Uxbridge Provincial Park

[Northern Light]

We've had discussions about the proposed park announced last spring in a couple of different threads, the mods may wish to consolidate those here.

I spotted an article for 4 days ago that provides a bit more substance and thought there was enough to merit a dedicated thread.

https://www.thespec.com/news/canada...cle_b99e403a-13b1-5606-ba4f-ee89b91b0624.html (not paywalled at time of posting)

From the above:

"Colleen Baskin, recently seconded part-time from the Township to the park project as project manager, to give us an introduction to the process. This is what she provided:"

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Good to see progress here; though, it would be nice if it moved along a bit faster.

Glad to see the idea of how to build some level of contiguousness over is a matter being considered.

 

[innsertnamehere]

Ideally the Province would have an acquisition fund to pick up parcels, even on a willing seller basis, to fill gaps. The area south of Uxbridge is really quite large and could become a quite substantial provincial park if all the remaining privately owned parcels in the area could be acquired.

 

[just east of the creek]

I think this is a great idea. with a BUT. Everyone should study the example of Bronte Creek Provincial Park, a park that has been essentially abandoned by the province. Further land acquisitions that were possible. even probable at one point were abandoned. services and programs have been steadily abandoned. All the Provincial Parks compete for an ever shrinking mount of capital investment dollars, and improvements are few and far between. Beware that the Uxbridge Park will become a PR announcement, without much substance, and little follow up. The government is much more interested in big flashy announcements and projects.....like fazing Ontario Place to hand it over to private interests to build a spa, for which we will build some ugly, huge garage.

 

[Northern Light]

I think this is a great idea. with a BUT. Everyone should study the example of Bronte Creek Provincial Park, a park that has been essentially abandoned by the province. Further land acquisitions that were possible. even probable at one point were abandoned. services and programs have been steadily abandoned. All the Provincial Parks compete for an ever shrinking mount of capital investment dollars, and improvements are few and far between. Beware that the Uxbridge Park will become a PR announcement, without much substance, and little follow up. The government is much more interested in big flashy announcements and projects.....like fazing Ontario Place to hand it over to private interests to build a spa, for which we will build some ugly, huge garage.

The former MNR (Ministry of Natural Resources) has been gutted by successive governments. Its budgets and capabilities are a fraction of what they used to be.

Provincial Parks with camping, near major urban areas can (but don't always) maintain their facilities out of park revenues, but parks that are primarily day use or otherwise limited in revenue potential are at best, mostly, benignly ignored.

That frankly needs to change. But I'm not holding my breath on that in the near term.

 

[just east of the creek]

The former MNR (Ministry of Natural Resources) has been gutted by successive governments. Its budgets and capabilities are a fraction of what they used to be.

Provincial Parks with camping, near major urban areas can (but don't always) maintain their facilities out of park revenues, but parks that are primarily day use or otherwise limited in revenue potential are at best, mostly, benignly ignored.

That frankly needs to change. But I'm not holding my breath on that in the near term.

I almost think you understate just how gutted the MNR is. That's to polite a description.. Evisceration might be good however. All is not lost in their admin offices however. They do get excited and grab some policy analysts for any discussion including the words "Ring of Fire"....However parks fall under an offshoot ministry - and we tend to forget that, the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks. This ministry has a board of directors, solicits donations, but just does not want to talk about parks such as Bronte, a huge mistake. The crowds that flock to the islands, to lakeside municipal parks between T.O and Hamilton illustrate a need for comprehensive provincial urban or near parks that offer programming, camping, nature and space (and access to water - manmade or natural) combined with access just not limited to cars.. Bronte had or could have all of that, its practically on a bus route from the Appleby GO as well. The ministry seemingly wants to hear none of that.

I do not live on the east side of the city but some my ag friends from that area have commented that the Rouge Valley system should and could be extended and strengthened with a combination of park expansion, and agricultural trust lands to ensure you have that green funnel shaped belt of natural and agricultural lands through to the green belt and moraine. And I am assuming that could be extended into what everplans there are for an Uxbridge Park.

Agricultural Trust lands are our concept to retain agricultural zoning and operations, and in conjunction with parks allow hiking and access to and through these agricultural trusts on designated allowances. As in I am not interested in just anyone wandering around the farm for safety, security and bio hazard reasons, but they could access the back wood lot through a trail system that might then tie into neighbouring park land or further agricultural trust lands, providing for an extended trail system of varying conditions linking parklands from variety of municipalities or the province. The larger concept was to link the Rouge National Urban Park with a destination further north, perhaps somewhere along Lake SImcoe.

