May 13, 1996
(Tourism, Culture and Recreation)

1996 provincial parks opening schedule

Thirteen provincial parks will be open by May 17 for the 1996 summer season. Listed below are the opening dates for each park with the number of available sites identified in parentheses.

Opening Wednesday, May 15:

Backside Pond (51), Bellevue Beach (77), Butter Pot (149), Gushue's Pond (112), La Manche (69), Jack's Pond (74), Square Pond (93), Notre Dame (100), Beothuck (63), Catamaran (57)

Opening Friday, May 17:

Fitzgerald's Pond (24), Frenchman's Cove (81), Barachois Pond (150)

The remaining camping parks will open Friday, May 31, and Friday, June 14.

The cost of unserviced sites is $8; partially serviced $10 (i.e. access to flush toilets and showers); fully serviced $15 (i.e. campsites with water, electrical and sewage hookups per campsite). Campers wishing to store their trailer in the park can also avail of the opportunity for a weekly fee of $5.

In addition to these fees, the department has introduced discounted camping fees for frequent park users. The revised fee structure for all camping sites includes a 10 per cent weekly discount, a 15 per cent monthly discount and a 20 per cent seasonal discount.

Fully serviced campsites are available in one provincial park, Grand Codroy. Partially serviced campsites are available in the following parks: Butter Pot, Barachois, Blow Me Down, Pistolet Bay, Dildo Run and Grand Codroy. These parks, as well as Notre Dame and Gushue's Pond, also have trailer dumping stations.

In an effort to secure a safe and enjoyable camping experience for all park users, special regulations will be enforced during the Victoria Day weekend. Any violation of the following regulations will result in an immediate eviction from the park and possible charges under appropriate legislation:

• only one piece of camping equipment per site is permitted;
• a maximum of four persons are permitted per campsite; excluding family situations;
• persons must be 19 years of age or older to register for a campsite;
• visitors are not permitted to enter the campground area after 9 p.m.;
• visitors to the campground must register at the checkpoint;
• Sites must be kept clean and tidy. If sites are left dirty and littered, the person to whom the site is registered will be charged;
• consumption of alcoholic beverages is restricted to designated campsite or picnic sites;
• quiet time is from 10 p.m. to 9 a.m.;
• the cutting of trees and bushes is not permitted.

Parks and Natural Areas Division of Tourism, Culture and Recreation reminds camp users to protect the environment and clean campsites before vacating a provincial park.

Contact: Laura Cochrane, Director of Public Relations, (7090 729- 0928.

Park opening/closing dates - 1996

     PARK NAME                DATE OPEN                DATE CLOSED

     Chance Cove              March 29                 September 3
     La Manche                May 15                   September 3
     Butter Pot               May 15                   October 1
     Gushue's Pond            May 15                   September 3
     Ftizgerald's Pond        May 17                   October 1
     Backside Pond            May 15                   September 3
     Northern Bay Sands       June 14                  September 3
     Bellevue Beach           May 15                   September 3
     Jack's Pond              May 15                   October 1
     Frenchman's Cove         May 17                   October 1
     Lockston Path            June 14                  October 1
     Marine Drive             June 14                  September 3
     Cape St. Mary's          May 4                    October 7
     Square Pond              May 15                   September 3
     David Smallwood          June 14                  September 3
     Windmill Bight           June 14                  September 3
     Jonathan's Pond          June 14                  September 3
     Notre Dame               May 15                   September 3
     Dildo Run                June 14                  October 1
     Beothuck                 May 15                   October 1
     Jipujijkuei Kuespem      June 14                  September 3
     Catamaran                May 15                   September 3
     Indian River             June 14                  September 3
     Flatwater Pond           June 14                  September 3
     Squires Memorial         June 14                  September 3
     Sop's Arm                June 14                  September 3
     River of Ponds           June 14                  September 3
     Pistolet Bay             June 14                  October 1
     Pinware River            June 14                  September 3
     Duley Lake               June 14                  September 3
     Blow Me Down             June 14                  September 3
     Piccadilly Head          June 14                  September 3
     Barachois Pond           May 17                   October 1
     Grand Codroy             May 31                   September 3
     J.T. Cheeseman           May 31                   October 1
     Sandbanks                May 31                   October 1
     
     All other parks     June 14   September 3