South Okanagan National Park Public Meetings

[GoatGuy]

If you live anywhere near these meetings make sure you go.

Otherwise you can kiss hunting goodbye in the South Okanagan.

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Community-led Meetings

Are YOU interested in the National Park/Reserve Proposal?
Some people are for it, others are against it, and yet others are not sure what ‘it’ is all about. ‘It’ is a National Park in the South Okanagan Similkameen, currently being explored by Parks Canada.
The South Okanagan Similkameen National Park Network (SOSNPN, National Park support) and The Grassland Park Review Coalition (GPRC, National park opposition) invite you to attend public meetings being held in November. These meetings will give the public an opportunity to express their concerns or support for the park concept, and ask Parks Canada representatives questions about the Feasibility Study. There will also be reference to current Provincial Crown land management and protected areas.
·OSOYOOS: Saturday, Nov 17, 1.30 - 4:30, at the Royal Canadian Legion 8310, 78th Street, Osoyoos
·OLIVER: Tuesday Nov. 20, 6.30 pm to 9.30 pm at the Royal Canadian Legion Hall, 36217, 97th Oliver
·PENTICTON: Wednesday Nov. 21, 6.30 pm to 9.30 pm South Main Seniors Centre, 2575 South Main Street, Penticton.
·KEREMEOS: Thursday Nov. 22, 6.30 to 9.30 pm Victory Hall, 427, 7th Avenue (hwy 3), Keremeos.
The meetings will be facilitated by Derek Murphy, from the Slocan Valley. A Parks Canada representative will present an update on the Feasibility Study which began in 2003. Spokespeople for the GPRC and SOSNPN will briefly state their views. Following the presentations the floor will be open for the public to ask questions.
This is an excellent opportunity for the community to get up to date information on how a National Park could affect the South Okanagan Similkameen region

[Wildfoot]

this is actually one of the main reasons why I am leaving Osoyoos. Holy crap thats like 90% of the public land within 1 hour of Osoyoos! The support for it seems super strong - so sad. Im all for parks, but this is a little nuts!

[huntingfamily]

Thanks for the reminder, GoatGuy!

I will definitely be at the Penticton meeting tomorrow night. I hunt above Osoyoos sometimes and I want my opinion known! A national park is simply too restrictive, except for the birdwatchers!

[WoodOx]

Thanks GG - any idea where the proposted area will include?

[huntingfamily]

A map can be found here:

http://www.pc.gc.ca/progs/np-pn/cnpn-cnnp/os-os/itm5-/concept/Fig02_E.asp

[mainland hunter]

scary stuff, thanks for posting

[Mr. Dean]

YIKES!

That thing is HUGE.

[bruin]

I wish I could make it to the meetings, I agree, too restrictive for a high use area.

[steepNdeep]

Unlike provincial parks, there is NO hunting in national parks!!

The squeaky wheel gets the greese... go to that meeting...

[steepNdeep]

Thanks GG!! If anyone can't make it, send an email here:
Contact Us
South Okanagan- Lower Similkameen National Park Reserve Feasibility Study

Email: sols@pc.gc.ca

102 Industrial Place
Penticton, British Columbia
Canada
V2A 7C8

[Elk-Aholic]

I will be there stiring up some s**t. Please voice your opinion anyway you can even if you can not make the meetings. Just some food for thought for those who are unsure whether they are for or against the park:

1. As already mentioned, you can not hunt in a national park.
2. You need a permit to fish in a national park .
3. You will probabaly need to pay to use it.
4. Can not cut any wood without a permit (odds are better with the lottery).
5. Taxes will go up for maintance purposes.
6. You CAN NOT fight fires in a national park...do I need to mention the fires we have around here and how bad they usually get? (AKA Okanagan Mtn Park 2003, Vaseux Lake 2003, Garnet Fire 1996 just to name a few).


Just a few things to think about.

[Wildfoot]

6. You CAN NOT fight fires in a national park...do I need to mention the fires we have around here and how bad they usually get? (AKA Okanagan Mtn Park 2003, Vaseux Lake 2003, Garnet Fire 1996 just to name a few).

Well one thing about that. The National Parks do have a decent prescribed burn program.

Id prefer to see it go to a full provincial park. Maybe a couple primitive campgrounds, thats about it. Id still rather see it stay as-is. That area already has functional regulations to ensure ecological preservation. And these regulations still allow for a variety of recreational and commercial use.

[Fisher-Dude]

This park is the baby of Senator Ross Fitzpatrick and former Prime Minister Jean Chretien. A bit of a "legacy" for our dear old Senator from his golfing buddy Jean. A federal Liberal plan - you know, those guys who don't think you should have your hunting rifles...the same guys who don't want you hunting in the South Okanagan grasslands...make any sense now? :roll:

[Jagermeister]

Can somebody enlighten me as to the diffence between a National park and a national park reserve?
If they're bound and determined to have a National Park there, that would be the better place to have it, rather there than to the east side of the OK Valley. I mean, K Mountain, and that area is not so bad, even the goats don't hang there.

