Blackie Spit Park

Operating hours

Dawn until dusk. Washrooms and parking lot gate close at 6pm.

Address

3136 McBride Avenue, Surrey, BC

South Surrey

Contact info

604-501-5050

parks@surrey.ca

Park information

Blackie Spit Park is a stunning City park located in the Crescent Beach neighbourhood of South Surrey. The park is named after the dramatic spit that extends into Mud Bay at the mouth of the Nicomekl River. Blackie Spit has amazing views of Mud Bay and the North Shore Mountains.

Blackie Spit is home to the Surrey Sailing Club, the Crescent Beach Swim Club, and the Dunsmuir Community Gardens.

Dog Off-leash Areas

Blackie Spit has two dog off-leash areas, both shared by dogs of all sizes. The main area is a short way east of the main parking lot at McBride Avenue and Wickson Road, next to the tennis courts. It is a mix of grass, gravel and sand, and has a covered shelter for rainy days.

At the north end of the parking area, you'll find the only dog off-leash swim area in Surrey. You can use this fenced area when the tide is in, so check before you go. Prevent your dog from entering the nearby Environmentally Sensitive Area to the north.

Remember to use a leash when travelling between the main dog off-leash area and the dog swimming area.

Nature and Wildlife

Blackie Spit, as part of Boundary Bay, is one of the top bird watching areas in Canada, with hundreds of species of birds recorded each year. It is part of the Pacific Flyway and is included in an Important Bird Area as part of Fraser River Estuary. Boundary Bay is also a provincial Wildlife Management Area.

Migrating and wintering waterfowl rest and feed along the sandy spit and surrounding tidal marsh and eelgrass beds. It's an important stop for many birds as they make their way up and down the coastline of North and South America. Fall migrants start arriving in late August. Spring migrants start arriving in mid-March, and are generally gone by the end of May.

You might also spot aquatic mammals like harbour seals and their pups who love to rest on the sandbars.

The nature trail around Blackie Spit Park is around 5 kilometres long. Allow around 2 hours. The trail along the actual sand spit brings you through an Environmentally Sensitive Area that showcases a coastal sand dune ecosystem.

The Environmentally Sensitive Area is set aside for migratory birds as well as rare and sensitive plants and animals including the threatened Audouin's night-stalking tiger beetle. Due to the sensitive nature of the plants and animals in this area, no dogs or bikes are allowed. Please stay on the central trail only and don't access the beach from this area.

Public art

View work by Tina Farmilo entitled Memory Stones, a series of poetic phrases, symbols, and references you can find on stones throughout the park. A circular grouping of these stones can be found near the mound across from the off-leash dog area.

Dunsmuir Community Gardens

The Dunsmuir Community Gardens are located on a portion of Blackie Spit at 2900 Dunsmuir Road that was acquired by the City in 1974. The entire area is home to an abundance of natural and cultural heritage, including a number of buildings on the City's heritage register. The significance of the area was recognized by Council in 1996 when the land was dedicated as parkland through a City-wide referendum.

The community garden plots are farmed by individual residents, so please be respectful of their efforts. You'll find access from Crescent Road at Sullivan Street.

The garden is operated by the non-profit Dunsmuir Garden Group. Email dunsmuircommunitygarden@gmail.com to find out about plot availability. Please note that Dunsmuir Community Garden has an extensive running waitlist and it may take several years to get a garden plot.

Follow the Dunsmuir Garden Blog for more details.