A new provincial park at Little Limestone Lake in north-central Manitoba is being proposed and the public is invited to have input in the process from mid-July to late August, Conservation Minister Bill Blaikie announced today.

"Protecting one of the most amazing examples of a marl lake in the world is an important legacy we can leave for future generations," said Blaikie. "Because of its rare geography, Little Limestone Lake stands out among Manitoba lakes for its annual cycle of magnificent colour changes."

With the co-operation of the Moose Lake Resource Management Board, the province is developing a management plan for the proposed park to guide how it will be conserved and protected. This process involves the Mosakahiken Cree Nation, local citizens, industry, interest groups and the general public and will incorporate scientific and traditional knowledge.

Little Limestone Lake is a 15-kilometre body of water in the karst landscape north of Grand Rapids, a limestone region with underground drainage and many cavities and passages caused by the dissolution of the rock. It is referred to as a marl lake as it changes colour when calcite precipitates in the water as its temperature increases in the summer. It is considered to be the best and most outstanding example of a marl lake in the world, the minister said.

Little Limestone Lake Park Reserve was established in 2007. Park reserves provide temporary protection to land while the area is being considered for designation as a provincial park. Under the Provincial Parks Act, public consultation is required to create a permanent designation.

Comment sheets are available at www.manitobaparks.com and can be submitted until Aug. 31. Residents can also mail their input on Little Limestone Lake to Manitoba Conservation, Parks and Natural Areas Branch, Box 53, 200 Saulteaux Cres., Winnipeg, MB R3J 3W3.

More information is also available by calling 945-6797 in Winnipeg or 1-800-214-6497 (toll-free).

- 30 -

Organized camping and 'camperships' for children in Manitoba have received $63,200 in funding, Healthy Living, Youth and Seniors Minister Jim Rondeau announced today in the lead up to Canada's Parks Day on July 17.

"This year, Canada's Parks Day will recognize the International Year of Biodiversity, a celebration of life on earth and the value of biodiversity.  We're fortunate to live in a place as biologically rich as Manitoba, from the Arctic tundra to the grassland prairies," said Rondeau.  "Camping can instil an appreciation of the environment and love of the outdoors at a young age, which is one of many reasons that we are facilitating safe, organized camps for our kids." 

The Province of Manitoba is providing total support of $40,600 to assist children and their families who do not have the financial means to attend a summer camp. A further $22,600 is being provided to the Manitoba Camping Association for its efforts in co-ordinating and accrediting organized camps across the province to ensure strict standards of safety and quality are met. 

"Going to camp can be a major life experience for a young person as they make new friends, gain new skills and learn about nature," added Rondeau. "I encourage all Manitobans to join us in supporting the Manitoba Camping Association's Sunshine Fund and the Manitoba Child and Family Services of Western Manitoba's Sun Fund – it may just change a young life." 

- 30 -

Grand Rapids Provincial Park
Zed Lake Provincial Park
Burge Lake Provincial Park
Paint Lake Provincial Park

Lynn Lake is roughly 1,090 kilometres northwest of Winnipeg. Let's put that into perspective: That's almost the same distance between Winnipeg and Medicine Hat, Alberta; almost the same distance between Winnipeg and Omaha, Nebraska. It takes about 12 hours of driving through some of the most pristine forests in Canada to arrive at this remote town, built as the result of a 20th century gold and nickel rush. Twelve hours on the road – all within the province of Manitoba.

The town of Lynn Lake was borne from the death of another town. In the 1940s, after a mere 20 years, the copper veins that ran beneath the town of Sherridon, 190 kilometres south of Lynn Lake, were mined out. The town's fortunes had reverse dramatically. In desperation, prospectors headed out in every direction, in search of salvation for the town. This salvation, a massive nickel desposit, was found in 1945 near Lynn Lake.

The people of Sherridon moved north to work the new mines at Lynn Lake, bringing the whole town with them. Tractors pulled the houses, churches, and offices of Sherridon north along winter ice roads. Sherridon was completely transported 190 kilometres to the north, to what is now Lynn Lake.

For the next three decades, Lynn Lake was a mining boomtown. Gold was discovered shortly after the nickel deposit and by the mid-1970s, the town's population peaked at nearly 3500 people. Unfortunately the 1980s saw an end to the mining boom when the nickel deposit ran out and gold production stalled, as the mines began to be tapped out.

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Manitoba Parks:
From A(sessippi) to Z(ed Lake)

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Paint Lake Provincial Park on July 3, 2010. (NEIL BABALUK FOR THE WINNIPEG FREE PRESS)

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Zed Lake Provincial Park on July, 2, 2010. (NEIL BABALUK FOR THE WINNIPEG FREE PRESS)

Grand Rapids Provincial Park
Zed Lake Provincial Park
Burge Lake Provincial Park
Paint Lake Provincial Park

Lynn Lake is roughly 1,090 kilometres northwest of Winnipeg. Let's put that into perspective: That's almost the same distance between Winnipeg and Medicine Hat, Alberta; almost the same distance between Winnipeg and Omaha, Nebraska. It takes about 12 hours of driving through some of the most pristine forests in Canada to arrive at this remote town, built as the result of a 20th century gold and nickel rush. Twelve hours on the road – all within the province of Manitoba.