[boxhitch]

The area in question has a lot more recreational use than just hunting. Most of that would be curtailed in a National Park.
Don't worry about the fires, as its a grassland ecology they are trying to preserve. Fires would only enhance this.

[wetcoasthunter]

So any news from the meeting last night?

[Tuffcity]

Can somebody enlighten me as to the diffence between a National park and a national park reserve?

A NP Reserve is a park that hasn't been gazetted yet, or "officially" made a National Park. Most of the NP restrictions already apply but it just hasn't received the parliament rubber stamp of approval yet.

The new Gulf Islands park is going through that right now and the Pacific Rim Park was a park reserve for years before it became a full "patch" park. :)

RC

RC

[threedhunter]

also not able to get to the meeting. could someone ask how long before the canadian forces take it over for mountain training? 1907 buffalo national park in alta had the last free buffalo herd in n.america. moved em all out in 1939/40, moved in cfb wainwright. end of national park, now forces training base. progress? regress i'd say.:sad:

[358mag]

Can somebody enlighten me as to the diffence between a National park and a national park reserve?
If they're bound and determined to have a National Park there, that would be the better place to have it, rather there than to the east side of the OK Valley. I mean, K Mountain, and that area is not so bad, even the goats don't hang there.
national park reserve mean that first nation people can still hunt-fish-trap cutfire wood ride quad-4x4's, ski doo's etc and the rest of us hard working red necks have to pay for it
bottom line !!!

[tangozulu]

How come the eastern based federal government is always proposing all these parks out west and not in Ontario and Quebec?
Just seems like a land grab to me,

[Elk-Aholic]

Well one thing about that. The National Parks do have a decent prescribed burn program.

Id prefer to see it go to a full provincial park. Maybe a couple primitive campgrounds, thats about it. Id still rather see it stay as-is. That area already has functional regulations to ensure ecological preservation. And these regulations still allow for a variety of recreational and commercial use.

Yes National Parks do have a prescribed burn program, but it's only a program, still has to be carried out which may or may not happen often. I agree with a provincal park, it would be a lot more 'user' friendly.

[Elk-Aholic]

Went to the meeting last night, I wish UFC would have put a ring up...I think more things would have been sorted out that way. Here are some of the things I noticed from last night: (This is only my opinion). The people who went to the meeting, around 130-150 people or so, I would say the crowd was half and half 'for' and 'against' the park. An interesting peice of info is that the ones who were 'for' the park were almost all over the age of 65, nothing against you on this site who are in that age bracket, I am not knocking you, just stating what I saw. There were about 20ppl or so who were 'against' the park in the over 65 age bracket. One thing to remember about these meetings is that they are rigged, I mean rigged! This is just the Parks comittee trying to reel in more people into thinking these parks are the greatest thing since our former Prime Minister. There are people 'for' the park who go to every meeting and ask the same questions about why the park is such a good thing. And these people get back in line and keep asking similar questions. No joke, I watch it happen last night. Ironically, they are all retired biologists who are buddies with the Parks committee. People who asked questions 'against' the park rarely had their questions answered or their question's were deflected or not answered with a concrete response, ironic? Just ask the guy from Canadian Helicopters who has been to every meeting still looking for answers as his business is in jepordy. He will probably not be allowed to fly in a National Park, if it goes through, and his business will be gone, along with the Penticton Airport. No joke. Helocopters cannot fly in a National Park and all their training takes place in the proposed National Park, as that area is one of the best in North America for training purposes. Canadian Helicopters accounts for over 55% of all air traffic in and out of the airport. If this airport goes, so does our aerial forest fire capabiltities in the Okanagan Region. Our nearest aerial base will be Kamploops, some 25-30 minute flight away or so. Just a little too much time for me in Forest fire season to get aerial support to fight fires.

For all of you reading this, I highly, I mean HIGHLY recommend whether or not you live near the proposed National Park Site, to write your opinions to sols@pc.gc.ca or to call (250)490-2238 or 1-877-490-2238 or fax (250)490-2231 to voice your opinions. The more people who voice their opinions against the proposed National Park the better. It is amazing how far just one or two opinions can go. I am trying to see our local MLA or MP within the next couple of weeks to voice my opinion. I am 22 years old and want my children to enjoy the outdoors with me as I did with my father. With a National Park I might as well take up knitting and tell my son or daughter to go to a safe injection site, for free, and get a high there as I won't be able to afford to go into a Naitonal Park.

[horshur]

The whole idea of it is absurd---like trying to make a virgin out of a Davie street hooker....that country has been around the block a few times.

[dana]

I've said this all along, this is just a way to back-door the Yanks with Grizzlies. The Eco-Freaks want them, but they know after the wolf debacle, they'll never get them if the American public has any say. But.... create a National Park on the Canadian side with the plan to save the Mountain Caribou in Wells Gray by live capturing grizz and transplanting them into the South Cascades and the Yanks will have the Grizz once again. Heck, throw in some wolves for good measure too, as WA hasn't got their fair share.