Colwood residents will be able to park at beaches and parks in the city again.
Based on provincial health officer directions and the Restart B.C. plan, the City of Colwood has begun to open parking at areas where it was previously closed to encourage physical distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The City asks residents to continue to safely distance from others and limit gatherings when enjoying Colwood parks and natural areas.
Parking areas at Herm Williams Park on Kelly Road, Latoria Creek Park on Latoria Road, the Royal Roads Forest entrance on Metchosin and Painter roads and Brittany Park on Brittany Drive are now open.
Playgrounds and picnic tables remain closed, according to the City, because there is no procedure in place to effectively clean the structures between each use.
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Lagoon Beach parking along Ocean Boulevard will be expanded for the May long weekend and vehicle access will be from Lagoon Road only. The gate on Ocean Boulevard near Lagoon Road will be opened to give vehicles access to parking areas along half of the beach. A temporary barrier and turn-around will be set up for vehicles.
A portion of the road will be closed to vehicle traffic with the gate near Fort Rodd Hill on Ocean Boulevard remaining closed.
The City said the gradual opening will continue to limit large influxes of people and large gatherings, and allow pedestrians and cyclists to enjoy unlimited access to a portion of the road.
Closures will be monitored regularly and reviewed on a weekly basis as the COVID-19 situation and public health guidance evolve.
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With the temporary closure of Ocean Boulevard in response to the pandemic, the City said it has received a “significant amount” of feedback about re-opening the road to vehicles as well as keeping all or some of it closed to vehicle traffic for use as a park.
To open the conversation to the broader community and to gather input to give council, Colwood launched an online survey for residents at letstalkcolwood.ca/oceanboulevard.