March 26, 2010
Province Continues to Improve the Manitoba Provincial Parks Experience
– – –$15 Million in Enhancements Planned for Parks: Blaikie
Visitors to provincial parks and campgrounds will continue to see more improvements to facilities to make their stay more enjoyable, Conservation Minister Bill Blaikie announced today.
“These investments will enhance the attractiveness of provincial facilities for visitors,” said Blaikie. “Manitoba offers campers everything from wilderness experiences in remote regions of the province to fully serviced campsites.”
Manitoba Parks has plans for approximately $15 million in improvements for the 2010-11 season. Visitors to provincial parks this summer will see improvements underway or to be completed at a number of locations including:
· Birds Hill – shower building:
- The construction of a new fully disabled accessible shower and washroom building is nearing completion at Birds Hill Provincial Park with anticipated completion in spring 2010.
- Capital funding of $2.1 million was approved for this work in 2009-10 with additional capital funding of $350,000 allocated in 2010-11 to complete the site work associated with this project.
- The building promotes green principles with solar thermal hot-water systems, water-saving techniques and natural lighting. This building will demonstrate the province’s commitment to its green policy in a park where maximum exposure to the camping public can be expected.
· Grand Beach – washroom building:
- The construction of a new fully disabled accessible washroom building is nearing completion at Grand Beach Provincial Park with anticipated completion in spring 2010.
- Capital funding of $1.3 million was approved for this work in 2009-10 with additional capital funding of $50,000 allocated in 2010-11 to complete site work associated with this project.
- The building promotes green principles with solar thermal hot-water systems, water-saving techniques and rammed-earth construction. This building will demonstrate the province’s commitment to its green policy and create a landmark structure on the boardwalk with the sculptural aesthetics of the rammed-earth construction.
Grindstone – lagoon upgrade and road upgrade:
- The Grindstone area of Hecla-Grindstone Provincial Park was initially developed in the early 1980s and has approximately 450 cottages, two picnic grounds with six outhouses and one general store serviced by holding tanks that are emptied by contractors and taken to a
two-celled waste-water lagoon located within the park. Additional cottages were allocated through the Provincial Cottaging Initiative and will increase use of the existing facility. Upgrading of the facility will improve water quality and meet the current treatment requirements plus will accommodate 20 years of expansion.
two-celled waste-water lagoon located within the park. Additional cottages were allocated through the Provincial Cottaging Initiative and will increase use of the existing facility. Upgrading of the facility will improve water quality and meet the current treatment requirements plus will accommodate 20 years of expansion.
- To date, capital funding in the amount of $700,000 has been spent on the construction of the lagoon and $230,000 on the road development.
- The Grindstone lagoon upgrade was approved for federal funding under the Canada/Manitoba Infrastructure Stimulus Fund. This is a two-year project and is expected to be completed by this summer.
· Hecla and Winnipeg Beach – marina environmental improvements:
- The underground petroleum-storage tanks at Hecla and Winnipeg Beach were installed prior to 1985. The aim of this project is to remove the existing storage tanks and install new
above-ground petroleum-storage tanks along with associated infrastructure at both locations.
above-ground petroleum-storage tanks along with associated infrastructure at both locations.
- To date, $300,000 has been spent on the replacement of the Hecla and Winnipeg Beach marina environmental gas tanks. Total cost of the project is $375,000.
- They are expected to be operational this summer.
· West Hawk – lagoon upgrade:
- Construction is underway on the expansion and upgrade project at the West Hawk lagoon. To date funding of $2.8 million has been spent on the lagoon upgrade and an additional
$2.3 million on a new force main and lift station. This work included low-flow water fixtures for park facilities.
$2.3 million on a new force main and lift station. This work included low-flow water fixtures for park facilities.
· Nutimik Lake – washroom and shower building:
- The construction of a new fully disabled accessible washroom and shower building is nearing completion at Nutimik Lake in Whiteshell Provincial Park and is expected to be in service this summer.
- Capital funding of nearly $1 million was approved for this work in 2009-10 with additional capital funding of $150,000 in 2010-11 to complete site work associated with this project.
- The building promotes green principles with solar thermal hot-water systems, water-saving techniques and natural lighting.
· Wellman Lake – campground expansion and washroom and shower buildings at Wellman and Childs lakes:
- The Wellman Lake campground expansion includes an addition of 65 campsites with electrical sites, pull-through sites, a new washroom and shower building and an upgraded water treatment plant. The new Wellman Lake washroom and shower building will follow the concepts of green buildings. These buildings are intended to be vandal resistant, easy to maintain, inexpensive to service, long lived and aesthetically pleasing.
- The Wellman Lake campground expansion is complete. The washroom and shower building and the water-treatment plant is under construction and is expected to ready this summer. To date, $1.37 million has been invested in the campground expansion. A total of $450,000 has been allocated for the washroom and shower building and $200,000 for the water-treatment plant.
- A washroom and shower building is also being constructed at the Childs Lake campground and is expected to be competed this summer.
· Asessippi Provincial Park – new playground:
- A total of $500,000 has been allocated for site improvements at Asessippi Provincial Park.
- A new playground will be constructed near the concession building and pathway connections between the new playground and concession and the campsites will be developed.
- The Asessippi Provincial Park upgrade is part of the Canada/Manitoba Infrastructure Stimulus Fund.
“Campsites in Manitoba can be booked through the parks reservation service,” said Blaikie. “2010 also marks the 50th anniversary of Manitoba’s first Provincial Parks Act, providing Manitobans and visitors with access to great outdoor experiences in a variety of provincial parks.”
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