At the public meetings held on March 2 and 3rd 2010, there were some questions raised that required followup. The questions and responses from DNR are listed here.
Questions/Considerations
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
- Protection of endangered plants and how the local community may provide information? Department Forest Ecologist undertook reconnaissance field-work to identify park habitats and species of risk as part of resource inventory in the planning process. Nothing of consequence was found at that time. There are several species of “lady slippers”. The forest ecologist will follow up on the specific request to identify the lady slippers found along the path to Big Head. Any management response will be dictated by the species identification and need for protection. Anyone having more specific information is encouraged to contact us directly. For more information on protected species please check out www.gov.ns.ca/natr/wildlife/biodiversity .
- Provide a change room/building for day use area. We will identify a central location for a change house and incorporate it into a day use cluster (outhouse, recycling station) as part of the site development process.
- Identify and communicate to the public any significant changes to the conceptual plan of the park. Any changes to the approved concept plan will be communicated to the public. The final Site Development Plan will be posted to the DNR website, www.gov.ns.ca/natr .
- Fence adjacent to residential property and park. No plans to fence park property now or in the future.
- Concern around loop traffic at park administration area; re-look at it if possible. The new administration building is expected to be placed in the same vicinity of the existing building, however, it will not occupy the exact footprint of the current building. Efforts will be made to limit changes to the existing traffic flow while also minimizing ecological impacts and respecting the approved concept elements.
- Will DNR request the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal(TIR) to plough the road and parking lot? Not park policy to plow or maintain park entry roads during the winter months. TIR will be made aware of the situation and if they wish to use the area as a turnaround it is possible. Should the Community decide to manage this aspect, permission would be required from Waverley office to allow the plowing.
- Water safety near “Big Head” swimming. (markers in the water). Department will seek advice on the management of water safety from the Nova Scotia Life Saving Society, and Navigable Waters regarding navigation issues within the lake.
- Entrance to park – ploughing in off season needs consideration. ( Same as #6)
- Notification to RV’rs to identify dumping area, (publish) All provincial park publications will be updated for 2011 to reflect changes to the park including new infrastructure and services. Highway signage for Oakfield and Laurie Park will be evaluated to see what improvements are possible.
- Information on the final development of plan, prior to tender let. Tender information will be posted to www.gov.ns.ca/natr
- Extended park season for Laurie Park. Camping seasons are reviewed annually. Any changes must reflect operational resources and demand for use. Day use area beyond September may be considered pending operational resources or the development of an agreement with a community organization for proper servicing.
- Maintenance area- can this be relocated to save camping space? This will be reviewed as part of the detailed planning to ensure that camping opportunities are maximized while achieving the overall provincial park standards and experience. Adjacent wet areas will provide a natural buffer between camping opportunities and maintenance area. Limited space allows only minor adjustments to the locating of the maintenance shed.
- Canteen considerations. Not under consideration in this park.
- Are the # of outhouses (22 now) to be reduced? Within the day use area of the park the overall number will be similar with outhouses in good condition to remain, and others being replaced. In the camping area the total number of outhouses will be reduced due to the construction of the central washroom and the need for fewer outhouses in the camping loop than exists today.
- Pathways minimal (kept natural). Have to reflect park design standards and address any safety issues. Will utilize natural site materials where possible.
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
- More garbage containers. Will review to ensure meet standards and properly placed in the service clusters (outhouse, recycling stations, etc).
- Shoreline area marked for no motorized water craft. As per #7
- Parking Lot (off season) ploughed off season. As above in # 6
- Island near beach area, take over by Park. Any acquisition by the Department must follow specific procedures and process that includes positioning within the broader government priorities. Not possible to provide a yes or no answer on this question.
- Emergency boat access from beach area. Emergency access is always a consideration and our intention is to not impede the use of the area for this purpose.
- Speed bumps on day use roads in park. Will review as part of detailed planning and the need for traffic calming measures.