We welcome the news that the province is looking to help alleviate the congestion for folks trying to access Mount Seymour Provincial Park.
It’s a nice reminder that, more than a private ski resort up there, there’s also a provincial park that all of us have a right to enjoy. But on a sunny and cold Saturday you may find yourself idling for an hour or more only to get to the top to find the lot full and enjoy a not-so-scenic hike from your car parked way down the access road instead.
Like dealing with congestion on our highways, we’d suggest it’s much more cost-effective to control demand rather than increase supply.
A gondola is a grandiose fix but would cost millions of dollars and only be needed a few weekends per year. Similarly, more parking spaces would necessitate clearing trees on hallowed park land and, in time, those new limited spots would fill up and we’d soon find ourselves at capacity again.
Putting a price on parking during peak periods would encourage people to carpool or use alternate means. And while we’re not holding our breath for a TransLink bus route that serves the mountaintop, a strategically planned and priced shuttle service could take hundreds of vehicles off the road.
Other trail users have suggested opening the park up earlier for the keeners to get their hike done before the crowds show up.
At any rate, we look forward to the next step in this process that will allow us to spend more time in nature where we belong, and less time idling away on pavement.
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