Jul 30 2006 http://www.vernonmorningstar.com/ EDITORIALB.C. is internationally known for its provincial parks, but we could be walking a fine line between expanding recreational opportunities and jeopardizing the natural values that we all cherish. On the surface, Victoria’s plans to allow fixed-roof accommodations in Fintry and Silver Star provincial parks sound like a great way of bolstering tourism, especially leading up to 2010. Environment Minister Barry Penner is right when he says that “not everyone who wants to stay in a park wants to sleep on the ground in a tent.” But there are numerous people that do, and the prospect of a 100-bed lodge with all of its amenities may force many people to abandon their favourite park. With an increasingly urban Okanagan, preserving rural areas is vital. Certainly the argument can be made that Silver Star and Fintry parks are not natural. Fintry has a campground and heritage home in it, while Silver Star features Sovereign Lake Nordic Centre and an adjacent downhill ski resort. But if commercial operations can take root in these relatively developed parks, how about more wilderness ones, such as Mabel Lake or Kalamalka Lake? Once the door is open to development, can it ever be closed? Is this just the start of rampant commercialization of our parks? We would hope that all North Okanagan residents consider the government’s proposal and whether they see it as beneficial or problematic. If there is support or concerns, they should be passed on to our MLA. Such a potentially dramatic change to our provincial park system deserves that much.
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