Fire department warning people to be safe in Lynn Canyon Park
Posted March 29, 2016 5:30 pm.
Last Updated March 29, 2016 6:51 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
NORTH VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – It seems all of the signs and fences in the world aren’t stopping people from ignoring the danger at North Vancouver’s Lynn Canyon Park. The district’s fire department is issuing another warning to thrill seekers.
This comes as the RCMP wait for better conditions to resume the search for the body of a teenager. He fell from a cliff into the water below in a spot near the Lynn Canyon Suspension Bridge yesterday. He’s presumed drowned.
Swimmers and cliff jumpers die in Lynn Canyon every year. Just last September, a young man seen jumping from a cliff in a restricted area died. Similar warnings have been issued in every instance. It’s not clear if the teenager killed yesterday had been cliff jumping.
More and more people have been in need of rescue each year and District of North Vancouver Fire and Rescue‘s Assistant Chief Mike Cairns attributes the increase in popularity to hundreds of videos online of people cliff jumping in Lynn Canyon. “There have been quite a few social media videos posted and I think this is increasing the usage of the canyon. It does attract thrill seekers and people wanting to jump into the pools.
Cairns isn’t sure how to stop people from heading into restricted areas- they’ve had patrols in the area since 1993. “There are rangers who are constantly walking the trails and talking to people and informing them of the dangers and making sure that they’re aware of why the fencing and signs are up.”
When asked about it last September, District Mayor Richard Walton said they’ve considered issuing tickets, but he doubts they would act as a deterrent. He hasn’t responded to our request for interview today.
