Bill P wrote:
Well it depends how you look at it. I an going to Temagami with two other couples so we will save about half of the old fee structure. I am also taking 3 adults and four grandkids into Killarney and it will cost me 64 dollars a night for a campsite. Ontario parks is still getting my money.
Being able to go out with a group is a luxury that not everybody is capable of though. I know for myself, even the one time managing to get four people out on one trip was a logistical nightmare in terms of people flaking and/or not having the right gear and etc. I just feel that this fee structure disproportionately affects solo and couple campers. Do we not want our great outdoors accessible to all, regardless of class or whether they are introverted or extroverted?
The idea of a per person fee that flexes during heavy use times does sound more ideal to me, but I don't make the rules so that doesn't matter.
Another point of concern, that was pointed out on the FB backcountry group on this topic, is that by increasing the price to a point that makes it so its only financially worth it if you take a group of 4 or more, you are also increasing the environmental damage. Larger groups tends to increase the chances of garbage left behind (more people, more garbage), and besides that, even if all precautions are taken, large groups of people crushing small plants around the periphery of campsites is not good for the environment. Thats not to say that large groups should be banned, but if you make the conditions right so that way its mostly large groups going, then I think there will be problems.
The price itself is pretty outrageous. Like if I wanted to do a ten day trip in Temagami now, I'd be looking at paying almost $400. You can get plane tickets out of the country for that price!