Closures (Covid-19)

[JL]

This from Mike Hicks. Friend: In response to COVID - 19 ,the CRD will be closing their Jordan River campground at 12 noon , Monday March 23. The gate will be locked and no vehicles will be permitted in the park until further notice.

Port Renfrew and Shirley fire chiefs have expressed serious concerns about the extreme numbers of travellers visiting their communities. They have very limited resources to take care of their own residents and are naturally worried about being overwhelmed. Most services are closed in Port Renfrew including Pacheedaht Beach Camping, and they ask that tourists and travellers hold off their visit until the health crisis is over. https://www.straight.com/news/1374921/b ... facilities

[more force 4]

I'm not sure how keeping open the trail systems in BC Parks while closing the camping is any different to allowing day use at Jordan River etc. they say on the Provincial gov't news releases for Covid-19 that they want to keep people healthy by allowing healthy activity and getting them into the backcountry provided there is distancing and the physical risks are low. So closing 24 hours Jordan River and similar seems not in keeping with this.

I thanked the guy cleaning toilets and generally keeping an eye on things at Jordan River yesterday. Generally there was good spacing between people. I paddled down to China Beach too and there were lots of people there, but spread out with families 20-50 m apart or more. But I also saw friends at JR gathering at picnic tables and getting up close or visiting each other's rigs and heard some asking "are you doing the social distancing thing yet?". Shouldn't even be a question!!!!!

So I guess we will have to put up with this for a while till everyone gets educated. Maybe they'll open it up again in a week or two?

[JL]

This from Regional Director, Mike Hicks:

​

Hello friends,



I have just sent this note to my contact in the Premier's office and bcc'd many residents of Port Renfrew, Jordan River and Shirley. Hope you support!



I was hoping that you could carry this message to the appropriate Minister and Premier Horgan. Port Renfrew , Jordan River, Shirley and Sooke are being overwhelmed with travellers visiting the various beaches out to Port Renfrew. My Shirley and Port Renfrew fire chiefs have estimated the traffic volume is equivalent to when the Malahat closes.



Our emergency response is not equipped for this volume and our food supplies are limited. Port Renfrews' grocery store have announced they can only serve Port Renfrew and Pacheedaht residents and our one and only East Sooke Grocer is considering the same measures, as his store is overrun with travellers. From what I have heard , Sooke has the same issue times 10 resulting from too many people travelling to the Parks.



I would ask in my capacity of Juan de Fuca Electoral Area director that the MInister of Parks and the Premier consider a temporary closure of French Beach, China Beach and Botanical Beach to the public. Each has a gate and although many people will walk to the beach , 90% of the public will avoid the area. I am truly sorry to ask for this action but there is no question that this huge volume of travellers are affecting the rural communities and are not following the "stay at home" message of Minister Dix and Dr. Bonnie Henry. The CRD is closing their gate at Jordan River on Monday, the Pacheedaht have closed their beach and I would request you do the same for those three parks.



Thank you



Mike Hicks

Regional Director

Juan de Fuca

[juandesooka]

the guy hitchhiking on west coast road yesterday...not on top of the social distance thing evidently

[nanmoo]

the guy hitchhiking on west coast road yesterday...not on top of the social distance thing evidently

Maybe he was looking to get a ride in the back of a pickup

[KUS]

This from Mike Hicks. Friend: In response to COVID - 19 ,the CRD will be closing their Jordan River campground at 12 noon , Monday March 23. The gate will be locked

I have totally forgotten how to wave sail anyway I think even rigging a sail would be a challenge right about now at least it could be windy out, FF'sS

[JL]

Nitinaht: "Please respect our community's wishes to stay safe, we have vulnerable elders and low-immunity community members at Nitinaht Lake. We ask that you do not drive into the community at all to look at the lake, it makes us nervous of vehicle we do not recognize. The park has been blocked with large vehicles to prevent anyone entering the beach area. This is to assist in flattening the curve all provinces are talking about! Klecko Klecko!"

[bwd]

Effective on Wednesday, March 25, 2020, Parks Canada is temporarily suspending all visitor services and motor vehicle access by visitors until further notice.

This is not an appropriate time to visit any location in Pacific Rim National Park Reserve, including the West Coast Trail, Long Beach, and Broken Group Islands.

Effective Wednesday, March 25th, motor vehicle access to Pacific Rim National Park Reserve will be suspended, in keeping with Parks Canada places across the country. Highway 4 through Pacific Rim National Park Reserve will remain open to allow essential services to access to Tofino and surrounding communities. However, Wick Road, Radar Hill Road, Grice Bay Road, and all parking lots will be closed. Motorists are not permitted to stop anywhere in Pacific Rim National Park Reserve.

https://www.pc.gc.ca/en/pn-np/bc/pacifi ... id-19-info

[JL]

Folks, effective immediately the Kludahk Trail is closed as required by the ministry directive below.

As per the directive as well we will not be accepting any cabin booking requests until such time as this requirement is lifted by the ministry.

Please note that since nobody could be considered local day hikes and tenting/camping are not permitted either.

[JL]

Important Notice - Sheringham Point National Heritage Lighthouse Site:


Please note that the site is closed due to National and Provincial orders relating to Covid-19.

Trespassers will be reported to the RCMP immediately.

Site is being monitored by volunteers daily.



- Do not visit or enter the site

- Do not park in the parking area.



Thank youThe Volunteers at the Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society want you to know that Flea Beach is closed in compliance with Provincial and National Covid -19 orders.



Please help us stay safe here in Shirley and respect the closure of Flea Beach.



As soon as allowed, the Society, in consultation with the Ministry of Transportation, will re-open this valued local amenity. Thank you.

[JL]

Nitinaht Girl: Nitinaht Lake campsite is closed. it seems as people are trying to sneak into the campsite through the dump. PLEASE respect Ditidaht First Nation and do not come to the community or the campsite. There are two signs saying this and the campsite road is blocked off. Its common sense to obey the rules. Thank you. - Saturday April 04, 6:43PM

[redbaron]

Latest for the westcoast. http://tofino.ca/blog/view/covid-19-update-for-visitors

[Brass Munkey]

RCMP have a roadblock set up on the highway after Kennedy Lake. They’re specifically looking for campers/van people and non residents... It sucks.

[AJSpencer]

Good idea.

[Kite Kook]

RCMP have a roadblock set up on the highway after Kennedy Lake. They’re specifically looking for campers/van people and non residents... It sucks.

Super curious about this! Especially since there is no order to stay at home, just recommendations. What on earth are they telling people?

From an article this morning about travellers heading to the Sunshine Coast:

"Although there’s been lots of strongly worded advice against travelling unless absolutely necessary, there are currently* no enforceable orders prohibiting non-essential travel*.

On Good Friday, Sechelt mayor Darnelda Siegers posted on her Facebook page that she had been following the posts and messages. “I understand and share your frustration,” she wrote, but added that neither the local governments nor BC Ferries has the authority to stop people from travelling without a provincial order.

“While suggestions have been made, no level of government has made it an order,”

“We have weekly meetings with the province. All of the communities on these meetings are imploring the province to make this an order… I would suggest that local residents continue to contact Dr. Bonnie Henry and [Health Minister] Adrian Dix. They are the only ones who can change this.”

So what could the RCMP possibly be telling people?