Road closures and congestion coming to Stanley Park this week, city says

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Vancouver’s park board is warning drivers that traffic coming in and out of Stanley Park will get congested over the next week due to events taking place in the area.

Some roads and parking lots will also be closed during the various scheduled events.

The city says the most congestion is expected at the Georgia Street entrance to Stanley Park and the exit on North Lagoon Drive, where vehicles merge with Lions Gate Bridge traffic.

“The Park Board is asking visitors to consider leaving their vehicles at home, or park outside the park,” it wrote in a notice Friday. “Alternative modes of transportation, such as public transit, walking, biking and rolling will be the most efficient ways to get to and around the park during these special events.”

The first traffic impact was on Monday, when all roads within the park were closed from 6:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. for the Vancouver Triathlon.

On Wednesday, Sept. 4, the parking lot next to the totem poles at Brockton Point will be closed while the Kakaso'las totem pole is being removed, “starting in the morning until work is complete.”

Several closures will be in effect on Saturday morning for the RBC GranFondo, a bike race from Vancouver to Whistler. From 4 a.m. to 8:30 a.m., Stanley Park Drive will be partially closed, and from 5:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m., Avison Way, Pipeline Road, Stanley Park Drive and West Georgia Street from Denman to Stanley Park will be fully closed, as will the northbound lanes of the Stanley Park Causeway and Lions Gate Bridge.

Then on Sunday, Rose Garden Lane will close from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. for a ceremony remembering the Battle of Britain.

Lastly, some parking lots will be closed during the Great Outdoors Comedy Festival from Sept. 10 to 17. The lot by the totem poles will be closed for the week, and from Friday to Sunday the Upper Cricket Field lot will be closed as will the parking stalls along Park Drive near Brockton Point.

“For those using trails in the park, be aware that some areas may be temporarily closed so Park and Urban Forestry staff can conduct necessary maintenance,” the park board wrote. “For your own safety and that of the crews, please respect all trail closures and give staff plenty of space to work.”