Vancouver parks, beaches see ‘incredible amount of garbage’ after busy weekend
Posted May 1, 2023 2:19 pm.
Last Updated May 1, 2023 8:52 pm.
The warm weather over the weekend brought out many people to Vancouver’s beaches and parks, but it also appears to have brought out the litterbugs.
The Vancouver Park Board says crews, along with city staff, were out all day Sunday cleaning up garbage from public spaces.
“While we thank everyone who disposed of their garbage properly, we were really disappointed to see such an incredible amount of garbage including food, packaging and BBQ equipment left on the city’s beautiful public spaces,” the board said in an email to CityNews.
“No matter the weather, please help to keep parks and beaches clean by packing out what you pack in and dispose of all trash in the nearest garbage, recycling or organics bin.”
Read More: Warm weather on the way for Metro Vancouver
Saturday saw sunny conditions with temperatures in the mid-to-late 20s, prompting many to flock to the city’s parks and beaches.
Photos shared with CityNews show piles of empty beverage cans collected from Sunset Beach on Sunday, along with discarded food containers. There were also reports of people urinating and vomiting in the area.
The Park Board says in anticipation of the warmer weather, more waste bins will be added to popular destinations.
“Both Park Board and Sanitation teams will be monitoring high-traffic locations throughout the summer and adjusting service levels on a regular basis,” the agency said.
The mess made in public spaces has also been noticed by locals.
“We’re some of the luckiest people in the world to have at our doorstep, a free, beautiful sandy beach that goes on for miles,” Vancouver resident Maggie Taylor told CityNews.
“The least they can do is pick up after themselves.”
She says she worries about discarded glass becoming a hazard at the beach.
“It’s all about taking care of yourself and taking care of the environment,” she said.
Despite the large crowds and the messes they left behind, the Vancouver Police Department says there were no notable incidents from the weekend.
“The warm weather always brings large crowds out to Vancouver beaches and parks. It’s great to see people getting outside and having fun after a wet stretch of weather,” said Sgt. Steve Addison in an email.
“We did not respond to any serious incidents related to beach crowds this weekend. Our dedicated beach patrol will be deployed later this spring.”
