Dear editor,
We, the volunteer board of Kitty Coleman Provincial Park, would like to respond to the recent letter written by Carole Gilmore Hughes (Record, Oct. 15).
She is correct that the park is a nature reserve. That is why the protection of the ecosystem is a high priority of the board, although we also recognize the value of providing public access to the park.
In fact, as a Class C park that receives no government funding, we rely solely on revenues generated from campers and boaters to cover the costs of taking care of the park. This includes restoring the shoreline and dealing with damage by winter storms among other things.
Off-season, non-paying park users have asked us to provide security, cleanup services and waste removal for the eight months when the paid caretakers are not there but that is not feasible at this time.
Instead, we use the “honour system” and expect park users to obey provincial laws and to be considerate of other users without being told or penalized.
Simply put, provincial laws require park users to:
• Keep dogs on leash;
• Leave no waste behind;
• Remove no plants, rocks, or wood from forest or shoreline;
• Do no harm to the flora or fauna;
• Light only small fires using your own clean wood in the fire pits provided (and extinguish afterwards).
Most park users seem to understand and follow these laws.
After Hughes’ letter, however, there appears to be even more people catching on to the importance of Kitty Coleman Park and their role in helping to preserve it for the enjoyment of all.
Remember, the shore and forest ecosystems were here long before humans and their companion horses, dogs, and cats.
Kitty Coleman Park board
