Spring has sprung earlier than usual, and thousands of travellers are flocking to the great out-of-doors, but BC Parks officials admit there is a problem.
The promotional blurb for Shannon Falls Provincial Park warns visitors that “the parking lots are extremely vulnerable to vehicle break-ins.” Indeed they are, as are most of the other parks in the area. So why not make this the year we get past the hazard advisory stage and take a serious look at deterrence?
After a smash-and-grab incident, the default solution is usually the insurance settlement route. Unfortunately, policy holders will be out of pocket for the deductible and face major hassles if their credit cards, passports and other documents are stolen. Some of those folks will never return.
When it comes to crime prevention, provincial park administrators in the Sea to Sky Corridor just can’t seem to get their act together. However, effective strategies are available. According to the Penticton Western News, last summer, volunteers regularly checked for vehicles with visible valuables, open windows or unlocked doors and they left crime prevention notices on windshields at Skaha Bluffs Provincial Park, a popular climbing location just south of the city.
Another possibility being floated by the local Climbers’ Access Society is the installation of video cameras along with signage saying “High Theft Area Under Video Surveillance.” As well, this year the Skaha Bluffs Park Watch Society is fundraising to pay for a parking lot attendant, and the City of Penticton will support the initiative with a $15,000 donation.
A similar concept has worked wonders in Sooke, B.C., where a registered non-profit group has been operating the Park Watch Patrol program since 2001. Uniformed patrollers monitor the parking lots for suspicious activities, distribute security advisory pamphlets and act as goodwill ambassadors. All of the patrollers put in volunteer time, although some who are on duty for longer periods are paid for their services.
Advertisers pay for space on the pamphlets, and additional funding comes from donation boxes in the parks and various donors, including the Sooke Lions Club and the Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General (from casino funding). According to Marie Mills, one of the program co-ordinators, “Park Watch has proven to reduce the incidence of vandalism and vehicle theft in our parks by 100 per cent when patrollers are present.”
In a recent news release, Shirley Bond, the minister of jobs, tourism and skills training, said visitors come to B.C. “to enjoy a world-class tourism experience.” Becoming a victim of auto crime in our provincial parks should not be part of that visitor experience.
