My most favourite memories as a child are from camping in Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park. Now as a parent, I wish to give my two daughters similar memories. Unfortunately, I am like many, unable to plan ahead and reserve a camping spot in January. Therefore, we tend to just pack up when it is time for holidays and head out to Cypress. We have spent our fair share of time waiting in line at 11:00 for an electrical site. In past years we have been very fortunate to get a site almost right away.
This year we were told there were changes and that a lot of the first-come-first-serve sites had now become reservable. We went out a day earlier (without our trailer) to try to get a site and were sixteen times out on the list and only very few sites were available. It was then that we were also informed that next year it was going to change to 100% reservable. We did get a site the next day, but as we talked to other campers, we learned that not one wants the park to go to 100% reservable.
I noticed with a lot of the reservable sites that the trailers sit empty during the week and only get used on the weekends. That is a site where the people that go camping for two to three weeks at a time could be in. Think of the business owners at these parks, they will lose business and profits due this kind of change. Think of the farmers that only get a few days here and a few days there without knowing when. They may as well sell their trailers and give up camping as they will never get a spot without a reservation. With an equal spilt more sites are available every day, instead of one or two spots open there used to ten to fifteen. Sure we have to go stand in line but at least we have a chance to get a decent spot without a reservation. The government will blow smoke up your butt in an effort to convince you that this is for the better as they have tried with me in emails and in person but I do not buy it. They are guaranteed their profits regardless and they do not need extra staff on every day to deal with line-ups. In an effort to stop the government from making this change to Saskatchewan Provincial Parks I have started a petition asking for them to keep the Saskatchewan Parks 50% reservable and 50% first-come-first-serve. I have left three petitions at Cypress Hills Interprovincial Parks and already have over 100 signatures.
If anyone is interested in signing one you can go to the General Store, the Mini-golf or the Golf Course. If anyone is interested in circulating a petition in your area I can be contacted through email at terralwiebe@hotmail.ca. LET'S KEEP OUT PARKS ACCESSABLE FOR EVERYONE!!!!!!
Terra Wiebe
Medicine Hat, AB
