Gatineau Park

[DTcrawler]

The shuttle program really needs to be more expansive. The 30 min frequency is fine but only on weekends and ending at ~4pm just doesn't cut it. Also, why is it only going to start in late June?

[YOWetal]

Originally Posted by DTcrawler

The shuttle program really needs to be more expansive. The 30 min frequency is fine but only on weekends and ending at ~4pm just doesn't cut it. Also, why is it only going to start in late June?

And going to the Visitors centre is pretty limiting. So we lose a lot of hikes this summer entirely. For example Pink Lake is a great mobility or child friendly hike on a hot day. Also means the remaining accessible sites will be overrun.

[rocketphish]

Originally Posted by Harley613

EVERY damned time I'm about to post an article I come on the forum and you have just posted it. It's uncanny.

Great minds think alike. Or something like that

[rocketphish]

NCC 'officializing' rogue trails in Gatineau Park
Work underway and NCC to add about 100km to official network by 2024

Stu Mills · CBC News
Posted: May 14, 2022 4:00 AM ET | Last Updated: 7 hours ago



After years of warning visitors of Gatineau Park to stay on the trail, the National Capital Commission (NCC) has begun converting many so-called rogue hiking and cycling paths into legitimate routes.

Beyond the 200 kilometres of official forest routes maintained by the NCC, park managers estimate there are more than 300 kilometres of extra unofficial trails.

The number of those trails has snowballed in the era of mobile mapping apps like AllTrails, and beginning in 2017, the NCC began to take the "if you can't beat them, join them" approach.

Off-piste misadventures have become common in Gatineau Park in recent years.

Last November one hiker was injured on a steep cliff face and needed to be rescued by firefighters from several of the municipalities that border the park.

Not long after, another visitor ventured off a designated path, became lost and required rescuing.

"It's always complicated, and it's at night," said Chelsea Fire Department Chief Charles Ethier, who pointed out the risk to rescuers.

"There's a chance of falling, so it's always a difficult intervention."

Even if a lost hiker's phone does have reception, merely sending co-ordinates to rescuers may not help if there's no record of the trail the visitor followed into their predicament, said Ethier.

Pierre-Olivier Dorego, outdoor recreation manager for Gatineau Park, admitted that the proliferation of new paths through the forest by users of mapping apps has caused park authorities new headaches.

Still, planners have tried to take a philosophical approach.

"We have to keep in mind that these trails are there for a reason," said Dorego, who added DIY trails often connected residential neighbourhoods to the park, or offered a recreational experience not available elsewhere.

Beginning in 2017, the NCC held public consultations with users about which unofficial trails deserved to be made official.

Hang-gliders, equestrians, snowmobilers, hikers, cyclists and other groups weighed in in a series of public meetings.

In the end, about 100 kilometres of the 330 kilometres of rogue routes were accepted, often with modifications, with the DIY trails evaluated on the basis of their recreational value and environmental impact.

Dorego said some proposed routes had to be immediately ruled out of bounds when they charted a course across sensitive and legally protected habitats for animals like peregrine falcons, western chorus frogs or American butternut.

Others caused unacceptable fragmentation in the range of larger mammals like deer.

But in many other cases, the park has allowed users to take the lead.

"We're hoping that these provide the experiences that people are looking for on the unofficial trails and we will be able to close the unofficial trails that are problematic from a safety and environmental point of view," Dorego said.

Phase 1, completed in 2019, made about 14 kilometres of trails official. It brought trails 41, 42, 43, 66, 67, 68, 76, 77, 79 and 80 in Gatineau and Chelsea into the NCC canon.

Phase 2 added 53B, 58, 59 and 72B, about 17 kilometres in total, in the Wakefield area.

Volunteers have donated thousands of hours of their time to trim, lop and blaze the paths that get the NCC nod.

Dorego estimates that by summer 2024, 100 kilometres of "crowdsourced" routes will show up on official NCC maps.

It's music to the ears of Patrick Hannan who confessed to riding his mountain bike on "unofficial trails" and frequently running into conflict with hikers who, also are also on out of bounds routes, took issue with him.

"With officializing them, they know it's a shared trail. I get less insults or remarks," he said.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottaw...work-1.6452182

[J.OT13]

Good to see. The City of Ottawa seems nearly incapable of officializing desire lines.

