The City of St. Catharines is closing Morningstar Mill effective immediately.
The site and its access to Decew Falls and the Bruce Trail have drawn large crowds the last month as well as a number of emergency rescue calls.
Last weekend, emergency vehicles had difficulty reaching the site due to the number of vehicles parked in the area.
With continued emergency calls and ongoing concerns about large crowds and the transmission of COVID-19, the City is closing the area to the public indefinitely.
The parking lot and gates will be barricaded and security persons will be on site seven days a week to deter trespassers.
The City of St. Catharines is working with the City of Thorold to address parking issues in the area.
Parking enforcement on surrounding streets will be increased, alongside the installation of more no-parking signage along Decew Road and Cataract Road.