Pseudo Parking expansion project
Project Background
The Diamond Head area in Squamish is one of the busiest multi-use trail networks in the Province. It sees well over 150,000 visits annually from mountain bikers, hikers, runners, motorbikes and walkers. Numerous local and regional commercial operators use the area throughout the season. As the trails in the area have grown in popularity, parking has become a major issue.
In 2020 SORCA commenced a dialogue with the Squamish Nation, SLRD, Squamish Community Forest and Rec Sites & Trails regarding approvals, permits and funding options to expand the current 20-car capacity to facilitate over 100 cars. In 2023 SORCA secured funding and needed permits to move forward with the expansion. SORCA has been working with Chartwell Resource Group (Design, contract procurement) and the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure (MOTI) to develop an approved design and construction plan for the expanded lot.
Why the expansion is needed?
The Diamond Head trail area is accessed via Garibaldi Park Road which is designated as a highway under MOTI. Three small parking lots serve the area; the “Pseudotsuga Lot” (~20 cars), “Darwin’s Lot” (40 cars - and shared between motorized and non-motorized users) and the smaller lot adjacent to the end of Half Nelson (~15 cars). These lots fill up both during the week and on the weekend between March and October. Riders also park at nearby CapU, and along the sides of Garibaldi Park Road. It is not uncommon for there to be 200+ cars in the area on a busy weekend, the majority of which are parked along the road.
Over the next 3-4 years, lower Garibaldi Park Road (below Ring Creek Rd) will be much busier with logging and construction vehicles than in the past connected to the Cheekye Debris Barrier construction. During this period, additional road safety measures will be taken that will eliminate roadside parking in a number of locations and close a significant portion of the Half Nelson lot.
Pseudo Lot Expansion Project Outline
This plan involves a significant expansion of the existing lot to the west. A cut-and-fill technique will be used to keep material transport costs to a minimum. Slight reroutes will be required to Stl'lhalem Sintl' (Climb Trail) and Pseudo 3. The new lot will offer a safer ingress and egress from Garibaldi Park Road.
What it will mean for you during the closure:
Parking - The Pseudo lot will be closed for roughly four weeks from March 11 to April 10. Additionally, for the next 8-9 weeks, no roadside parking (Monday - Friday) will be permitted near the corner adjacent to the Pseudo Lot nor the portion of the Half Nelson Lot below Ring Creek Road (due to active hauling on North Side Connector)
SORCA would like to thank the team at Capilano University for opening up their gravel parking lot (pictured below) for trail users for the duration of this construction. Please respect this privilege.
Pseudo 3 - Will be closed at ‘Flat Alley’
Phil and Cams Trail - Will be forced to turn left on Psuedo 3 to exit to Garibaldi Pk Rd using ‘Flat Alley’
Stl'lhalem Sintl' (Climb Trail) - We are working on a temporary (short) hike-a-bike entry to the trail just past the current entry
Home Run - Will be closed going both directions
