Improved services, low camping fees and free provincial park entry await visitors to Manitoba’s provincial parks this summer, Conservation Minister Bill Blaikie announced.
“Manitoba’s parks feature camping rates, including those for yurts and cabins, that continue to be some of the lowest in the country,” said Blaikie. “We are making improvements every year to enhance the enjoyment of Manitoba’s provincial parks and campgrounds for millions of visitors.”
Improvements to park infrastructure and facilities include:
• 20 new full-service campsites at Rivers Provincial Park campground;
• 65 new campsites, some with electrical connections and others with water and electricity, at Wellman Lake campground in Duck Mountain Provincial Park;
• new shower facilities at Birds Hill, Childs Lake, Nutimik Lake and Wellman Lake; and
• resurfaced bike trails at Birds Hill Provincial Park.
To support ongoing campground improvements and introduce new and expanded services, moderate fee increases will be introduced this camping season:
• nightly camping fees, which vary based on services and the type of site, will increase to $9.45 to $24.15 from the previous range of $8.40 to $22.05;
• seasonal rates will increase to $330.75 to $925.58 from the previous rates of $299.25 to $835.28, based on services and the type of site;
• permanent trailer-village camping programs will now range from $857.85 to $1,038.45, up from $767.55 to $948.15, based on services and the type of site;
• family vacation cabins will increase to $31.05 to 78.44 from $29.57 to $74.71, depending on location and services;
• yurts will increase to $47.04 from $44.80;
• premium new Hecla family vacation cabins built in 2008 and 2009 will be $61.82 per night; and
• coin-operated showers will have a standardized fee of $1 per three minutes of use.
In addition:
• cottage and commercial administrative fees associated with the occupation of leased land in provincial parks will increase to $40 from $30;
• a site-plan permit fee of $50 is being introduced when a permit is issued to construct new or alter existing buildings or developments on vacation home, commercial or special-consideration organization lots in provincial parks;
• a sewage tipping fee of $10 per truck load for commercial sewage haulers dumping in waste water facilities in provincial parks will be implemented with the introduction of control gates and pass-card systems at provincial park sewage lagoons, which are expected to be operating at most locations within three years.
The minister also noted that 2009 was another record year for the Parks Reservation System. A total of 62,043 reservations were booked through the made-in-Manitoba system last camping season.
Most campgrounds will open the weekend before May long weekend. Northern campgrounds, and those at Grand Beach, Lundar and St. Ambroise will open on the May long weekend.
The liquor-free camping experience will also return again for the May long weekend.
“Major improvements to park infrastructure and facilities are ongoing including water and waste-water systems, washrooms and showers, and campsites,” said Blaikie. “We are committed to water conservation and sound waste-water management practices in our parks. All new and an increasing number of existing shower facilities will be coin operated to conserve water and reduce waste water.”
The Parks Reservation Service will open for campsite reservations on April 5 at 7:30 a.m. Detailed information on campground opening dates and campground rules is available at www.manitobaparks.com, 1-800-214-6497 (toll-free) or 945-6784 in Winnipeg.
