The Comox Valley Regional District (CVRD) will be temporarily closing the Bates Road parking lot in Seal Bay Nature Park to begin work on upgrading the parking area. The parking lot will be closed from November 5 until late December. Leighton Contracting has been awarded the project which is being funded through Community Works Funds.
During this time there will be no access to Coupland and Seal Loops or the Don Apps Trail from Bates Road. Residents are being encouraged to access Seal Bay Nature Park via the Hardy Road Parking lot at 2201 Hardy Road, accessed from either the Island Highway 19A or Coleman Road. Anyone wishing to access the Seal Bay beaches can use the Seabank Road and Seacliff Road entrances, but should be aware parking is limited at these locations.
“The improvements will make both visitor parking and access to the trails safer,” explains Mark Harrison, Manager of Parks. “The current parking area is inadequate and unsafe given the amount of use it receives. We appreciate everyone’s patience as we work to create a safer, more accessible parking area for everyone to utilize.”
The new design will have a single entry/exit point for vehicles and provide park users a single crossing area across Bates Road at the most northerly end of the existing parking lot. As well it will increase parking capacity from the existing 35 stalls to 71 including five designated accessible stalls. Other improvements include a new outhouse, bike rack, garbage and recycling bins. The design strives to minimize environmental impacts primarily by expanding the existing parking area rather than clearing and developing a new site. For every tree having to be removed, the CVRD will be planting two new trees.
For more information on this project and review the design visit: www.comoxvalleyrd.ca/batesparking
The Comox Valley Regional District is a federation of three electoral areas and three municipalities providing sustainable services for residents and visitors to the area. The members of the regional district work collaboratively on services for the benefit of the diverse urban and rural areas of the Comox Valley.
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Media Contact:
Mark Harrison
Manager of Parks
Tel: 250-334-6067