The COVID-19 pandemic is not deterring visitors from Barkerville.
Located east of Quesnel, the historic town and park is open for the remaining 2020 season and is accepting 200 visitors daily — a limit which has typically been met each day.
Before reopening on July 3 a number of action plans had to be developed while abiding by guidelines set by provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry.
To prevent the gathering of crowds, many exhibits and public programs look quite different.
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One example is actor Matthew Randolph who played Judge Begbie for the last four seasons.
He is now acting as barrister Joseph Park.
The move in characters Randolph said is a result of Barkerville discouraging the gathering of crowds including at the Richfield Courthouse where as Begbie he would help re-enact a real gold rush era murder trial.
In between each season and prior to returning, Randolph was in Edmonton doing various theatre work and working as a restaurant server —a job he unfortunately lost when the coronavirus struck.
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While a number of shops and eateries are open daily some still remain closed.
Physical distancing and the use of face masks is encouraged.
Anyone wanting to visit Barkerville is asked to reserve their admission online in advance to guarantee their spot.
Read More: Barkerville set to re-open in phases
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