Cypress Hills preps re-opening
By Medicine Hat News on May 2, 2020.
The incremental re-opening of provincial parks started Friday but campers won’t be able to book a site for several weeks – even then. not pitch camp until June 1 and only at a yet-to-be-determined select number of sites. At Cypress Hills Provincial Park, barriers to some roads were removed on Friday, a move in line with a phased plan by the provincial government to gradually re-open some parks from pandemic restrictions. However, the park typically sees dirt and gravel roads remain closed in the early spring, and many are too wet to reopen this week, according to sources in Elkwater. Some boat launches, parking lots ands staging areas at provincial recreation areas re-opened on Friday, the day after a general provincial plan was announced. Facilities, washrooms, playgrounds, picnic shelters remain closed throughout parks across the province. Alberta Parks reports that campgrounds will be limited to 50 per cent of capacity when they open in early June, and booking process will begin on May 15. Existing reservations will be honoured when possible, and the agency plans to open more campgrounds on June 15. A general fire ban is currently in place in all parks, and off-road vehicle use is prohibited to decrease fire risk. 8-7
