Going to the park these days isn’t just a discretionary decision.
For many people, particularly young families, it’s an urgent requirement, verging on a mental-health necessity. Picture a single parent with a couple of tykes living in an apartment following all the self-isolation rules. Barring them from visiting a park pushes them closer to the snapping point.
The shutdown of all provincial parks for fear of people travelling contributes to that. And the logic of the overall outdoor recreation scene around B.C. is hard to grasp.
Provincial parks are closed, but regional parks remain open. East Sooke Regional and French Beach Provincial are exactly the same type of park an hour or so apart, but only one, East Sooke, is open. Municipal parks are open or closed depending on the jurisdiction.
Some are open and closed at the same time. You can take your chances on a busy, two-metre wide trail around Cedar Hill golf course, but you’re barred from strolling on the cartpaths in the wide-open, deserted fairways of the closed golf course that the trail encircles.
The B.C. government reversed its stance on park closures in the space of two weeks.
On March 20, there were about 350 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in B.C. The count was escalating much more rapidly than it is now. There were 77 new cases confirmed overnight, which prompted the closure of all restaurants and bars.
Still, the government was enthusiastic about leaving the parks available to people. Campgrounds were closed and some facilities were limited, but you could still go for a walk in the forest.
“Provincial parks are a great place for people in B.C. to get out and enjoy nature, while following the social-distancing directives,” the Environment Ministry said in a statement.
“Nature provides the perfect environment to promote health and well-being. We are following the advice of the provincial health officer to help people get outside, while ensuring they are following the PHO’s direction and guidance to stay healthy.”
Dr. Bonnie Henry was repeatedly stressing the need for people to get out and enjoy fresh air (safely).
Four days later, they adjusted their stance.
Saying too many people were ignoring social distancing, the ministry shut down French Beach on the west coast of the Island, along with Goldstream, Gowlland Tod and Spectacle Lake parks. Five on the Lower Mainland were also shut down.
A heavy traffic count on the highway past Sooke as the weather warmed and the continuing climb in new cases contributed to that decision.
But that rationale doesn’t explain the Goldstream closure, which is not remote. And Vancouver Island only had 44 cases at that point.
By April 8, they gave up trying to keep them open and shut down every provincial park in B.C. just before Easter, saying it was “in response to widespread calls for increased action.”
By that point, there were more than 1,300 cases of COVID-19 and 48 deaths.
The word was it was too challenging to maintain safe distances, meaning they didn’t have the staff to police the thousands of hectares of wilderness.
Closing the provincial parks put more pressure on the regional parks. Still, they seem to be handling it. Capital Regional District board chair Colin Plant estimates a 90 per cent compliance rate with social-distancing in the parks.
The CRD has about 35 staff on hand to patrol 30 regional parks, which is probably the key difference with the provincial ones.
Premier John Horgan said Wednesday the more people who travel to parks, the more risk there is. There will be a reopening plan in the weeks ahead.
Young families desperate for some recreation can rely on municipal parks, although the playgrounds are closed.
Provincial parks would give them more options.
With talk turning to a staged, gradual relaxation of the restrictions, rescinding the closures would be a low-risk way of easing some of the pressure people are under.
Just So You Know: An overseas visitor wrote the CRD expressing “profound gratitude” their parks were open.
“We believe your decision to be brave, and symbolic of the hope that we can all work together collectively to keep safe and protect each other.”
