, continue to physically distance and bring their own hand sanitizer. Sanitization of high-touch areas and bathrooms will be stepped up.

“We have a crowd control plan in place, making sure people know that they need to physically distance,” Environment Minister George Heyman said, adding that staff will monitor day-use parking lots to get a sense of whether or not the park is at a reasonable capacity.

1:38 All B.C. provincial parks closed to enforce distancing during COVID-19 outbreak

A full list of open parks can be found on the BC Parks website.

Select overnight campgrounds will reopen on June 1.

Some of Canada’s national parks and historic sites will reopen for partial use on June 1 but only in places where it is considered safe to do so.

— With files from Simon Little and the Canadian Press