Visiting Dundas Peak or Webster Falls? You'll have to pay to reserve a spot

As fall approaches and leaves turn from green to amber, Hamilton's Conservation Authority (HCA) has re-instated reservation fees for those who want to visit Spencer Gorge Conservation Area — where visitors flock to see Dundas Peak, Tew Falls and Webster Falls.

Admission is $11 per car and $5 per passenger, but you now have to pay $10 to reserve a spot to visit.

Those with HCA memberships get free admission, but still pay $10 to reserve a spot.

HCA spokesperson Sarah Gauden said in an email, the fee is in place because of how crowded the trails can get during autumn and the traffic it causes.

"Traffic ... was causing safety concerns, as our parking lots could not accommodate the level of visitation," she said in an email.

"The reservation system ensures an enjoyable experience for all by guaranteeing a parking spot and the ability to enjoy these areas without big crowds," she said, also noting the reservation system was introduced during the pandemic.

Catherine Roberts said she has lived in the Greensville neighbourhood near the conservation area for 20 years and sees the influx of tourists every year.

"We get high, high volumes of tourists, traffic woes, parking problems and it makes it very challenging to get around," she said.

Roberts, who is an HCA member, said she doesn't mind a reservation fee in place since it helps fix some of those issues, but says it is annoying you can't book for the same day.

She also thinks the fee shouldn't apply to people who live in Greensville.

"These are real barriers to the local people," she told CBC Hamilton.

Roberts started a petition on Change.org that has over 600 signatures as of Sept. 26.

"The Greensville residents should be allowed to visit the parks for free. It's in our backyard," she said.

Gauden, from HCA, said the admission fees are the same as all of HCA's major conservation areas — the only difference is the $10 reservation fee at Spencer Gorge.