Comox Valley Park Rules & Permits
A Park Use Permit is required for any special use of a Comox Valley Regional District (CVRD) park, as per Park Regulations Bylaw 103. Under the same bylaw, a Park Research Permit is required to conduct or carry out any research within a CVRD park.
Protection for Plants and Animals
Please remember that in CVRD managed parks, all native plants, animals, and wildlife habitat is protected. This includes driftwood, shells, trees and shrubs. Damaging park trees or features is a ticketable offence under "Electoral Areas Parks Regulations Bylaw No. 103, 2010". The bylaw in part states:
"No person shall remove, destroy, cut or damage any natural feature."
Park staff and bylaw enforcement will be patrolling the parks to ensure plants, animals, and wildlife habitat is protected.
Beach Fires
Unless there is a fire ban in place, beach fires are permitted year-round at Joe Walker Park in the designated fire rings or in the BBQ shelter and at the Royston Seaside Trail BBQ shelter located on Marine Drive. Seasonally, from May 1st to Labour Day, beach fires are also permitted within the designated fire rings at Goose Spit Park.
Please remember that all beach fires must be contained in designated fire rings. As per the Parks Regulations bylaw No 103, "No person shall kindle, build, light, maintain, or use any fire at any location in a park other than a fire in a fire ring or receptacle provided for the purpose at Joe Walker Park, Royston Seaside Trail or Goose Spit Park by the regional district".
ATVs, Parks and Me
Although the CVRD tries to accommodate multiple user groups, the use of motorized vehicles including ATVs and motorbikes are prohibited in all CVRD parks (see Parks Regulations bylaw No 103).
Enforcement for motorized vehicle use in CVRD parks is by regular patrols by CVRD staff, security and RCMP, as well as through community generated complaints.
After considerable hours and money was spent in 2019 dealing with vehicle use at Royston Cumberland Railway Trail, the regional district had to ask the RCMP to help as people were cutting trees, pulling away barriers, breaking locks and driving through the forest to get trucks and jeeps around closed entrances and down trails.
Early in 2020 the CVRD board adopted changes to rules regulating motorized vehicle use in parks to discourage destructive and illegal activities. The changes included substantial increases to fines. For example, the fine for operating a motorized vehicle on a trail, in a closed park or below the high tide mark has increased from a $100 ticket to $1,000. The ticket for causing damage to a park facility or natural features, such as cutting a tree, jumped from $100 to $500.
To ensure protection of wildlife habitat as well as the safety of park visitors the board tightened parks rules to ensure motorized vehicles can only be used on roads, trails and parking areas designated for such public use. Vehicles, motorcycles, dirt bikes, and other motorized vehicles are not permitted in any waterway, along shorelines, on trails closed to vehicles or where natural features would be damaged.
Dogs in Parks
For a list of leashing-optional and leashing-mandatory parks, plus information on dangerous dogs and more, visit Dogs in Parks. We appreciate the efforts of responsible park and trail users within our region.
Weddings in Parks
Many Comox Valley Regional District parks provide a beautiful backdrop for your special day. Anyone wishing to get married in a Comox Valley Regional District park should contact the CVRD Community Services branch at 250-334-6000.
Note that most of our facilities are nature parks, which makes it difficult to close off areas to other parks users or reserve specific spaces. Weddings in our parks typically occur amongst others who are using the park on that day. Some popular CVRD wedding sites in the Valley are Nymph Falls, Royston Seaside Trail and Goose Spit.
Permits are not usually required unless there are 100 people or more attending the wedding. If a permit is required the fee is $100 plus proof of adequate insurance.