Becky Best-Bertwistle | Special to the Fitzhugh
While many Albertans have been turning to the outdoors to deal with the stress of social isolation in our new COVID-19 reality, the Government of Alberta has been pushing through a plan to close, privatize and delist approximately 175 Provincial Parks, Provincial Recreation Areas and Natural Areas across the province.
The number of sites to be removed from the parks system is more than three quarters of our Recreation Areas and near 40 per cent of all of our Alberta parks.
While some might say this is necessary belt-tightening for tough economic times, the alleged savings of $5 million per year (0.0089% of the total provincial budget, or $1.14 per Albertan per year) pales in comparison to the true value of these places.
In the West Yellowhead riding, 17 sites have fallen victim to this misguided plan.
Having access to quiet and safe local campgrounds, day use areas with trailheads, and beautiful places to build family memories is worth more than $1 a year.
Apparently the government disagrees.
While the loss of public protected areas will be felt by all, I am especially shocked by the lack of thought given to the lives of rural Albertans.
Rationale for the closure and delisting of many rural sites is that they are ‘underused’ (even though Alberta Environment and Parks does not collect day use visitation statistics).
So why are these areas, frequented by rural communities, being abandoned?
With travel restrictions likely lasting throughout the summer, isn’t now the time to be ensuring that Albertans have access to getaways close to home?
The logic of this plan is unclear, as busy tourist areas like Kananaskis have also seen cuts to dozens of day use areas and campgrounds, along with popular info centres shuttered.
It is inevitable that tourists visiting the province to visit these marquee destinations will now turn to already overloaded areas like the nearby national parks.
As social distancing restrictions are slowly rolled back and parks are opened again the inevitable demand for outdoor experiences, campsites, day-use areas and trailheads will have to be carefully managed.
With provincial campsite capacity being reduced by 50 per cent for safety due to COVID-19, is now really the time to be reducing the overall number of campsites in the province by 31 per cent?
The Government of Alberta has attempted to quell concerns by saying that all sites will remain open and be managed by third-party ‘partners’.
When considering the current economic climate, assuming private companies, municipalities and First Nations will have the fiscal and operational capacity to take over management of these sites is naive to say the least.
If management is not picked up by third parties, these areas will revert to crown land and could be put up for sale in the future.
This removal of nearly 200 sites from the public system is unprecedented.
No government in our province or even country’s history has attempted a similar dismantling of our beloved parks system.
The complete lack of public consultation only instills further fear in me that our best interests were not at heart when the decision was made.
All Albertans who love the outdoors and our natural surroundings should be seriously concerned.
Becky Best-Bertwistle grew up in Jasper and Hinton and now works for the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society, Southern Alberta Chapter.
