Concerned Park Supporters of Prince Albert National Park (CPS) is a broad-based coalition of visitors, local governments, Waskesiu cottage, cabin and business owners, and other national park supporters. CPS is committed to preserving PANP's beauty and biodiversity while protecting traditional recreation activities so PANP remains a place for the enjoyment and appreciation of all people for generations to come.

CPS is pleased to report to its many members and supporters that great progress has been made over the last six months. The CPS strategy is to work cooperatively with other major stakeholders and Parks Canada. Progress is being made on both of these fronts. CPS fought hard to get Parks Canada to fix a terribly flawed Management Plan and public consultation process. CPS also supported the Save Our Spruce campaign to control the spruce budworm infestation in Waskesiu. Parks Canada finally reversed itself and announced it is prepared to start over on drafting a new Management Plan and BtK was sprayed on Waskesiu in June to control the budworm.

Recently, CPS has met with other stakeholder groups to discuss expanding and strengthening the lobbying effort of recreational visitors, seasonal residents and neighbours of Prince Albert National Park. In order for CPS and other stakeholders to effectively address the many important issues involved in management of PANP, a major fundraising drive is needed to hire someone to coordinate the research, communication and policy development needed to put forward sound positions. If you are a member of another stakeholder group such as the Waskesiu Cabin Owners, Cottage Owners, the golf course, a Chamber of Commerce or a rural municipality, please let your Executives and Councils know CPS will welcome their support.

Although much progress has been made, there are still many important park management issues outstanding. CPS members and supporters must continue to become informed of these issues and to put forward effective, practical solutions to Parks Canada and others.

CPS will hold its Annual General Meeting in the Waskesiu Recreation Hall on Montreal Drive on July 20, 2003 at 1 pm. Please plan to attend!

Parks Canada Project Team

In 2002 CPS attended a series of Roundtable meetings with Parks Canada officials. We raised many important issues and promoted a cooperative working relationship between Parks Canada and stakeholders. CPS insisted that solutions to Park issues must have broad public support, especially from regular PANP visitors. Gaby Fortin, Director General for Parks Canada’s Western Region, attended the Roundtable meetings and agreed to work cooperatively with stakeholders.

In early 2003 Parks Canada set up a Project Team to address the most urgent issues in PANP and to improve relationships with stakeholders. The Project Team is headed by Charlie Zinkan, former Executive Director of Mountain Parks, and includes Dr. Bruce Leeson, Senior Environmental Assessment Specialist and Bill Hunt, Acting Senior Communications Advisor. Shortly after the team was formed, Rod Blair, the new Superintendent of PANP, was added to the team.

The Project Team began with four priorities: the spruce budworm in Waskesiu, water levels in Waskesiu Lake, management planning and golf course lease negotiations. Another key issue to be addressed by the Project Team is the collapse of trust between park visitors and Parks Canada staff. Over the last few months the Project Team actively led the Environmental Assessment required to spray the budworm. It also began to look at other issues, especially water levels and the trust breakdown. The golf course lease negotiations appear to have been deferred for the short term since Parks Canada is no longer demanding the golf course spend large sums on effluent irrigation without a long-term lease.

Spruce Budworm Management

A huge Thank You and Congratulations! to the Save Our Spruce Committee and all the volunteers whose tireless efforts led to Parks Canada’s decision to implement a pest management plan for Waskesiu that includes the only practical solution to save our spruce - spraying BtK. Thanks also to Parks Canada and the Waskesiu Community Council for their support of this very important initiative.

The first BtK application took place June 3rd with a second on June 10th. Parks Canada approved a 3-year spray program and will monitor the situation over the fall and winter to determine whether further spraying is needed. An important next step will be implementing the proposed Vegetation Management Plan to ensure Waskesiu’s natural beauty is preserved and enhanced for the long-term. Check the SOS website at www.Save-Waskesiu.com. The community’s success in this campaign is a perfect example of how people can make a difference when they join together and put forward well-researched and logical, practical solutions to complex problems!

Park Infrastructure

CPS plans a major effort in the coming months to promote repairs to crumbling infrastructure in PANP. Many of the park’s buildings need significant upgrading and other infrastructure such as roads, marinas, breakwaters and the few remaining docks urgently need fixing. If you have a particular concern regarding infrastructure needing repair or replacement, please write to CPS and we will ensure your concerns are heard by Parks Canada.

