Booking Your Visit
Our booking systemis free and is designed to schedule and regulate visits to the Sanctuary. It helps reduce the constant traffic congestion on Robertson Road and overcrowding on weekends and Statutory holidays. It should reduce uncertainties for planned visits by reserving a guaranteed parking spot. It also gives our Society the ability to set a limit for visitors and to predict the volume of visitors anticipated for the day.
CLICK HERE TO GO DIRECTLY TO THE THIRD-PARTY BOOKING WEBSITE. |
First time booking? Follow these steps when you are at the booking website:
- Set up an account: You will need this to receive confirmation emails and to access the booking times as they become available. You will need a viable email and you will need to create a password just for this.
- Choose the type of visit (morning or afternoon) then choose a date. A selection of times for the next three days will be shown. If times do not show for a date, you are either too late (it is full) or too early (it is not open yet) or we are closed that date (ie Mondays). You can bbook up to 8 am on the same day unless a time slot is full already.
- Bookings are for morning arrivals(between 9 am and 11 am) or for afternoon arrivals (between 1 pm to 3 pm), with gate closures likely during mid-day and after 3 pm. Please arrive sometime within your designated time frame.. Remember, nobody can enter after 3 pm, and all visitors need to be out our front gates at Robertson Road by 4 pm.
The best times to go on-line to book:
If you are looking for a particular day of the week, refer to the table below for the times to go on-line to book. Each day, the system will show what is available for the next three days.Time slots show.until they are full or until 8 amof the day in question. For weekend time slots, we suggest booking as soon as the times become available, as they fill up very quickly.
| The day you want to visit | When to go on-line to book for that day. |
| Monday | We are closed; no times available. |
| Tuesday | Start 9 am Saturday; closes 8 am Tuesday. |
| Wednesday | Start 9 am Sunday; closes 8 am Wednesday. |
| Thursday | Start 9 am Monday; closes 8 am Thursday. |
| Friday | Start 9 am Tuesday; closes 8 am Friday. |
| Saturday | Start 9 am Wednesday; closes 8 am Saturday. |
| Sunday | Start 9 am Thursday; closes 8 am Sunday. |
| * | Note time slots disappear when they are fully booked. |
The answers to common questions are provided here on this page. Please read all of the information below before calling with questions, as we may not be able to return your call in a timely manner. If you are calling about whether there is space to drop in without a reservation, please note that the answer is no, we require everyone to have a reservation. |
What is wrong?? I can not see any time slots.
This happens more frequently than you would think. If you go on-line to look on a Friday when all Saturday and Sunday spots are already filled, they will not show any more, and as we are closed Mondays, there are three days in a row without any options showing. Wait a day and you will see Tuesday spots, though.
What is the difference between part a and part b?
There is an a and b option for both the morning and afternoon time slots. The software accomodates only 50 spots per time slot, but our parking lot holds 100 cars, so we created two options for each time slot. .
Does the time slot restrict our visit to just between those hours?
No. Morning arrivals need just to arrive between 9 and 11 am, but can stay for for most of the day. Afternoon visitors need to arrive between 1 and 3 pm and everyone needs to be gone from even the parking lot by 4 pm.
What will happen if we just show up without a booking?
You will be turned away if we are fully booked already. You will not be allowed to park and walk in, be dropped off, or stay idling on Robertson Road. We expect everyone to book, as it will help you to avoid disappointment if you are coming from any great distance away. It will help us to avoid traffic congestion.
Is this the same as paying admission or getting a membership when we sign up as "clients" for an account?
No. The account you set up for this on-line reservation system is free to you and is run by a third party software company and their programs generate your confirmations etc. It only books a time to arrive at the Sanctuary.
Admissions or memberships (to us) are payable upon entry.
If we check in at the front gate do we still need to show our membership card at the Gift Shop?
Yes,
Is this how we would book a group tour of the Sanctuary?
No, this is just to book a parking spot. All tour bookings need to be made over the phone at least two weeks ahead of time to confirm a tour guide.
If we are members, do we still need to make a reservation.
Yes.
How can we book a spot if we do not have a computer?
Staff may be able to help you, but with some limitations and only as time permits. We highly advise everyone if they do not have a computer to see if friends or family have set up an account and can bring you out here. If you need this help, you will need to call the office at 604-946-6980 for clarification. To be fair to other people who are booking spots, we can not book you in for dates not yet open for booking.
Even if a time slot is not fully booked do we need to have a reservation?
All visitors need to have a reservation to ensure their entry. At our discretion, we often let in drop-in visitors if there are spaces left, but it is not guaranteed.
Why do time slots disappear?
The system shows just the next three days of time slots. They do not show up as an option when they are full or inapplicable (ie Mondays). You also can not book a time slot if it is already past 8am on that day.
