The Covid-19 pandemic has caused many British Columbians to spend more time outdoors and at parks.
According to the Outdoor Recreation Council of BC, this has highlighted the need for additional outdoor recreation and park resources in the province.
“Trail-related outdoor recreation is becoming increasingly popular with locals and visitors, and this puts a lot of demands on volunteer outdoor groups and on the agencies who have the overall responsibility for these trails,” said Louise Pederson, ORC Executive Director.
Over the weekend, the Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services released its report on the budget 2021 consultation, hearing 281 presentations, 1,362 written submissions, and 3,625 responses to an online survey.
The ORC made submissions to the committee during the public consultation period in June, outlining the need for additional investments in BC’s provincial parks and outdoor recreation infrastructure.
“The pandemic has clearly highlighted that British Columbians value the outdoors a great deal for their physical and mental well-being, and our parks and provincial networks of trails provide some of the most affordable and spectacular ways that we can explore our own communities and the province as a whole,” said Pederson.
Committee members noted the need for increased funding to help BC Parks and Recreation Sites.
In addition, Trails BC addressed a backlog of maintenance and understaffing as well as oversight of public health and safety.
Among the laundry list of 124 recommendations, the Committee suggested a funding increase for BC parks and trails to support staffing, monitoring and enforcement, maintenance, land management planning, and maintaining public safety guidelines.
Pederson says even before the pandemic, a majority of British Columbians considered outdoor recreation a major part of their lives.
However, the large increase in park and trail usage during the last six months has increased pressure in her opinion.
“Long-standing budget constraints have limited the ability of Recreation Sites and Trails BC to respond to the increased public demand for new trails and facilities as well as for maintaining existing infrastructure, including forest service roads, which has led to the loss of access to popular trails.”
– with files from Catherine Garrett, MyBulkleyLakesNow.com staff
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