The Department of Natural Resources is finalising its plans for improvements to the much-loved Laurie Park - the first renovations to that park in more than 40 years. Local residents understand that the park needs to upgrade its camping facilities to bring them up to standard, but they are increasingly concerned that changes to the park should not prevent day-time use such as walking, hiking or swimming in favour of overnight camping.
Laurie Park has always been open for camping in the summer months. From mid-June to mid-September, local residents who use the park for walking, hiking and swimming have always happily shared the space with campers. In the off-season, when Laurie Park is officially closed, walkers still have access to the trails. And because it is not staffed in the winter, the park becomes a de facto “off-leash” dog park – a bonus to many local residents.
The Department does intend to enlarge the individual camp sites, which means that the shore line picnic areas will disappear – a sore point for many of the callers to my office. There is also some suggestion that swimming may be limited to campers only. But the majority of the changes to Laurie Park will serve to enhance the atmosphere. Two look-offs will be added to the present trail system. Off-season parking will be expanded to allow easier access to the walking trails. Improvements for over-night campers will include a Comfort Station with flush toilets, sinks and showers.
Harold Carroll, Director of Parks, is looking at how to best accommodate the summer-time walking interests in a camping park. “Historically people have avoided the park when it has been open to campers,” he says. “ The challenge is how we manage the walking community during July and August.”
Mr. Carroll is hoping that more people will write to him with their stories and broaden his understanding of who uses Laurie Park, what kinds of activities they enjoy there, and particularly, how best can the walking public be integrated into a camping area during the summer months. He intends to gather the comments and respond on the Department website by the end of January.
The park will closed to campers and walkers alike for the 2010 summer season because it will be an active construction site. The park will re-open in the spring of 2011.
I encourage everyone who loves Laurie Park to contact Harold Carroll with your stories and photos. carrolhe@gov.ns.ca.