Entrance to Lake Erie waterfront at Rondeau Park (BlackburnNews.com file photo).Entrance to Lake Erie waterfront at Rondeau Park (BlackburnNews.com file photo).
Chatham

Rondeau Trail And Camping Season Officially Begins

Nature lovers will be able to set up camp at Rondeau Provincial Park for the first time this season as the flood waters have finally dried up.

The park planned to open for camping May 15, but due to an unseasonably wet spring, the park was forced to close its sites.

Rondeau superintendent Brad Connor said the unseasonably warm temperatures over the last two weeks have helped speed up the process.

"It has allowed for the flooded areas to dry up," Connor said. "The sites can now be occupied without damaging them so it is back to business as usual for us."

Connor said he already has 40 reservations for this weekend but doesn't expect it to be packed until kids are out of school. Though the campsites haven't been available this season, Connor said the rest of the park has been open to the public.

"We've had lots of day use here," Connor said. "Lots of people walking, rollerblading and when the wind picks up and there's lots of chop on Rondeau Bay here, we've had lots of kiteboarding.

Connor added the trails have also dried up for hiking and mountain biking.

While the superintendent did advise anyone coming to the park to watch out for ticks, he said the silver-lining is that the mosquitoes haven't been a big problem just yet.

"I haven't heard anything from any of the staff or visitors," said Connor. "People tend to stay away from the flooded areas and I am sure there are higher than average situation in some of those areas, but no one has brought anything to my attention."

 

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