The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
On March 26, 1960, Manitoba's first Provincial Parks Act was passed in the Manitoba legislature and 50 years later Manitobans and visitors have access to great outdoor experiences in a variety of provincial parks, Conservation Minister Bill Blaikie said today in marking the 50th anniversary of organized provincial parks. "Manitoba's provincial parks provide countless opportunities to get outside and be active and this anniversary year gives Manitobans another reason to celebrate their parks," said Blaikie. "Diversity provides park users with a variety of outdoor experiences including day trips to the beach, modern fully serviced campgrounds and remote experiences." To mark this occasion, Manitobans and visitors are asked to share their favourite park memories by submitting photos and short stories to a 50th anniversary contest. There will also be a number of special 50th anniversary interpretive events across the province. Details on events and contests will be available at the link to the 50th anniversary web page at www.manitobaparks.com. Again this year, entry to provincial parks is free all year long and no park vehicle pass is required. "Manitoba's parks feature spectacular natural environments, unique cultural sites, sandy beaches and clear waters," said Blaikie. "Our parks provide a variety of experiences in life's great outdoors." The parks provide recreational and educational opportunities and experiences in a natural setting such as camping, boating and hiking. Reserving a campsite can be done electronically or by telephone through the state-of-the-art Parks Reservation System. The provincial park system captures Manitoba's geographical diversity as well from Caribou River Provincial Park along the Nunavut Territory boundary near Hudson Bay south to Turtle Mountain and Pembina Valley Provincial Parks along the U.S. border. There are Duck Mountain and Grass River Parks to the west and Whiteshell, Nopiming and Atikaki Parks to the east. Parks also offer unique heritage sites such as the interpretive site depicting the fur-trading era at Captain Kennedy House at River Road Provincial Park, Mtis heritage at St. Norbert Provincial Park and Pinawa Dam Provincial Park, which commemorates the first dam to produce year-round electricity in Manitoba. In 1961, Grand Beach, Duck Mountain, Turtle Mountain, and Whiteshell were designated as Manitoba's first provincial parks. The province will mark the 50th anniversary of these parks in 2011 with a variety of special events. "Manitobans have a strong attachment to parks with an estimated 4.8 million visits annually," said the minister. "Fifty years after the first Provincial Parks Act was passed, Manitoba has 81 provincial parks, which protect a variety of ecosystems and landscapes representative of Manitoba's special places. I encourage Manitobans and visitors to get out and explore all that Manitoba's parks have to offer." More information on Manitoba's provincial parks is available at www.manitobaparks.com.
