P.E.I.'s provincial parks getting $10M in upgrades

Basin Head is getting repairs to its deck and shelter, Brudenell will see improvements to its pool, and new washrooms are being installed at Red Point, Northumberland and Panmure Island.

Those are among several improvements scheduled or underway at Prince Edward Island's provincial parks to update aging infrastructure and help protect them from the effects of climate change.

Brodie O'Keefe, director of operations for Tourism P.E.I., said the agency has to take into account that many of the provincial parks are on the Island's shoreline.

"Anytime we're building or doing renovations at a park now, it's 'OK, what do we see, what's the erosion, [are] there erosion possibilities from future storms?'"

The province has set aside $10 million in its capital budget over the next five years for its eight provincially owned campgrounds and 13 day parks. It's in addition to the annual operating budget for regular maintenance.

Besides improvements to buildings, trails and playground equipment, some parks are also getting upgrades to their electrical systems. 

"We're seeing larger campers, they're coming in, they're running two air conditioners now where previously, when some of these parks were first constructed, air conditioning wasn't a thing in the trailers," O'Keefe said.

Bob Finlayson of Michigan, who is vacationing at Red Point Provincial Park near Souris, said P.E.I. already has some of the best parks he's visited in Canada.

"The park that exceeded everything was Banff, and this is on the same par as Banff," he said. "It really and truly is, as far as [beauty] and people taking care of stuff." 

Janine Sheehan, who has worked at Red Point for 27 years, said visitors take notice of improvements.

"They're like, 'Wow, you guys got a new maintenance building; oh, the play equipment is in, we've been waiting for that.' So it's finally in and it was utilized quite a bit over the summer."  

P.E.I. Tourism Minister Cory Deagle said the $10 million will go beyond simply maintaining the parks.

"With this money we can take a look at all of our parks across the Island, we can prioritize where the upgrades are needed right away, where the renovations are needed," he said. 

Many of the upgrades will begin this fall once the parks close for the season.