By Jonathan Riley
jriley@digbycourier.ca
TC•Media
The parking lot was full of cars and it was standing room only in the Mill Falls warming hut.
The main road into Kejimkujik National Park was buzzing with skiers, snowshoers and hikers enjoying the four or five inches of fresh snow that fell Jan. 19.
Some of the more experienced and intrepid skiers reached as far into the park as Big Dam Lake, Jakes Landing and Merrymakedge—places you used to be able to drive to. Places from which you used to be able to start ski trips through the trails and around the lakes of Keji.
Until this year, that is, when Parks Canada barricaded the main road into Keji at Mills Falls, about five kilometres from any real trail head, eight kms from any of the lakes.
“It’s disingenuous to pretend the park is open,” says Steve Briggs of Conquerall Bank. “You can’t get into the centre of the park, you can’t access any of the major trails. Who wants to come to a national park to ski along the side of the road?
“You come to a park for the lakes, the rivers and the woods.”
Over 100 people, from Halifax, Digby, Yarmouth, the Annapolis Valley and the South Shore turned up at Keji on Jan. 19 to make that point at a gathering called Occupy Winter.
The Canada-wide movement aims to show Parks Canada and the federal government that Canadians want to be able to use their national parks all year round.
Parks Canada closed Keji to overnight camping after the Thanksgiving weekend. They also closed all the side roads leading to the lakes and trails.
The main road into the park was supposed to be barricaded at Mill Falls starting Nov. 1, but staff kept it open as long as the snow held off, the end of December.
Parks Canada plans to open the main road and the road to Jakes Landing on March 30.
They don’t intend to allow overnight camping until the Victoria Day weekend in late May, after the best of the fishing season has passed.
Linda Frank, Parks Canada’s field unit superintendent for mainland Nova Scotia, says the closures are part of Parks Canada’s efforts to help reduce the federal deficit. The federal government has cut $29.2 million from the Parks Canada budget and Parks Canada plans to meet that target by focussing on “seasons of traditionally high visitation,” such as July and August, says Frank.
She couldn’t say how much money Parks Canada was saving by closing Keji in the fall, winter and spring.
David and Ann Marsters of Canning have been bringing their family and now their grandkids to the park for years for canoeing, camping, skiing and fishing.
David and his sons, Peter and Karl, used to ski the 15-kms to Mason’s Cabin in the southern end of the park most winters for an overnight stay.
“It was a sense of accomplishment,” says David. “It’s such a great place out there on the lake in the winter time.
“Now, you have to add seven kms to each end of the trip and you have to be out by nightfall, well you just couldn’t do it, it’s too far.”
On Saturday, they settled for a ski up and down the main road.
In the warming hut Ron Eaton of Harmony was serving hot chocolate using water heated up on the woodstove.
Mary Billard of Clementsvale has been coming to the park for almost 40 years and says its normal practice for her to bring extra food.
“We should be able to use the trails and the facilities here even if there isn’t any staff,” she says. “We need places like this in the winter. You can’t just stay inside all winter. A little exercise never hurt anyone.”
Eric LeBel, the park superintendent, was in the parking lot for a good part of the day—he provided the gathering with firewood and welcomed visitors as they arrived.
“I got a message to be here and to welcome people,” said LeBel. “It is great to see so many people support the park. Great to see so many people using the park.”
The main organizers - Rod Kierstead, Ron Eaton and Peter Rogers - plan to be back at the shelter on Jan. 20, with a warm fire, and hot chocolate.
“Rain snow or shine,” says Kierstead.
