By Lorne Eckersley
17,000 acres of natural wildlife preserve and many kilometres of walking trails are now out of bounds to residents.
The Creston Valley Wildlife Management Authority announced on the weekend that it “is taking proactive measures to mitigate the transmission of COVID-19 (coronavirus) and, as such, is closing the CVWMA to the public until further notice.
“We understand that nature is a great place to be, but the safety and health of visitors, staff and our community is our top priority right now.”
The closure took affect at midnight on Sunday, but on Monday morning a half dozen or more vehicles were parked at the Summit Creek parking lot, where many locals enter the paths, dikes and marshlands as part of their walking regimen. The only noticeable sign announcing the area’s closure was posted on the bulletin board beside the temporary Visitor Experience Centre about 2km to the east.
“We understand the closure will have an impact on our users and we apologize for the inconveniences as we all navigate these uncertain times,” the CVWMA said, without explaining why social distancing practises are insufficient on the huge property.
“We will be monitoring and re-assessing the situation. Weekly updates on our operations will be provided on the CVWMA website at www.crestonwildlife.ca.”