[J.OT13]

NCC looking into renting out e bikes, hybrid bikes, scooters, bike trailers in the Park.

[rocketphish]

Gatineau Park car restrictions unfair, hikers and walkers say
A petition opposing the summertime closure to cars has garnered nearly 7,000 signatures.

Blair Crawford, Ottawa Citizen
Published Mar 20, 2023 • Last updated 2 hours ago • 3 minute read

Avid hiker and Chelsea retiree Nicole DesRoches loved her morning walks in the high interior of Gatineau Park: circuits of Pink Lake, the view from Champlain Lookout, long rambles along the escarpment to Western Cabin and beyond.
Article content

But with spring here, DesRoches fears she and thousands of others will again have their access to those jewels curtailed by what they say is a discriminatory policy. For the past three summers, the NCC has limited car access to much of the parkway network to just three afternoons a week.

“It’s like people who walk don’t exist,” said DesRoches.

“There’s a lot of retirees who walk in the park or people who want to go to the park with their families to picnic and they can’t do that,” she said.

“One of the NCC’s principles for the park is ‘equity’. Well what kind of equity is this?”

A petition opposing the summertime closure to cars has garnered nearly 7,000 signatures.

“We hope that they actually listen to us,” said Ala’ Qadi, an Algonquin College professor and a certified hike leader.

“If you live in the Ottawa area, Gatineau Park is dear to your heart. We have no idea what the schedule will be this summer.”

In 2015, the National Capital Commission published a Sustainable Transportation Plan that sought to reduce the environmental impact of trips in the park, while ensuring it remained accessible.

Then came the pandemic. In spring 2020, Gatineau Park was closed to the public. When the parkways reopened that summer, they were restricted to bicyclists except for Saturday, Sunday and Wednesday afternoons.

In 2021, the NCC added a shuttle bus from downtown Ottawa to key spots in the park. The NCC said the shuttle carried 15,000 passengers on the 10 weekends it operated last summer.

But the shuttle only ran on weekends from June 25 to Aug. 28 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.
Article content

“We asked why the shuttle didn’t run during the week and the answer they gave was that there wasn’t enough ridership to justify the trips,” Qadi said. “So if there’s no demand on weekdays, why are they closing the parkways (to cars) at the low time?”

The NCC’s own transportation study noted that, aside from three weeks during the peak leaf season, traffic congestion wasn’t a problem in the park, Qadi said.

But now lots are frequently jammed during the three afternoons the parkways are open to cars, Qadi said.

Prior to 2020, “Never in my life did I drive to Champlain Lookout on a Wednesday and find the parking lot was full,” he said.

During the week when cars aren’t allowed, the only way to access popular Pink Lake is to park at McKenzie King Estate and hike an hour to get there. Others have been parking along Notch Road, creating both a safety risk and damaging unofficial trails, he said.
Article content

Meanwhile, the parkways are the domain of cyclists who make the strenuous 22-km ride up to Champlain Lookout.

“We do not understand why, and the NCC has not explained why, the parkways need to be used exclusively by high-level athletes who do not use the trails or enjoy nature, but simply use them to exercise,” hiker Barbara Lapointe said in an email.

The hiking groups pushed the NCC for answers at an online meeting in January, but say they didn’t get a satisfactory response. They’ve since sent a letter to NCC chief executive Tobi Nussbaum with 20 questions they’d like answered. No response.

Nussbaum and the NCC declined a request for an interview for this story.

In an emailed statement, the NCC said the park’s master plan said the parkways serve two roles: provide access to popular areas of the park and to provide a space for active use transportation. It also aims to provide equitable and sustainable access.

“In finding the right balance to achieve these goals, the National Capital Commission actively evaluates the parkway programming through public feedback, meetings with stakeholders and surveys,” it said.

“The parameters for this year’s parkway programming are still being studied and will be announced in early May,” NCC spokeswoman Maryam El-Akhrass said in an email.

https://ottawacitizen.com/news/local...nd-walkers-say

[lrt's friend]

I don't bother going to Gatineau Park anymore and there are certain trails that I enjoy. It has become mostly an enclave for 'high-level athletes'. I don't mind sharing, but let's remember that 'high-level' athletes are a tiny minority.

