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More people than ever visiting CRD parks and trails

Beaver Lake
Three-legged black Labrador retriever Montana

Any day of the week, winter or summer, rain or snow, no matter what the time of day, chances are somebody’s on the trail around Elk/Beaver Lake Regional Park.

Last year the Capital Regional District logged 1,033,893 visits to the park, during what proved to be the busiest year on record for visitors to regional parks and trails.

In 2010, electronic counters installed at park entrances recorded 5.2 million visits to CRD parks and trails, up from 3.5 million in 2006 and 3.8 million in 2005.

“Some of our parks that are the busiest are close to that urban containment, so they’re very close by and accessible,” said Janette Loveys, manager of the CRD Parks operations services.

It’s for this reason Elk/Beaver Lake is so heavily visited. It stood as the second most-frequented trail or park, behind the Galloping Goose Regional Trail, which had about 1.65 million visits.

New parks, including those developed on former Western Forest Products land on the west edge of the CRD border, are a key focus for capital spending, Loveys said.

nnorth@saanichnews.com