Rondeau Park established in…

Since the beginning of Rondeau Park existance established in 1894 cottages have been part of that existance. The cottages have done nothing but enhance the parks natural and recreational prosperity. At the peak of the cottagers existance, there were numerous summer camps, nature programs, fishing, nature studies, two churchs, daily childrens recreational, leadership and swim programs that were full of children and young adults. The park was thriving and able to maintian a low daily park entrance fee due to the high volume of daily traffic.

Since the slow erosion of cottage life existance park life has deteriorated, churchs have closed and public buildings becoming delapitated due to low attance as a result of driving out the cottagers. This in turn has led to fewer programs, leading to lower public daily admittance which then forces the province to raise the daily admittance rate such that now many families can not afford the entrace fee. the park is in a death spiral if something is not done to bring the co-existance of the recreational life back in harmony with parks nature preservation. The elimination of the cottages will continue to result in the deterioration of what once was a thriving regional natural park with trails and camping in the main park and wilderness camping at the point, with parks nature programs, sunday church services, life guards on the beach, sailing lessons, fishing from the public dock. Just take a look at the attendance records from the 70's and compare to daily admittances this past decade.

Offering menial 2 year extensions to cottage owners is a short term life line. The sad part is not many will make investment in cottage that is soon to have the lease expire. Take a look at what the park was like when revenues to the province were thriving and you will see what value the cottagers added to the entire park. Extend the leases for 75 years, cut the park admittance fee in half and once again the province will see Rondeau Park thrive.

I've never lived in Rondeau Park myself but was a park worker as a summer student many decades ago. It is sad to see the deterioration of the parks prosperity. It can come back and it all starts with releasing all 278 cottage lots to take bids for the next 75 years and you will see all the programs come back.