Lions Bay closes access to local hiking trails over wildfire concerns
Caution tape surrounds the parking lot outside the trailhead to Tunnel Bluffs Friday morning.
The mayor and council for the Village of Lions Bay voted to close the access points to all local hiking trails Thursday afternoon, citing wildfire concerns.
“The risk right now is just simply not worth it for that community, the residents and the visitors,” Acting Mayor Jamie Cunliffe told CTV News.
Given the proximity to homes in the area, Cunliffe said a fire along the trails could quickly threaten private property in the community.
“It would happen to be, you know, a few hundred meters from people's homes,” she explained.
Cunliffe said unlike other municipalities, Lions Bay relies on its own watershed as a water source – and due to a shortage, the village is on the cusp of introducing even stricter water restrictions.
“So having to use that valuable resource to put out a fire is going to be very detrimental to the community,” she said, adding that a fire in the watershed would be “devastating.”
The acting mayor said there have been a handful of fires in and around the village, all believed to be human-caused, and officials are doing all they can to mitigate the risk.
COMMUNITY NOT SHUNNING OUTSIDERS, MAYOR SAYS
During the height of the pandemic, parking was severely limited to the beaches in Lions Bay, leaving many visitors feeling like the village was intentionally keeping them out.
But Cunliffe said that is not what’s happening here.
“The objective here is not to cut off public access,” she said.
Some village residents told CTV News they are skeptical because they have also been asking for permits to trim trees to mitigate the fire risk, but those have all been denied.
The acting mayor reiterated the decision is not a political one, but a safety measure.
“It's 100 per cent about fire safety. And when it comes to tree trimming, we do have a permitting system and during songbird nesting season we do not allow trimming on public trees,” she said.
Cunliffe said the closure of trail access is only temporary and they will continue to monitor the situation to see when they can be reopened to the public.
Correction
This story has been updated to correct the spelling of the acting mayor's surname. It is Cunliffe.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Another suspect arrested in Toronto Pearson airport gold heist: police
Another suspect is in custody in connection with the gold heist at Toronto Pearson International Airport last year, police say.
BREAKING Justin and Hailey Bieber are expecting their first child together
Hailey and Justin Bieber are going to be parents. The couple announced the news on Thursday on Instagram, both sharing a video that showcases Hailey Bieber's growing belly.
From outer space? Sask. farmers baffled after discovering strange wreckage in field
A family of fifth generation farmers from Ituna, Sask. are trying to find answers after discovering several strange objects lying on their land.
Poilievre-led government 'would never' use notwithstanding clause on abortion, his office says
A Conservative government led by Pierre Poilievre would not legislate on, nor use the notwithstanding clause, on abortion, his office says, as anti-abortion protesters gather on Parliament Hill.
Ontario family receives massive hospital bill as part of LTC law, refuses to pay
A southwestern Ontario woman has received an $8,400 bill from a hospital in Windsor, Ont., after she refused to put her mother in a nursing home she hated -- and she says she has no intention of paying it.
Here are the ultraprocessed foods you most need to avoid, according to a 30-year study
Studies have shown that ultraprocessed foods can have a detrimental impact on health. But 30 years of research show they don’t all have the same impact.
Miss Teen USA steps down just days after Miss USA's resignation
Miss Teen USA resigned Wednesday, sending further shock waves through the pageant community just days after Miss USA said she would relinquish her crown.
Why these immigrants to Canada say they're thinking about leaving, or have already moved on
For some immigrants, their dreams of permanently settling in Canada have taken an unexpected twist.
Cyclist strikes child crossing the street to catch school bus in Montreal
A video circulating on social media of a young girl being hit by a bike has some calling for better safety and more caution when designing bike lanes in the city. The video shows a four-year-old girl crossing Jeanne-Mance Street in Montreal's Plateau neighbourhood to get on a school bus stopped on the opposite side of the street