'Disappointing': Lions Bay hiking trails to stay closed until at least Sept. 18

Bad news for nature-seekers: councillors in the Village of Lions Bay voted on Tuesday to keep access to the area's public parking and hiking trails closed.

Access to the popular Metro Vancouver hiking destination was first closed off on Aug. 25 due to wildfire concerns. The vote that time was unanimous. Council then voted 4-1 to extend the closure through the Labour Day long weekend at a special meeting on Aug. 31.

Then on Tuesday, when the question of reopening was brought before councillors, it was shot down once again.

The trailheads for several popular hikes are located in Lions Bay, including the West Lion, Tunnel Bluffs, Brunswick Mountain and Centennial Trail.

In an interview with CTV News Wednesday, Lions Bay Mayor Ken Berry called the decision a “disappointment.”

He was the only one to vote to reopen the trails last Thursday, and brought forward Tuesday’s motion to reopen them this coming Friday.

He said the initial closure was done when there was “a lot of fear” surrounding explosive wildfires in areas like Kelowna, Kamloops and the Shuswap.

“It was a decision that was made on short notice and it was to be reviewed on an ongoing basis,” Berry said.

On Tuesday, he and one councillor voted for the reopening, and three voted against.

“We’re advocates that we’re an open and welcoming community,” Berry said of himself and Coun. Michael Broughton, the two who voted in favour.

The motion was defeated despite input from the Lions Bay fire chief and other experts, who recommended the trails be opened and told council the fire risk is now lower due to higher humidity and cooler weather.

Fire Chief Barrett Germscheid added last Thursday that hikers on the trails report far more fires than they start.

“(He says) the more eyes and feet on the ground, the safer we are as a community,” said Berry.

The mayor said the decision left him “confused,” because it went against the fire chief’s recommendation, and because Lions Bay is an “definitely an outlier” among other Metro Vancouver and Howe Sound corridor municipalities when it comes to closing down trails.

“My stance was we needed to defer to the experts,” he said, adding that others may have voted based on gut feeling.

Hikers won’t know when the trails will be open again until at least Sept. 18, the date of the next council meeting.

Berry plans to bring the motion forward again then.

“This is a fabulous community. There’s no more beautiful area in the Lower Mainland and on the coast than Lions Bay,” he said. “We’re looking forward to these trailheads being open again because we feel the residents of Lions Bay, as well as neighbouring communities, should be able to enjoy them.”