Clearview campaigns for reopening of Devil’s Glen PP

Clearview Township will be asking the province to fully reopen Devil’s Glen Provincial Park in support of a request from Deputy Mayor Paul Van Staveren.

“It has been reported a couple of times that this motion was brought forward because of requests by the public and it wasn’t the case. This was something I took on as my own initiative so if anybody’s going to throw mud, I’ll take it and I’ll throw it right back,” he said.

Van Staveren referred to the park as a diamond in the rough.

The 45-site campground was closed in 1994 and the park, located on County Road 124 between Singhampton and Duntroon, was designated as a day use only, with hiking as the sole permitted activity. The campground, located on The Bruce Trail, averaged a 44 per cent campsite occupancy rate when open.

Van Staveren’s motion was prompted by a provincial announcement to build a new, staffed provincial park with camping spaces in Uxbridge.

“I’m thinking to myself, we’ve got a beautiful spot here,” said Van Staveren adding that the time has come that the province looks at some of its assets and in particular Devil’s Glen Provincial Park.

“It wouldn’t take much to bring this property back to life,” he said.

Van Staveren said it would boost tourism and would alleviate some of the parking and trespassing issues in the area.

“There’s a lot of stakeholders that we can include in our conversation… we are very receptive to all the players involved whether it’s the neighbours, the rock climbing people, I think there’s a lot of benefits to everybody in this situation,” he said.

“I think this is a very good idea,” said Councillor Robert Walker. “I can’t help but believe if we reopen the park, get it manned again, create a few jobs like it used to in the old days it might control the trespassing issues and go forward from there. I think it’s a great idea.”

Mayor Doug Measures said he would expect the provincial government to be attentive to the idea given that the pressure on provincial parks is enormous.

“If you’ve ever tried to book a campsite in any campground south of Parry Sound in Ontario, it’s a lottery that probably has worse odds than the 649,” he said.

With council support for Van Staveren’s May 8 motion a letter will be sent to MPP Brian Saunderson on behalf of the township, requesting that Devil’s Glen Provincial Park be reviewed by the province through the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks to be opened up fully, offering increased activities for the area that could include camping.