Parks impacted by storm surge
WEST POINT – Post-tropical storm Dorian altered the closing date for some of Prince Edward Island’s provincial parks.
Dorian’s heavy rain, strong winds and powerful storm surge inflicted a beating on several of its properties last weekend, Parks P.E.I. reported.
Jacques Cartier Park in Kildare, near Alberton, sustained considerable damage that prompted Park’s P.E.I. to immediately close the facility for the season.
Shane Arbing, manager of provincial parks, said the storm surge moved rocks around from a retaining wall that was installed at Jacques Cartier a few years ago and the wave action caused some erosion behind the big rocks.
In West Point, the rain and the waves flooded the Cedar Dunes campground and resulted in an immediate seasonal closure.
Arbing said the two western parks bore the brunt of the storm, but several others lost trees.
The department also closed Panmure Island park due to damaged trees and loss of electrical power.
All three parks were initially slated to remain open until Sept. 15.
Arbing said staff will remain on to help with the clean-up at the affected parks and to assist with the eventual season closing of other facilities.
Parks personnel advised the public not to enter closed facilities as it will take considerable time for staff to address all of the safety issues the weather caused.
Repair work is underway at Cabot Beach Provincial Park in hopes of having the campground reopened Sept. 12. The final day of the season there is Sept. 22. There was significant tree damage reported throughout the park and its day-use area is now closed to vehicular traffic for the remainder of the season.
Brudenell Provincial Park reopened Sept. 10. The season there runs until Oct 14. Northumberland Provincial Park was to reopen Sept. 12 and will close for the season on Sept. 26.
Campgrounds that remained open following the storm were Red Point and Linkletter. Their season closing dates are Sept. 22 and Sept. 29, respectively.
Provincial day-use parks in Argyle Shore, Basin Head, Bloomfield and Chelton Beach remain open.
Storm clean-up of the Confederation Trail is underway, but Arbing said the trail incurred major damage. When the entire trail will be available to foot traffic and cyclists again is undetermined.