I strongly support the…

I strongly support the addition of rock climbing as a permitted recreational use of Devil's Glen provincial park.

Devil's Glen is home to many of the province's highest quality rock climbing routes ranging in difficulty from beginner-friendly to among the province's most challenging, offering incredible experiences to climbers of all skill levels. Considering this, all of the climbers I know who have visited the park understand that it is a place to be cherished and protected. In my experience, the vast majority of us love climbing outside specifically because we get to practice our sport in these unique, beautiful natural environments that have been relatively protected from human impact - as a result, we treat these areas and their inhabitants (human and otherwise) with respect, understanding that our stewardship is crucial if we hope to enjoy continued access to some of the best climbing experiences Ontario has to offer. Many of my best memories of climbing have taken place in this park, a sentiment I know many southern Ontario climbers share.

Climbers in Ontario are acutely aware that tall, high-quality cliff faces are a rare and limited resource in our region. It would be such a major blow to our community to lose access to one of Ontario's gems. I hope Devil's Glen remains open for climbing for generations to come, and I am confident climbers will continue to be some of the best advocates for its protection.