Bronte Park could be much the same, a section of trail and park land, linking Bronte Harbour with the Bruce Trail somewhere around Mount Nemo.

But we do not bother holding our breath on any of this.

 

[Northern Light]

I almost think you understate just how gutted the MNR is. That's to polite a description.. Evisceration might be good however. All is not lost in their admin offices however. They do get excited and grab some policy analysts for any discussion including the words "Ring of Fire"....However parks fall under an offshoot ministry - and we tend to forget that, the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks. This ministry has a board of directors, solicits donations, but just does not want to talk about parks such as Bronte, a huge mistake. The crowds that flock to the islands, to lakeside municipal parks between T.O and Hamilton illustrate a need for comprehensive provincial urban or near parks that offer programming, camping, nature and space (and access to water - manmade or natural) combined with access just not limited to cars.. Bronte had or could have all of that, its practically on a bus route from the Appleby GO as well. The ministry seemingly wants to hear none of that.

I do not live on the east side of the city but some my ag friends from that area have commented that the Rouge Valley system should and could be extended and strengthened with a combination of park expansion, and agricultural trust lands to ensure you have that green funnel shaped belt of natural and agricultural lands through to the green belt and moraine. And I am assuming that could be extended into what everplans there are for an Uxbridge Park.

Agricultural Trust lands are our concept to retain agricultural zoning and operations, and in conjunction with parks allow hiking and access to and through these agricultural trusts on designated allowances. As in I am not interested in just anyone wandering around the farm for safety, security and bio hazard reasons, but they could access the back wood lot through a trail system that might then tie into neighbouring park land or further agricultural trust lands, providing for an extended trail system of varying conditions linking parklands from variety of municipalities or the province. The larger concept was to link the Rouge National Urban Park with a destination further north, perhaps somewhere along Lake SImcoe.

Bronte Park could be much the same, a section of trail and park land, linking Bronte Harbour with the Bruce Trail somewhere around Mount Nemo.

But we do not bother holding our breath on any of this.

We're in complete agreement.

I have advocated for the expansion of Bronte; to no avail thus far.

I have also advocated for the expansion of Rouge, including, retained provincially owned lands that front Steeles, into the 'airport' lands; into the Duffins Agricultural preserve; and I'd like to the park also follow the main Rouge River within the City of Toronto, and up into Markham to about Milne Dam.

I think Rouge could easily be a 200km2 park (50,000 acres) and with proper restoration efforts, might even support Moose in the north-east section. (ambitious, I know) .

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As to camping, based on how quickly most parks fill for summer weekends; I think there's latent demand for at least 2,500 additional campsites in the GGH and up to nearby points in Muskoka and the Kawarthas.

 

[Fritter]

As to camping, based on how quickly most parks fill for summer weekends; I think there's latent demand for at least 2,500 additional campsites in the GGH and up to nearby points in Muskoka and the Kawarthas

I am surprised with the lack of privately run transitory camp sites in Ontario. (ie KOA)
There are many privately run campgrounds however they mostly cater to the seasonal semi permanent trailer lot market, not the one or two overnight market.

 

[lenaitch]

The former MNR (Ministry of Natural Resources) has been gutted by successive governments

In so, so many ways but, as 'Creek' correctly reminds us, Ontario Parks was hived from MNRF in 2018. I don't know if there was some larger or long term game to this move or if it was just the usual rearranging of deck chairs that government do from time to time. Ontario Parks does have a Board of Directors but as far as I know it does not enjoy and status as an ABC (Agency, Board, Commission).

Only a percentage of Ontario's 340 identified parks are what most would call an 'operating' park. According to Wiki, 63 are considered Recreational class parks. Even if they are considered recreational, with beaches, campgrounds, programs, etc., most if not all have a natural environment foundation to hold, conserve, etc. areas of important or unique significance. They don't operate campgrounds or theme parks simply for their own sake. Having said that, I don't know the background or 'rationale' for tiny Bronte Creek, other than it is in the riding of James Snow (hmmm).

I think the best that can be hoped for in the near term is to see Uxbridge identified as Natural Environment class park and begin a rather lengthy and costly land assembly phase. Getting land into public hands under the Provincial Parks Act, particularly in the GTA, will be slow.

 

[Coolibop]

For those that stumble upon the thread and wondered about the geography being considered...
Source

 

[innsertnamehere]

for comparison probably 60-70% of the land in the study area is already owned by various levels of government (basically all the wooded areas). It's a huge area.

A lot of it is already operated as park space however - so "upgrading" it to a provincial park may introduce some overnight camping opportunities, but it's not like it will be new space, just consolidation of ownership and expansion of amenities.