Rushing River Provincial Park, Eagle-Dogtooth Provincial Park and Winnange Lake Provincial Park Management Plans

Description of policy

Rushing River Provincial Park was originally established in 1958. It is classified and managed as a Recreation Class Park in accordance with Ontario Provincial Parks: Planning and Management Policies (1992). The park encompasses 340 hectares, and is located 50 kilometres south of Kenora, on Highway 71. The park receives intensive use during the summer months. Visitors to Rushing River Provincial Park are drawn from surrounding communities, the City of Winnipeg, and the U.S.A The park is a vacation destination for camping, swimming, boating and hiking. A management plan for Rushing River Provincial Park was completed in 1986. Since then, one minor amendment has been approved allowing for the campground expansion in the northeast corner of the park.

Eagle-Dogtooth Provincial Park was established under the Provincial Parks Act in 2003 and is a product of the Ontario’s Living Legacy Land Use Strategy (1999). The park is classified and managed as a Waterway Class Park. The park encompasses 41,128 hectares and spans over 170 kilometres from Vermillion Bay to Kenora. The park boundary generally extends 200 metres from the water’s edge and includes parts of, Dogtooth Lake, Gale Lake, Highwind Lake, Hillock Lake, Manomin Lake, Teggau Lake, Hawcliff Lake, and some of the western bays of Eagle Lake. This non-operating park receives a high level of use during the spring, summer and fall months particularly by cottagers, anglers, hunters, boaters, and canoeists. An Interim Management Statement was approved in 2001.

Winnange Lake Provincial Park was established in 1985 to protect earth science features and to provide water based recreation opportunities. The park is classified and managed as a Natural Environment Class Park. The park encompasses 4,745 hectares and is located 60 kilometres west of Dryden, just south of Highway 17. The park includes the northern section of Winnange Lake and borders Manomin Lake to the west and One Mile Lake and Crabclaw Lake to the east. There are no facilities in Winnange Lake Provincial Park. This non-operating park supports a wide range of activities including: angling, trapping, canoeing and wildlife viewing. An Interim Management Statement was approved in 1985.

Purpose of policy

To prepare park management plans for Rushing River, Eagle-Dogtooth, and Winnange Lake Provincial Parks, to ensure protection of natural and cultural values, and to guide the parks’ use, development, management and operation for a 20-year period.

Other information

This notice of proposal coincides with the formal notice of opportunity to review the approved Terms of Reference and Background Information file related to the park management planning process. It is the first of three stages in the planning process and will be followed by the release of the preliminary park management plans and subsequent release of the approved park management plans.

An alternative government contact is:

Scott Ellery, Park Superintendent
Winnange Lake Provincial Park, Eagle-Dogtooth Provincial Park (East)
MNR Dryden District Office
P.O. Box 730, 479 Government Road
Dryden, Ontario P8N 2Z4
PHONE: (807) 223-7535 FAX: (807) 223-2824
E-mail: scott.ellery@ontario.ca

The following web links provide additional useful information about Ontario’s Provincial Park system and park planning in general.

Ontario Parks
www.ontarioparks.com

New provincial protected areas legislation
http://www.e-laws.gov.on.ca/html/statutes/english/elaws_statutes_06p12_e.htm

Park planning and management information
http://www.ontarioparks.com/english/plan-res.html

Other public consultation opportunities

The public is encouraged to actively participate in the planning process at any stage in the development of the park management plans. In accordance with the provisions of the Ontario Provincial Parks: Management Planning Manual (1994), consultation is required during the preparation, review and approval of these plans. Ontario Parks Policy requires direct written notice to certain individuals, First Nations, and organizations at each stage of the planning process.

The following are the opportunities for the public to participate in the planning process (dates beyond Stage One are tentative):

Stage One - Invitation to Participate and Opportunity to Review Background Information (September 9 -October 22, 2007 and January 9-February 25, 2008)

Stage Two - Opportunity to Review Preliminary Park Management Plan (Spring 2008)

Stage Three - Opportunity to Inspect Approved Park Management Plan (Fall 2008)

In addition to this posting on the Environmental Registry, the above notice has been released in regional newspapers and sent directly to mandatory and discretionary contacts on the current contact list. Copies of all public notices will be placed on the Ontario Parks web site.