Cross-border visits at Peace Arch Park still frustrating Surrey residents, politicians

Posted January 22, 2021 9:42 pm.

Last Updated January 22, 2021 10:06 pm.

SURREY (NEWS 1130) — Canadians are still meeting Americans at Peace Arch Park — despite both the park and the border being closed and amid COVID-19 restrictions that restrict gathering — frustrating Surrey residents and politicians.

The Canadian side of the park was closed in June due to a spike in visitors, driven mainly by people using the park as a place to see their loved ones who live across the line.

But Coun. Linda Annis says she’s continued to field complaints from residents about people gathering, and about parking and traffic crowding residential streets.

“The city is serious about doing everything we possibly can to manage the parking situation there, and we do have our staff down there on a very regular basis,” she says.

“This is very problematic. We need to remind everyone that they shouldn’t be doing this. I know it’s very very difficult, but we need to get through this pandemic quickly and the residents down there have every right to be concerned.”

“It’s very problematic.”@LindaAnnisBC wants Canadians to stop visiting Peace Arch Park. She’s concerned about COVID-19 transmission and visitors overwhelming street parking in #SurreyBC. pic.twitter.com/ym4FckM9t9

— Tim James (@_TimJames) January 22, 2021

Surrey South MLA Stephanie Cadieux echoes Annis’ concerns, saying she has written to Health Minister Adrian Dix and the minister of public safety to share the concerns of her constituents, and urge the province to intervene.

“The regular use and enjoyment of their homes and property is a challenge because of all of this added traffic and all of these visitors to their neighbourhood, which it was not designed for. So certainly, I understand their concerns. I also recognize we are in a challenging situation for all sorts of reasons. I just hope that the government will address their concerns in some way,” she tells NEWS 1130.

“There are ongoing concerns about the lack of enforcement at the park.” – @Stephanie4BC

RCMP are staffed along 0 Avenue, which is the border. Mounties will check identification of anyone entering Canada, but don’t stop Canadians from crossing the ditch. pic.twitter.com/CinHGNVSJ4

— Tim James (@_TimJames) January 22, 2021

There is a police presence in the area, but she says neither police nor city bylaw officers have been able to stop the flow of visitors.

“The RCMP have stepped up their efforts on our side of the border, to enforce and remind people that they can’t be crossing the border illegally, and that there are health orders in place. But the challenge, I think remains they can’t be there all the time. They can’t possibly see or do everything,” she says.

“The city’s been engaged to try and step up their parking enforcement and garbage cleaning and so on, to deal with that for the residents. But I can see how our residents are concerned about what they’re witnessing in the park. The lack of social distancing or, people meeting up in the park and then returning into Canada without going into quarantine. So I think the challenge is one for all levels of government to be dealing with.”

She says she empathizes with people who want to be reunited with their loved ones, but says others in Surrey are following public health orders and not seeing anyone outside of their immediate households.

“The challenge for the residents is that what they see on a daily basis is people continuing to skirt the regulations. They’re concerned about that for the health of themselves, and the rest of the public.”