As a precaution to stop the spread of COVID-19, the company behind the Newport Beach development is barring vehicle access to the oceanfront for the Easter long weekend.
Matthews Southwest has announced this closure will run from the evening of April 9 to the morning of April 13.
“We are anticipating an influx of visitors to Squamish this long weekend, and while our community is generally quite welcoming, we must request visitors to Squamish and the Oceanfront visit at a later date,” reads a release from the company.
“In an attempt to mitigate this influx and for the safety of our community, we will take the
precautionary measure of restricting vehicular access to the Oceanfront Park by closing the gate on the access road.”
Vehicles parked outside of the gate will be towed.
The company says it hopes this will deter non-local visitors.
Matthews Southwest’s announcement also seems to suggest that a general closure of the area is not out of the question, even after the Easter break.
“We understand that our outdoor activities are becoming further restricted through the closures of all neighbourhood and provincial parks, but if the Oceanfront Park System becomes a place of transmission, we will close access to this area until a time when it is safe again for the general public,” reads the release.
“We must be diligent about our actions to ensure we keep our community safe. Squamish must work together to limit the spread of COVID-19. Through these proactive measures, let’s keep access to the Squamish Oceanfront.”
