Questions surround Castle provincial park

Rachel Notley’s NDP government was praised last month after revealing a plan to protect the Castle region in southern Alberta, but now environmentalists say the plan may contain some distressing details.

READ MORE: Alberta government moves to protect vast Castle wilderness 

“We must make sure that it is protected in fact and not just word,” said Gordon Petersen, of the Castle-Crown Wilderness Association. “The government appears to be contemplating allowing OHVs (off-highway vehicles) in the park. OHVs have never been allowed in the parks and they should not be allowed in the Castle Provincial Park. It would be bad for Castle and would certainly be a bad precedent for Alberta Parks in general.”

Along with off-highway vehicle use, some speculate hunting may also be allowed in the park. But according to the government, no final decisions will be made until the current public consultation process is complete.

“We need to sit down and talk about it with all of the stake holders,” said Alberta Environment Minister Shannon Phillips. “There are provincial parks in Alberta where there is ATV use and there has been traditional hunting that has gone on in that area for some time. Certainly First Nations have used it for hunting as well, so there are many different concerns here.”

One man in strong support of off-highway vehicle use is Gary Clark, who is the president of the 250-member Crowsnest Pass Quad Squad.

“There’s no point in having something as beautiful as the Crowsnest Pass and have to stand on a highway and look at it,” he said.

Clark met with Phillips Friday, hoping to gain assurance that ATV use in the area will not be taken away.

READ MORE: Doubts raised about plan to protect Alberta wilderness area

Peterson, on the other hand, just hopes the proper research is conducted before a final decision is made.

“We have to have that discussion and we have to base it on science and evidence, to see whether or not they’re compatible, and if and where they might be able to go.”