Parking and Traffic Around Brunswick Beach

Dear Brunswick Beach Home Owner (please forward this to your tenant, if applicable, as well):

The Village of Lions Bay has recently published a survey in respect of parking and traffic around the Brunswick Beach Area online: www.lionsbay.ca/BBParkingsurvey. If you haven’t already completed it, we encourage you to do so as well as the survey attached to this letter.

As a Brunswick Beach resident, we wanted to capture your thoughts exclusively and dive a little deeper in order to get a complete picture of the opinions on parking in the Brunswick Beach Area. As such, we encourage you to also fill out this survey, which can also be found online at https://www.lionsbay.ca/BB_Survey and return it to the Village Office by Monday, July 13, 2020.

Please drop off or mail the survey to 400 Centre Road, Lions Bay, BC V0N 2E0 or email it to office@lionsbay.ca. Office hours are Monday to Friday 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM. You can also fill out the survey online athttps://www.lionsbay.ca/BB_Survey. Please note that physical distancing restrictions are in place and we have a drop box available for you outside if the capacity is reached in the office.

BACKGROUND and INFORMATION regarding the current status of regulations in the area is as follows:

  • Uses of the foreshore of Brunswick Beach can be regulated (other than Criminal Code provisions, such as those in respect of nudity), but access cannot be prohibited. 
  • Speed limit on Brunswick Beach Road has been lowered to 20 KMH.
  • Traffic data from our vehicle counter and radar device is attached (with volume including both directions of travel on Brunswick Beach Rd south of the railroad crossing, including recent Public Works vehicles several times a day for the watermain project).
  • Parking spots on Brunswick Beach Rd. on the west side of the railway tracks are very limited in number and are all “Permit Required”.
  • Signage at the top of the hill leading down to Brunswick railway crossing, and at the bottom, clearly indicates there is No Parking without a Permit, No Exit, and No Turnaround (currently there is No Parking on this entry/exit road).
  • Brunswick Interchange Parking Area (approximately 16 parking spots) controlled by the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure (MOTI) was closed at the request of the Municipality at the beginning of the pandemic lockdown when the public was being directed to stay close to home and not travel to other communities.
  • MOTI controlled highway shoulders have been signed Towing/No Parking and the parking/rest area at Tunnel Point was also restricted 3 months ago to 30 minute parking, effectively closing the lot to hikers wishing to access the popular Tunnel Bluffs Hiking Trail – online hiking resources now promote searching for parking within Lions Bay.  
  • Crystal Falls Rd contains a few “Permit Required” spots and a few spots open to the public to access either the hiking trails or Brunswick Beach.
  • Animal Control Bylaw No. 461 prohibits dogs on “Brunswick Beach”, which is not defined.
1. What neighourhood do you live in?
2. What do you think of the recent reduction of the speed limit on Brunswick Beach Rd to 20 KMH?
3. Parking in the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure (MoTI) controlled Brunswick Interchange Parking Area should be re-opened?
Reopening parking at the interchange may accommodate public parking in a non-residential location and help reduce the number of vehicles driving into the lower Brunswick Beach neighbourhood looking for parking (and other areas of Lions Bay re. parking for hiking).
4. The side of the road leading down the hill from the Brunswick Interchange should be widened to accommodate street parking.
The side of the road leading down the hill from the Brunswick Interchange bus stop to the Brunswick railway crossing should be widened and street parking enabled to provide additional parking spots for the general public based on the rationale in question 3.
5. Parking on Crystal Falls Road should:
6. I am in favour of putting a bear-proof trash receptacle along the beach/road edge at Brunswick Beach?
The bear-proof trash receptacle must be along the beach/road edge at Brunswick Beach, in an area accessible to Waste Control Services truck for collection.
7. I am in favour of putting a portable toilet facility along the beach/road edge at Brunswick Beach.
8. Dogs should be permitted to access the ocean north of Brunswick Point via the water access between 26 and 29 Brunswick Beach Rd, under the supervision and control of their owners.