More parking enforcement will be coming to BC Hydro recreation sites in Mission.
At Monday’s (May 5) council meeting, a unanimous vote led to $40,000 approved for the forestry operating budget towards parking enforcement at Stave Lake Boat Launch and Hayward Lake.
“This was a full team effort by our community to get Hydro to work with us more constructively and I feel we have a good plan in place to deal with issues at Hayward and the boat launch this season,” forestry director Chris Gruenwald said.
The BC Hydro recreation sites have seen significant overuse since summer 2020, causing an array of issues for the city.
Challenges include unsafe parking, congestion, increased pedestrian traffic and blocking emergency vehicle access, according to a staff report.
“A sizable portion of recreation users are coming from outside of Mission, primarily from the Metro Vancouver area, further frustrating members of the community, as they are unable to access local recreation sites,” the report reads.
BC Hydro agreed to contribute $30,000 towards parking signage and enforcement, along with an additional $30,000 for the digital signage for the 2025 season.
A meeting between the City of Mission and BC Hydro representatives in December 2024 prepared the parties for the 2025 summer.
Measures to manage the issues include installing additional signage to deter stopping and parking on significant roads, bylaw officers and tow trucks on site enforcing parking restrictions during peak weekends, and creating a page on the Mission website sharing information about local sites.
“I'm very happy to hear that this is being implemented, and I also know that the residents around there will equally be happy because safety was a huge concern and it was very challenging,” Coun. Angel Elias said.
Stave Lake Boat Launch and its parking lot remain closed as infrastructure improvements are completed. Work began on March 31 and is scheduled to wrap up on June 12.
The infrastructure improvements are intended to manage congestion and public safety, BC Hydro says. The work includes 21 new parking spaces at the site.
