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Back to the land Regional parks among least visited in the country
Shawn Giilck
Northern News Services
Published Thursday, July 25, 2013
INUVIK
If you can't go to the parks, some days the parks will come to you.
Melinda Gillis of Parks Canada was flipping burgers for the Parks Day celebrations at the Western Arctic Regional Visitor Information Centre July 20. - Shawn Giilck/NNSL photo
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That was one of the themes behind the celebration of Parks Day in Inuvik on July 20 at the Western Arctic Regional Visitor Information Centre.
Diane Wilson, Parks Canada Western Arctic superintendent, said she and her staff are constantly working on marketing the regional parks and educating people about them.
"It's a celebration of all national, territorial and municipal parks," Wilson said. "The concept is just to have Canadians join in a celebration of parks and what they represent in terms of recreation and conservation and the role they play in the Canadian identity."
Those parks under Wilson's jurisdiction are Ivvavik in the Yukon, Tuktut Nogait near Paulatuk and Aulavik on Banks Island. Ivvavik sees the most traffic, according to Wilson, but the three are some of the most remote, least visited and little-known parks in the Canadian system.
"That's why we're trying to bring the parks to the people a little bit. In a few minutes, you'll see a discussion and demonstration about what a pingo is and of course we're trying to bring the pingos, which are in Tuktoyaktuk, to Inuvik so the kids can get a little taste of them for those that can't actually get to them.
"It is a little more challenging when you're hosting Parks Day and you're not in the middle of a park, but we think it's just as important. We are a little more remote up here, but that doesn't mean we can't join in the celebrations."
Ivvavik is "the most accessible, the shortest and most-affordable plane-ride," Wilson said.
"After that, it's Tuktut and then Aulavik, which is a high-Arctic park. It's more difficult to get to and more expensive."
All of the parks are administered out of Inuvik, where the Western Arctic offices are established.
"Ivvavik gets more researchers, and we host youth camps there in partnership with the Beaufort Delta Educational Council, and we have the most visitors there. It's quite a bit more accessible."
The parks generally see only a few hundred visitors a year, she said. At the low end, perhaps only 120 people a year travel to them.
"We do our best to try and promote them,” said Wilson.
"They're off the beaten track, but that puts them on the bucket list in a way that parks further south aren't. Only the special few get to visit them, but we are trying to make them a little more accessible."
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