Point Pelee to resume weekend visitor access
Point Pelee National Park will soon let visitors in on weekends following more than two months of closure due to concerns about COVID-19.
Starting June 13, the park will offer limited visitor access and basic services on Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to sunset.
Visitors will be able to access day-use trails, including cycling on designated trails and pathways, as well as day-use green spaces, picnic areas, and beaches. Some public washrooms located at the Sanctuary, Northwest Beach and the Blue Heron picnic area will also be open.
Parking will be available at the Orientation, Sanctuary, Northwest Beach, and Marsh Boardwalk dayuse areas.
“Visiting Point Pelee National Park will be different than it has been in the past,” stated a news release from Parks Canada on Wednesday.
“The health and safety of visitors and employees is of utmost importance to Parks Canada. Starting June 13, 2020, Point Pelee National Park will implement measures to limit the number of vehicles entering the park to help Canadians follow the advice of public health experts and to practice physical distancing. Visitors may experience longer than usual wait times to enter the park.”
Parks Canada asks people who intend to visit Point Pelee to check the park’s website (pc.gc.ca/pelee) before arriving to learn safety information and what parts of the park are open or closed.
The park closed on March 25, the same day Parks Canada suspended all visitor access and services to its parks nationwide in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
All camping facilities remain closed until at least June 21, while Parks Canada assesses whether and how these services might resume, the release said.