More police patrols sought on Wreck Beach as popularity brings problems

Metro Vancouver is calling on RCMP’s UBC detachment to step up its patrols of Wreck Beach after police last year cut them back, citing limited resources, leading to more alcohol, drugs and camping problems at the increasingly popular nudist beach.

“The noticeable absence of a regular police presence posed challenges in responding to incidents involving drugs and alcohol and in closing the beach at night,” according to a parks staff report going to a meeting Wednesday of the district’s parks committee.

The region has “requested for additional RCMP support in 2023,” said the report.

The RCMP did not respond to a request for comment.

The well-known clothing-optional beach has recently exploded in popularity and Metro said changes are planned this year to make the area safer for users and more accessible to first responders.

The strip of land, which the district calls one of the largest clothing-optional beaches in the world, is only accessible by a narrow, steep path with 500 stairs, or the equivalent of more than 25 storeys.

First responders to emergencies include Vancouver’s fire department and B.C. ambulance paramedics and they “heavily relied” on the Canadian Coast Guard to assist with removing people who get hurt or become ill.

If the coast guard is unavailable, the “patient must be carried by stretcher up the 500 steps to N.W. Marine Drive” and a waiting ambulance, said parks staff.

First responders outlined their concerns about responding to incidents on Wreck Beach to the district last spring and some changes, including reducing the number of logs on the beach to free up pathways for first responders, have been made.

More than 838,000 people visited the beach last year, up from 580,000 in 2018, a 44 per cent hike, parks staff said.

The beach’s isolation and its increased use “creates a number of challenges to manage the beach,” the report said.

Last year, RCMP responded to 34 calls, down from 54 in 2021, a downturn that may have been due to cooler temperatures in 2021 and safety measures brought added in 2022, the report said. Vancouver firefighters were called out 13 times in 2022, compared to 48 in 2021, ambulance 11 times compared to 41 in 2021 and the coast guard three times, compared to 35 times in 2021, it said.

“Fires are a major concern at Wreck Beach,” the report said.

The district has set up designated smoking areas (which it said are closed during high and extreme fire danger conditions) and restricted barbecue use.

More signs have been posted to indicate to first responders the address, and to list hours the beach is open and rules around fires, alcohol, amplified noise and camping, the report said.

It noted that parks staff would seek compliance with the bylaws during regular beach patrols, information tents and sandwich boards, but could ticket repeat offenders.

Parks has offered naloxone kits and training to beach vendors and others and installed solar-powered security lighting at the top of trail 6, which is the staging area for first responders at night.

It said trails, stairs and fencing are being repaired for the upcoming busy season.

And a Wreck Beach incident response committee has been formed to address complex social and emergency issues with provincial staff from social development and poverty reduction, social services and Vancouver Coastal Health, such as providing housing options for those who are homeless.

Parks staff also said all changes must be carried out with respect to the Musqueam Indian Band connection to the land and according to ecological and environmental values.

The Musqueam have posted new interpretative signs to highlight the cultural significance and Indigenous history of the site.