Canada closes cross-border park where families reunited

British Columbia has temporarily closed a park where American and Canian friends and families have been able to reunite despite closed U.S.-Cana border.

Authorities said Thursday that Peace Arch Provincial Park in Surrey, British Columbia, h become too crowded, raising concerns about traffic and public safety during coronavirus pandemic.

park is jacent to Peace Arch Historical State Park in Washington state. Visitors from both sides can cross border without showing passports or or forms of identification, as long as y remain in park.

With border closed to nessential travel,

But British Columbia officials say parking lots and access ros have been overwhelmed with nearly twice as many vehicles as typical peak summer traffic. Efforts to man number of visitors by posting signs, increasing patrols and limiting park hours have fallen short, y said.

Officials have also ted that Cana recently changed travel restrictions to allow immediate family members of Canian citizens and permanent residents to enter Cana to be with an immediate family member as long as y are asymptomatic of COVID-19 and self-isolate for 14 days on arrival.

Authorities said y would reopen park when y deem it safe to do so.