The town of Lynn Lake was borne from the death of another town. In the 1940s, after a mere 20 years, the copper veins that ran beneath the town of Sherridon, 190 kilometres south of Lynn Lake, were mined out. The town's fortunes had reverse dramatically. In desperation, prospectors headed out in every direction, in search of salvation for the town. This salvation, a massive nickel desposit, was found in 1945 near Lynn Lake.

The people of Sherridon moved north to work the new mines at Lynn Lake, bringing the whole town with them. Tractors pulled the houses, churches, and offices of Sherridon north along winter ice roads. Sherridon was completely transported 190 kilometres to the north, to what is now Lynn Lake.

For the next three decades, Lynn Lake was a mining boomtown. Gold was discovered shortly after the nickel deposit and by the mid-1970s, the town's population peaked at nearly 3500 people. Unfortunately the 1980s saw an end to the mining boom when the nickel deposit ran out and gold production stalled, as the mines began to be tapped out.

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Today, Lynn Lake's mines are no longer in operation. Only 700 people remain in this town at the end of Manitoba's most northernly highway, Provincial Road 391. Just outside this remote community are the two most northernly road-accessible provincial parks in Manitoba – Zed Lake and Burge Lake.

The journey north to Zed and Burge lakes was the most demanding my travel companions and I have undertaken so far, but also the most rewarding.

Highway 6, between Winnipeg and Thompson, is a smooth strip of pavement, better than most southern Manitoban highways. Although the highway cuts through largely uninhabited boreal forest, a steady stream of traffic limits the feeling of isolation.

Along the route to Thompson and Lynn Lake, Grand Rapids Provincial Park is located just outside of its namesake town, 440 kilometres north of Winnipeg. The park is not marked. It is not maintained. If you are driving this way, don't bother stopping.

Provincial Road 391 runs for 320 kilometres between Thompson and Lynn Lake and is the opposite of Highway 6. Intermittently paved, the road winds along wild northern lakes and rivers, with Leaf Rapids and Lynn Lake the only settlements on the road. The unusually dry conditions made the driving easier, but I can imagine how much of a nightmare the road could be during wet conditions. Thick smoke hung in the air and draped to the road, the result of major forest fires in the area.

After arriving at Lynn Lake, we headed to Zed Lake Provincial Park, 40 kilometres from town, and set up camp. We then travelled to Burge Lake Provincial Park and relaxed at the park's small beach.

Both provincial parks offer rustic campgrounds (no showers, no electricity) cut into the jack pine forest. After renting a canoe from a local outfitter, we set out on Zed Lake, with dreams of reeling in master angler-sized walleye and northern pike.

These dreams were soon dashed – ten minutes out on the lake, lightning began to strike just to the south of us. We paddled as fast as we could to get off the lake before the storm hit. This thunderstorm was likely no relief to those who were fighting the massive forest fires that were raging to the south and the northwest, as the short downpour would not have extinguished the fires and the lightning had the potential to start more.

The storm seemed to have little effect on the fires because the next day, smoke still hung heavily in the air. With a forest fire-related travel ban limiting us to the campground areas of the two provincial parks, we decided that we would shorten our journey home by five hours and spend the night at Paint Lake Provincial Park, 35 kilometres south of Thompson on Highway 6.

It was an excellent decision. Paint Lake is cut into the Canadian Shield and to my eyes is reminiscent of Lake of the Woods – rocky islands divide the lake into a series of channels.

The campground is similar to the larger campgrounds in Whiteshell Provincial Park. Mystery Country's Paint Lake Resort, which rents boats, jet-skis, canoes, and kayaks, is also located on the lake.

With the sun shining down on us and the mercury pushing 30 C, we rented a boat and cruised around the lake. Paint Lake is a boater's paradise, a seemingly never-ending maze of islands and channels. Without a doubt, Paint Lake Provincial Park has been my favourite stop of the summer so far.

The remote northwest corner Manitoba offers some of the best parks and scenery in the province. The long journey to Zed Lake, Burge Lake, and Paint Lake was worth the drive and is one I would highly recommend.

The longest trip of my year-long adventure has been accomplished. Next week, I'm heading to the eastern side of the province and Nopiming Provincial Park.

As Leanne Koss suggests, Birds Hill Park has become a dump.

But it's not only Birds Hill but many of the popular provincially run campgrounds in Manitoba. At one time we were avid campers and quite familiar with the problems of casual camping, hence we decided to try "seasonal" camping at St. Malo. However, it was more of the same thing.

It's not only the garbage and rundown facilities, but a general lack of control by park officials. Speeding cars and obnoxious drunks dominate what should be a quiet week of camping. Not to mention the stealing.

Eventually we sold our RV, based on the decision that if we wanted to visit a zoo we would travel to Assiniboine Park.

Al Yakimchuk

Sandy Hook