Grouse Grind protected in new regional park
A new 75-hectare regional park has been created on the slopes of Grouse Mountain that includes famous trails including the Grouse Grind, Metro Vancouver announced Wednesday.
Metro Vancouver’s 24th regional park, which will open May 1, will contain other popular hiking routes including the B.C. Mountaineering Club (BCMC) trail and parts of the Baden-Powell trail. The mature forests and mountain streams of the park are home to wildlife including black bears, cougars, barred owls, black-tailed deer and northern red-legged frogs.
“The new regional park, on the slopes of Grouse Mountain, will protect a unique ecosystem for generations to come, while providing visitors with world-class outdoor recreation experiences,” said Metro Vancouver board chair Greg Moore in a statement.
“This is a tremendous opportunity for environmental education and community stewardship that will help park visitors understand the value of the region’s natural environment and the vital need to protect it.”
The site of the new park was logged in the 1900s and trails were developed by hikers and climbers to access mountain peaks.
The Grouse Grind, a steep 2.9-kilometre trail up the face of Grouse Mountain, was added in the early 1980s as a climbers’ conditioning trail. It has since gained enormous popularity, with several hundred thousand hikers tackling it each year.
“We are thrilled to have the iconic Grouse Grind officially within the fold of the Metro Vancouver Regional Parks system, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year,” said Heather Deal, chair of the Metro Vancouver Parks Committee.
“We will continue annual maintenance of this renowned trail, also known as Mother Nature’s Stairmaster, and will assess the entire park to see what trail additions or improvements can be made in the future.”
To establish the new park, Metro Vancouver signed a long-term agreement with the Greater Vancouver Water District, which has owned the land for over 85 years.