The plan to develop a new corporate youth camp in Whiteshell Park is continuing. A couple weeks ago the government announced intentions to build the camp in a section of undisturbed wilderness at Sylvia Lake, just as they did for develoment at Meditation Lake last summer. It has become obvious the government is going to continue to expend government resources to help this corporation take over part of our provincial park.

The outcry which ensued after the Meditation Lake development last year, and the objection to adding more development to untouched wilderness in the Whiteshell, seems to have been ignored. The possibility of taking over an existing site in Whitesehll that is being underutilized was never presented to the public--destroying more wilderness has been the only plan put forward.

The Wilderness Committee believes the Sylvia Lake area in Whiteshell park does not need to have a disruptive camp constructed at it. While the initiative to get more kids to experience the outdoors is necessary, we can do that without developing any more of our most heavily developed provincial park. Some people certainly consider this a ridiculous hard line. That's fine, everyone has their own reason for doing things. At the Wilderness Committee we do things because we know we all need to do better for the future than we're doing right now. Developing more intact Whiteshell? Not necessary, not while other options are available.

The Wilderness Committee took the unusual step of filing a formal park development proposal for the Sylvia Lake area, after guiding a group of snowshoers and crosscountry skiers through the area. The formal proposal is for a winter trail looping through the area, and can be read here. The three important principals of the Wilderness Committee's development proposal are:
• the public provincial park remains accessible to all
• development is non-invasive, meaning very little disturbance for the forest or wetland areas
• development is for human-powered activities, like skiing and snowshoeing

Manitobans deserve parks that aren't in constant threat. They deserve a plan for the future, that shows how we will protect what remains of the Whiteshell, the park that people love for it's nature and it's accessible comforts.

Writing a personal letter or email is always the best option for getting your voice heard. When writing your letter, keep these points in mind:

• — parks should be places where we preserve, not develop.
• — Development should be limited to public services. A private camp that you can not access does not serve the greater interest of Manitobans
• — a park plan was supposed to be updated 17 years ago, in 1993.
• — the 1983 park management plan already acknowledged the Whitesehll was developed to capacity
• — you can voice your support for WC's non-invasive development plan

You can send your letter to:
Premier of Manitoba Greg Selinger
Room 204, Legislative Building
450 Broadway Avenue
Winnipeg, MB R3C 0V8
phone: (204) 945–3714
email: premier@leg.gov.mb.ca

Minister of Conservation Bill Blaikie
Room 330, Legislative Building
450 Broadway Avenue
Winnipeg, MB R3C 0V8
phone: (204) 945–3730
email: mincon@leg.gov.mb.ca