Water Levels and Other Aquatic Issues

In late 2002, CPS thought it had achieved a small, but important, success when senior Parks officials agreed to fix the Waskesiu River dam; however, within days of repairs, the dam was partially dismantled after a complaint to Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO)! CPS was told DFO is responsible for waterways and water flows must achieve minimum levels before any can be held back for recreational uses. Subsequently, Parks Canada and DFO established a working group to review solutions. While it is still unclear what solutions will be implemented, the group is focusing on a Newbury Riffle as a long-term solution to get levels up. As well, floating docks and reconfiguration of the main marina are being considered.

A Newbury Riffle is a stationary structure. At times of higher flows it allows water and fish to flow over it. A riffle may be built in 2003 but, until water levels increase substantially, the existing dam may still be used to holdback water. Parks Canada expects it could take as long as seven years to achieve maximum levels. Meanwhile, Parks Canada is working with CPS and other stakeholders to identify and implement temporary measures, such as ramp extensions, to improve the situation at the marinas. Of urgent concern is the limited lake accessibility and imminent collapse of portions of the breakwater at the main marina. As CPS has been warning for more than a year, the lower lake level is a major threat to our breakwaters.

CPS is lobbying Parks Canada to ensure that whatever solutions are applied to these urgent problems, weather-permitting, Waskesiu Lake is raised to a level that allows park infrastructure, such as breakwaters and marinas, to function effectively. A target level for Waskesiu Lake has not yet been established. The CPS Aquatics Committee is meeting with Park officials and will continue to promote the interests of recreational visitors. And there are many other aquatics issues to address, such as access to Kingsmere and Crean lakes, use of motors on Kingsmere Lake and designating of sport fishing lakes. Watch for more information on these issues in future CPS Bulletins.

Management Planning

After countless volunteer hours spent in meetings, writing briefs and emails, petitioning and making phone calls, CPS learned that its demand to halt the latest management planning process has been accepted by Parks Canada. In May 2003 CPS was told the latest draft Management Plan did not meet Parks Canada’s requirements and no further Roundtable meetings on the plan are scheduled.

At a recent meeting with CPS, Superintendent Blair said he favours preparing a “scoping document” in conjunction with stakeholders that will outline objectives the Management Plan should achieve. Then the process would begin again to prepare a 5-year plan. Due to other pressing issues, this process may not resume until fall 2003. CPS will be monitoring the situation and will continue to put forward constructive solutions to ensure Parks Canada’s consultations and ultimately the Management Plan meet the needs of park visitors while preserving PANP's beauty and biodiversity.

Park Fees

Recently Parks Canada announced a series of fees increases for Prince Albert National Park and other national parks. During the brief consultation on the increases, CPS told Parks Canada the proposed fee increases were too high and campfire permits should be included with camping fees. Parks Canada moderated the proposed fee increases slightly but CPS believes the increases are still too high (up by over 50% in some cases). The campfire fee has been set at $2 (instead of $6 as initially proposed). CPS is pleased that Parks Canada plans to use revenue generated from park fees to pay for much needed improvements to park infrastructure but it is very concerned park access and especially camping are accessible to fewer people as a result of the large fee increases.

Don't miss the upcoming CPS Annual General Meeting!!!

CPS will hold its Annual General Meeting in the Waskesiu Recreation Hall on Montreal Drive (behind the library) July 20, 2003 at 1 pm. This is your chance to voice your opinions to the CPS Board and to participate in the selection of the CPS Board of Directors. The meeting is open to all CPS members and you can buy a membership at the door. Your attendance and support is critical to the success of CPS and its efforts to represent the interests of recreational visitors to Prince Albert National Park!

Please support CPS... MAIL TODAY! Membership is only $10.00. Get your friends and neighbours to join!

Name: _____________________ Phone # ___________________________

Address: _______________________________________________________

Postal Code ______________ Email: _______________________________

I wish to donate $25 $50 $75 $100

Make cheques payable to: Concerned Park Supporters of Prince Albert National Park.

If you are passionate about retaining the park for Canadians, please write to:

            

Rod Blair, Superintendent,

PANP, P. O. Box 100

Waskesiu SK S0J 2Y0

Alan Latourelle

CEO Parks Canada

10th floor, 25 Eddy St.

Hull PQ K1A 0M5

Sheila Copps

c/o House of Commons

Parliament Hil

Ottawa ON K1A 0A6

Your voice matters!