Increased interest at Hopewell Cape has park officials urging caution

Park officials are urging caution at Hopewell Cape.

Park officials are warning visitors of Hopewell Cape to be careful of rock falls as this is the time of year when most happen.

The New Brunswick Department of Tourism has seen a sharp increase in the amount of attention the site has gotten since one of the famous formations came tumbling down.

“The phenomenon that happened here a few weeks ago created a lot of buzz and a lot of interest,” said New Brunswick Tourism Minister Bill Fraser. “We've seen stories in the New York Times and the Globe and Mail, and our social media websites have really taken off.”

Despite the park being closed, the beaches are still accessible. Park officials say it's a time of year people need to use caution around the rock formations.

“There's places you should stay away from,” said Interpretive Services Manager Paul Gaudet. “I wouldn't walk close to the cliff line. I'd stay away from the cliff line and observe from a little bit afar.”

A world renowned geologist from Riverview, N.B., but now based in Ottawa, will be coming in with a team in early May to assess the safety of all the structures here at Hopewell Rocks.

“They come in and they climb down over all of the rock surfaces and they're looking for anything they think might be dangerous,” said Kevin Snair, supervisor of Interpretive Services. “They assess everything and they decide what they think is safe and what isn't.”

If it's not, they could decide to bring the rocks down if they're small enough – or they could be roped off to stop the public from getting too close.

With files from CTV Atlantic’s Jonathan MacInnis.