PEMBERTON, B.C. — Better parking and access is expected soon at one of British Columbia's busiest provincial parks, but visitors unable to find a legal parking stall are being warned to expect ticketing and towing.
The Ministry of Environment says a new action plan will address safety concerns at Joffre Lakes Provincial Park just east of Pemberton.
Changes included in the action plan include increasing the size of the parking lot to accommodate 450 vehicles, and a $10-dollar round-trip shuttle service from Duffey Lake Park to the Joffre Lakes trailhead on summer weekends and long weekends.
Any vehicles parked on the shoulders of Highway 99 will be ticketed and towed.
Two First Nations stewards will also work with park rangers as part of a pilot project with BC Parks to offer information about the region's natural and cultural values and also to help manage and maintain the Joffre Lakes site.
Over 180,000 visitors enjoyed the park's stunning scenery and unique turquoise waters last year, a 168 per cent increase in visitors in just nine years, and the ministry says that overcrowding has created numerous safety issues.
Environment Minister George Heyman says his ministry faced the delicate task of balancing increased visitation with a conservation mandate.
"Our government is committed to finding solutions for the exceptional (tourist) growth at Joffre Lakes Park that protect the environment and improve public safety," Heyman says in the statement.
"The Joffre Lakes action plan ensures the natural and Indigenous cultural values of the park are protected, while continuing to provide recreation opportunities for visitors of all abilities."
An overflow parking lot will be expanded by early summer, the weekend shuttle bus is already operating and work on expanding the main parking lot will be done this fall, the ministry says.
The park's popularity soared after dramatic photos of the lake were posted to social media accounts.
Dogs were banned from the park last year due to conservation and public health concerns, while the handful of tent sites along the shore of the lake were added to the reservation system this year, limiting access primarily to day visitors.