VANCOUVER -- Four regional parks are now closed in Metro Vancouver, officials announced Thursday.
Deas Island and Boundary Bay are closed to the public until further notice, in an effort to enforce physical distancing guidelines outlined by public health officials.
Barnston Island and Brae Island regional parks were already closed by Metro Vancouver.
While Lynn Headwaters Regional Park and the Lower Seymour Conservation Reserve will stay open, the parking lots will be closed in an effort to limit their use.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the region asks those looking to spend time outdoors to do so at their local park, rather than travel to popular locations further away.
The region said previously that it hoped to limit closures, but that it would do so if people weren't following physical distancing guidelines.
Parks are an outlet for physical and mental health, but anyone taking advantage of the region's park network must respect instructions to stay two metres apart from anyone who doesn't live in their home.
The update from Metro Vancouver comes a day after the closure of Stanley Park to vehicle traffic.
The popular park remains open, but all parking lots and some roads have been blocked off. Additionally, cyclists are asked to stick to the roads through the park, leaving the seawall for joggers and pedestrians.
Some other nearby lanes have also been closed to traffic to free up space on the street for pedestrians to pass safely.
And, after a brief pause in parking enforcement, bylaw officers will again be patrolling the West End.
The City of Vancouver said this is to limit traffic in the area and encourage physical distancing.
Also announced this week was the closure of all of B.C.'s provincial parks, a move the B.C. government said was in response to "federal and provincial directives" to the public to stay home.
