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Vol. 130 No. 46 Friday, January 25, 2013 Minnedosa, Manitoba Canada R0J 1E0 90 cents + tax

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this week

Supporting winter services at RMNP

By KATE SJOBERG

O
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ver 200 people gathered at Riding Mountain National Park last weekend as a part of events meant to raise awareness about reduced winter services, including the elimination of the skating area, maintenance on all 200 kms of ski trail and snowshoe trails, and maintenance of winterized trail shelters. Events included a nighttime snowshoe to see the sky, a potluck, the debut of a song in honour of the event, snow kiting, and the Jackrabbit ski fest. George Hartlen, CAO of the Friends of Riding Mountain National Park (FRMNP), a non profit unaffiliated with the National Park which provides yearround educational programming, said that when it became clear what the impact of the April announcement would be, regular park users got together to see how they might keep things going despite the parks non participation. No one wants to be doing this in place of the park doing it, he said. Were relying on volunteers, and we cant reproduce the quality that fulltime groomers are able to achieve. Still, its something. Th work, partnered with eir the Riding Mountain Trail Stewards Association means that campground ski trail, and the Jackrabbit

Photo by Kate Sjoberg

Valerie Pankratz snow kiting at Riding Mountain National Park as part of Snow Day and Occupy Winter.
ski areas and trails around the perimeter of the park are groomed. He says the strategy is to keep things open for people in surrounding towns so folks can continue to enjoy the park in the wintertime. Hartlen says that the total amount of park users isnt known, but 300 people check in on average with FRMNP each winter month when they come into the park. As soon as the announcement was made, he began receiving phone calls and emails from people who said they would change their holiday plans as the services were not going to be off ered anymore. Representatives from Elkhorn Resort also reported that guests are voicing their disappointment with the reduced services, with many choosing to spend their holidays elsewhere. Volunteer, Pam Little, noted, I mean, its so crazy that a park in Manitoba is not a winter park anymore. In Spruce woods, they have a full-time winter interpreter. Urban people are not going to just go to the park and build a quinzhee like they did here last (Saturday) night. We need these things facilitated. Th economic impact e extends to the loss of income for park workers. At least two people lost their jobs in the change, but others are now working reduced hours.

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