Emma Levez
Northern News Services

NNSL (Jul 03/98) - Cutbacks in the parks budget mean there will be a lot more planning and designing than developing done on the parks along the Ingraham Trail this year.

According to Gary Tees, regional parks supervisor, the overall budget has been literally cut in half for 1998 -- reduced from $600,000 to approximately $300,000. There are four main parks that have been targeted for work this summer: Fred Henne and Long Lake, Prelude Lake, Hidden Lake and Reid Lake.

Only Fred Henne Park maintained its original budget. Some $110,000 will be spent on new playground equipment, new toilets and more electric outlets in camping sites.

"Most of the work will be done in the fall because it's hard to do in the busy season while there are a lot of people around," says Tees. Another possible project for Fred Henne Park this year is the designing of a new loop in the campground.

The budget for Prelude Lake Park has been reduced from $190,000 to $110,000. The walking trail (presently unnamed), which overlooks the lake, will be completed this summer.

Hikers have already started using the trail, but, Tees cautions, "the trail is still under construction so people have to be careful."

A new camping loop is also being designed for Prelude. Parks personnel are concerned about maintaining a "good neighborhood policy." They held an open house last month so people could look at the plans.

"We want to minimize the conflict between campers and cabin owners" says Tees. Work will begin on the new loop next summer.

Hidden Lake Park, including Cameron Falls and Powder Point, received the most drastic reduction in available money.

With a budget of $70,000, most of the work that will be done at Hidden Lake this year is planning. As it turns out, this suits the public well.

At a public meeting held in the spring, people expressed a concern about an anticipated burst of activity that could accompany the cultivation of a trail from Cameron Falls into Hidden Lake.

"We are promoting Hidden Lake as 'no trace' camping" Tees says, "If you bring garbage in with you, then you also take it back out. Not only is garbage unsightly, but it can attract bears."

The development of this trail will be very slow. "We want to monitor the activity level very carefully" maintains Tees.

Reid Lake has the smallest budget this year, with only $18,000 to be spent. Designs for a new gatehouse and a sewage dump station for next year are main projects for this year.

Environmental education is an important part of the plan for all the parks. With the help of the public and YCC members, a number of seedlings were planted at Prelude, Fred Henne and Reid Lake this spring.

"We are concerned with the loss of tree growth," explains Tees "We are trying to promote education for the public."