Parks across the West Kootenay are set to re-open May 14, with some exceptions.
Premier John Horgan made the announcement Wednesday that the public could access most provincial parks in one of several changes made to ease restrictions on physical distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic.
BC Parks also says most campgrounds will re-open on June 1, although some of the most visited sites will remain closed. Some playgrounds will still be off-limits, as will hot springs, halls and picnic shelters.
In the Nelson area, the Grohman Narrows, Kokanee Creek and West Arm parks will open again next week.
Other locations set to open include: Castlegar’s Syringa Provincial Park; Crawford Bay’s Lockhart Beach, Lockhart Park and Pilot Bay; Salmo’s Erie Creek; and Trail’s Beaver Creek.
In the Grand Forks area, the Christina Lake, Granby, Gilpin Grasslands, and Gladstone parks will also open.
Other parks opening include the Goat Range, McDonald Creek, Purcell Wilderness Conservancy, Trout Creek, and Valhalla.
Some of the provincial parks that won’t open include: Arrow Lakes, Boundary Creek, Champion Lakes, Cody Caves, Jewel Lake, Kokanee Glacier, Kootenay Lake, Monashee, Nancy Greene, Rosebery and Summit Lake.
Visit http://bcparks.ca/covid-19/parks-affected/ to check the status of any provincial park in B.C.