[J.OT13]

It has changed quite a lot in the past 20 years. Back then, we would go as a family and we were often the only ones walking through the forest. We might cross one or two other families/couples. Now, it's like Disney Land. That started soon after they moved (or expanded) the parking lot, built the new visitors centre and relocated the sugar shack.

[rocketphish]

NCC briefs: Westboro Beach construction behind schedule; Champlain Bridge work to finish early, NCC meeting hears

Blair Crawford, Ottawa Citizen
Published Apr 20, 2023 • 3 minute read


<snip>


Gatineau Parkway car restrictions

Hikers, walkers, elderly and disabled people frustrated by restrictions on car access to interior trails and scenic gems such as the Champlain Lookout in Gatineau Park will know soon if their complaints have been heard.

Two summers ago, the NCC closed its parkways to cars with the exception of Saturday, Sunday and Wednesday afternoons. That didn’t go down well with many visitors who said the policy unfairly limits access to those with the ability to bike the strenuous 22-km climb to the lookout. A shuttle bus into the park only runs on weekends.

“We’ve been engaged with many consultations over the winter months and those conversations will help inform the summer schedule for this year, which will be announced in the coming weeks,” said Nussbaum.

“We’re also very happy with the results of the program up until now. It’s often noted that we see greater usage of the Gatineau Park parkways when they are open for active use than when they are open to cars. That’s an important measure.

“But we’ve also looked at public surveys and consultations and all of that will feed into the decision around the schedule which will be coming out shortly.”

https://ottawacitizen.com/news/local...-meeting-hears

[movebyleap]

Originally Posted by rocketphish

NCC briefs: Westboro Beach construction behind schedule; Champlain Bridge work to finish early, NCC meeting hears

Blair Crawford, Ottawa Citizen
Published Apr 20, 2023 • 3 minute read


<snip>


Gatineau Parkway car restrictions

Hikers, walkers, elderly and disabled people frustrated by restrictions on car access to interior trails and scenic gems such as the Champlain Lookout in Gatineau Park will know soon if their complaints have been heard.

Two summers ago, the NCC closed its parkways to cars with the exception of Saturday, Sunday and Wednesday afternoons. That didn’t go down well with many visitors who said the policy unfairly limits access to those with the ability to bike the strenuous 22-km climb to the lookout. A shuttle bus into the park only runs on weekends.

“We’ve been engaged with many consultations over the winter months and those conversations will help inform the summer schedule for this year, which will be announced in the coming weeks,” said Nussbaum.

“We’re also very happy with the results of the program up until now. It’s often noted that we see greater usage of the Gatineau Park parkways when they are open for active use than when they are open to cars. That’s an important measure.

“But we’ve also looked at public surveys and consultations and all of that will feed into the decision around the schedule which will be coming out shortly.”

https://ottawacitizen.com/news/local...-meeting-hears

I haven't been back to Gatineau since the closures. I am an avid hiker and there are many decent trails in the Laurentians, Algonquin Park, Charleston Lake, and in the Pontiac that are vastly superior to Gatineau. The NCC closures allowed me to discover lots of great new places!

[rocketphish]

Main Gatineau Park campground will be closed for renovations this summer
Only the park's canoe-access campground at Lac La Pêche will be open

CBC News
Posted: Apr 20, 2023 4:00 AM EDT | Last Updated: April 20



Gatineau Park's main campground will be closed for major renovations this summer and fall, according to the National Capital Commission (NCC).

"The project will improve the quality of the experience, and reduce the area's overall environmental impact," an NCC webpage reads.

The Lac Philippe campground was built in the 1950s, and its facilities are now "quite dated," the site reads.

It's one of three camping areas in Gatineau Park. The park's semi-wilderness campground at Lac Taylor will also be closed. Only the canoe-access campground at Lac La Pêche will be open for summer 2023.

Lac Philippe has 250 campsites, including 11 ready-to-camp units comprised of a mix of all-season tents, yurts and cabins.

The NCC's site says the campground renovations will include the following improvements:

• new ready-to-camp units (such as yurts and cabins)
• campsite quality, safety and privacy
• better access to electricity and drinking water
• animal-proof food lockers
• a new amphitheatre, multi-use pavilion, kitchen shelter and camp store
• more accessible campground and signage

The NCC began demolishing buildings and removing trees in the Lac Philippe sector in September 2022. It said "national trends" in camping services pushed it to renew its facilities.

