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SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - An e-mail address set up by park officials so people can comment on the state of NWT campgrounds is finally open to the public after it was discovered it was only accessible by government e-mail for more than a month.

The e-mail address parks@gov.nt.ca was activated June 25, according to a parks official contacted July 29.

A recent advertisement in Yellowknifer with the heading "Campers - we want to hear from you," asks readers to fill out a survey available at parks offices and on the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment (ITI) website, and then invites them to send comments via e-mail.

There are three campgrounds in the Yellowknife area: Fred Henne Territorial Park, Prelude Lake and Reid Lake.

News/North attempted to use the e-mail address several times on July 24 and the following day but it was bounced back each time with an error message.

"OK, that's good to know," said Richard Zieba, director of parks with ITI, July 24. "I'll contact our technology people."

According to another ITI employee the server was not accepting e-mails from senders who didn't have a GNWT e-mail account. The e-mail address was working when News/North tried again last Tuesday. The ITI employee said the department responded to all e-mails it received during the time the address was not working, as they remained on a server.

The department faced a public outcry late last April just days prior to the start of this year's camping season when word began circulating among Yellowknife camping enthusiasts that the department was going to hike fees and shorten the length of time people can stay in extended-stay campsites at campgrounds at Prelude Lake and Reid Lake.

The department proposed cutting the stays awarded through a ballot draw for $500 from four months to a single month on the shoulder ends of the season at Prelude Lake at a price of $300. At Reid Lake, the four months would have been divided in two for $600.

At a packed public meeting April 30, park officials attempted to explain the move was necessary to ensure there was enough campsites for both Yellowknife and users and tourists. They also argued that the $500 fee was too low when compared to what campers pay for booking a campsite for a few days and that too many ballot draw participants were walking away with being able to secure a campsite.

ITI quickly backed away from making changes this year after people at the meeting angrily rejected the proposal, saying the department gave inadequate notice while insisting the department was too focused on tourists they doubted would come and not enough on the Yellowknife users.

Parks officials closed the meeting with a promise that users would be consulted before any changes were made.

ITI is hoping this summer's survey will help the department identify ways to make improvements to the parks system.

"We're trying to identify the parks areas that need attention," said Drew Williams, communications manager with ITI.

The survey asks campers what they think about discounted weekday, weekly and monthly camping permits, and discounted rates for the shoulder season.

It also asks campers their opinions about day-use, seasonal day-use and group day-use permits.

Additionally, it addresses how extended stay campsites should be sold, whether the department should stick with the ballot draw system or use a different method such as auction them off to the highest bidder or place them on a first come-first served basis.

Richard Walker, an extended stay camper who attended the April meeting, doubts the survey will lead to better camping conditions for Yellowknifers.

"They want the responses they are looking for," said Walker. "It is a lot of smoke and mirrors,

"The government is catering to tourists who may only camp once a year. We are the taxpayers and we use the facilities every weekend."

Zieba said results from the survey should be in by October.

"We were careful to make the survey unbiased," said Zieba.

"We're going to take the results to an independent review board. If people want to give us feedback they can use the e-mail address on the website or contact us directly at the ITI office."