Campers at Good Spirit Lake will soon see significant improvements to campsites. The local provincial park is one of three scheduled to see electrical upgrades for campsites.
Good Spirit Lake, Lac La Ronge and Meadow Lake are the three parks scheduled to see upgrades in the coming year. Byron Davis, Director of the Park Facilities branch, Parks, Recreation and Sport, explains that the Good Spirit project will see upgraded electrical service to 67 campsites and expanded electrical service to around 21 sites which do not currently have service. That means upgraded underground conductors, new distribution panels, pedestals at each site and upgrading of the park’s electrical service with SaskPower. The expected cost of the project will be $375,000.
“It’ll upgrade service so it’s safe, reliable electrical service for park visitors, and it will enhance the service to meet the needs of modern recreational vehicles.”
There are two reasons for the upgrades, Davis explains. Many of the electrical systems within provincial parks were put in decades ago, and need upgrades just to meet current electrical codes and safety standards. The second is the changing needs of campers, which require significantly more electricity than they used to.
This is part of a long term project upgrading Saskatchewan’s provincial parks, with an additional investment of $10 million over four years into the provincial park system, for a total investment of $53 million into capital projects in the system.
“That resulted in us being able to upgrade electrical service, provide enhanced facilities, everything from boat launches to service centres... Part of the commitment to upgrade and enhance facilities in the provincial parks.”
The plan is to have the campsites ready for the 2017 camping season, with the work starting in the fall of this year. Davis explains that they want to avoid doing any work while in the peak of camping season, so they don’t disrupt visitors of the park.
“We want to have as little disruptions to campers as we can.”