Renovations are expected to continue into the fall with the reopening planned for summer 2024.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottaw...ions-1.6816171

[rocketphish]

13 attempts to protect Gatineau Park have failed, but a new bill could change that
The bill's aim is to prevent the park from shrinking any further after development has reduced its size over the decades.

Catherine Morrison, Ottawa Citizen
Published Oct 10, 2024 • Last updated 7 hours ago • 4 minute read

A new bill aiming to protect Gatineau Park was introduced in the Senate on Thursday afternoon. Not the first of its kind, the bill will follow 13 others that ultimately failed.

Independent Senator Rosa Galvez and Liberal member of Parliament Sophie Chatel co-authored the new bill, which seeks to establish the boundaries of Gatineau Park and to ban the sale of public lands within the park with certain exceptions. It would also bring the park, which is managed by the National Capital Commission (NCC), under the oversight of Parliament.

Supporters of the bill say this would ideally prevent the park from shrinking any further after development has reduced its size over the decades.

“(Despite) the importance of the park, it’s a park that does not have the legal status of a truly protected park,” said Chatel, who represents the riding of Pontiac and has launched a petition calling for the protection of Gatineau Park that garnered thousands of signatures.

The bill would require the NCC to submit a “master plan,” including a “long-term ecological vision” to Parliament at least every 10 years.

Chatel added that establishing park boundaries would be important to prevent further development of parkland and to ensure it was protected for future generations.

Galvez says the 360-square-kilometre park contains more than 50 lakes, as well as rivers and creeks that are homes to vital ecosystems.

“I was particularly interested in bringing this bill forward when Ms. Chatel approached me, given the urgent need to protect our natural ecosystem and biodiversity,” said Galvez, who noted that Canada committed in 2022 to protect 30 per cent of its land and water by 2030.

While the bill’s proponents say the bill is “historic,” it’s nowhere near the first of its kind.

Between 2005 and 2013, 13 bills were introduced in Parliament to amend the National Capital Act — a law that established the NCC — specifically to protect Gatineau Park.

These bills have often been private members bills brought forward by NDP legislators, but not always, as the Conservative government of then-prime minister Stephen Harper introduced such a bill in 2014. It didn’t pass before the election in 2015.

Other bills withered away and were never passed before the end of a parliamentary session.

Chatel said she “strongly believes” this bill would pass, noting that the new project already had the support of 12 members of Parliament from the National Capital Region, as well as Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault and Procurement Minister Jean-Yves Duclos. Chatel and Galvez said they were confident that the bill would go forward, but said that, if not, it would be re-tabled.

“We’ve talked a lot over the past year about this to ensure that we have a bill that will receive government support,” Chatel said in French.

Concerns about the bill being introduced so late in the game

As a potential federal election looms, some supporters worry the bill may suffer the same fate as others seeking to protect Gatineau Park.

Nikita Lopoukhine, tformer chair of the World Commission on Protected Areas, said that, while he hoped the bill would pass, he had concerns about it being introduced so late in the government’s mandate.

“The challenge is that we always come to this point at the end of the mandate, instead of at the beginning of the mandate,” Lopoukhine said. “If indeed there can be an effort in the beginning of a mandate, we might get some legislation through.”

He noted that, in the last 50 years, the park had decreased in size as roads and transmission lines had been built.

“Through policy decisions, the park has shrunk in size, and there’s no protection for its current delineations,” said Lopoukhine, who worked in vegetarian inventory at the park in the 1970s. “There’s no protection for Gatineau Park.”

Lopoukhine said the new bill paralleled the National Parks Act. While he said it would go far enough, he would have liked to see some financial resources for wardens or rangers to monitor the park and to ensure the bill was followed.

“We’re taking one step at a time. Let’s at least get the boundaries recognized and put into a bill so that it becomes very difficult for the government of Canada to give away land,” Lopoukhine said.

The bill also encourages hiring businesses and workers from the Algonquin Anishinabeg Nation to maintain and conserve the park. It also says that, while the occupancy of public lands won’t be allowed, there will be exceptions for local Anishinabeg organizations.

“Gatineau Park is an integral part of our regional identity and together we have the responsibility to protect it,” Chatel said.

https://ottawacitizen.com/news/13-at...ld-change-that