Manitoba is spending $1.1 million on projects to enhance parks across the province, Environment, Climate and Parks Minister Jeff Wharton announced Friday.
“Manitobans love their provincial parks and our government is excited to announce the latest round of park improvement projects,” said Wharton.
The money is coming from the Provincial Parks Endowment Fund and going towards 64 improvement projects across the province.
The funding will support a variety of accessibility improvements at Birds Hill Provincial Park, such as building an accessible path to the washrooms at the West Beach and paving the Bur Oak parking lot.
“Manitoba’s strengths are its people and its natural wonders, and nowhere is this more evident than in our stunning provincial parks,” said Lesley Anne Fuga, board member, Friends of Birds Hill Park Inc.
“We applaud investments that improve accessibility and visitor experiences while also helping ensure the long-term ecological integrity of the parks we love.”
In Whiteshell Provincial Park, accessibility projects include the addition of eight new accessible campsites along with upgrades to 17 existing accessible campsites and the installation of 10 new accessible button door openers on public buildings such as camp offices, washrooms and shower facilities.
Three accessible campsites will also be added at Grand Beach Provincial Park.
Other improvements include upgrades to yurts at various locations including Asessippi, Camp Morton, Stephenfield and Spruce Woods provincial parks.
In Nopiming Provincial Park, improvements will be made to picnic tables and campfire pits at backcountry canoe route sites along the Bird River, Seagrim’s Chain and the Rabbit River.
In addition, the province released a report summarizing a public survey on the Provincial Parks Endowment Fund. In all, 2,232 people responded to the EngageMB survey.
Results showed that Manitobans love parks, with many park projects identified as priorities, including trails, habitat restoration and enhancement along with improvement to campgrounds and other recreation facilities.
Comments