Manitoba’s Parks Reservation Service set a record for first-day bookings of individual campsites yesterday, handling 13,641 bookings for the 2010 camping season, an increase of about 20 per cent over last year’s opening day, Conservation Minister Bill Blaikie announced.
“This made-in-Manitoba system went into service four years ago and provides people with an efficient web-based booking service to allow people to enjoy our beautiful parks,” said Blaikie.
“This is a special year as it marks the 50th anniversary of the first parks act and the millions of people who have enjoyed our parks over the years.”
In 2006, the first year of the new system, 47,870 bookings were made in total. Last year, 62,044 bookings in total were made.
So far this season, 15,974 provincial park cabins, yurts, group-use areas and campsites have been booked. Cabin, yurt and group-use reservations have been available since the first Monday in February.
Most campgrounds open May 14 in Manitoba and again this year there will be no park entry fees and no park vehicle permits required. The May long weekend, May 21 to 24, will be a liquor-free weekend again.
Visitors to provincial parks and campgrounds will continue to see more improvements to facilities to make their stay more enjoyable including:
• Birds Hill – shower building;
• Grand Beach – washroom building;
• Grindstone – lagoon upgrade and road upgrade;
• West Hawk – lagoon upgrade;
• Nutimik Lake – washroom and shower building;
• Wellman Lake – campground expansion and washroom and shower buildings at Wellman and Childs lakes; and
• Asessippi Provincial Park – new playground.
For online reservations, go to www.manitobaparks.com and follow the links to reservations. Reservations may also be made over the phone by calling toll-free 1-888-4U2-CAMP (1-888-482-2267), or in Winnipeg at 948-3333.
