London West New Democrat MPP Peggy Sattler speaks at the Ontario legislature, December 14, 2017. London West New Democrat MPP Peggy Sattler speaks at the Ontario legislature, December 14, 2017.
London

Sattler Calls For End Of Komoka Parking Fees

A London New Democrat MPP is calling on the province to step in to remove parking fees at Komoka Provincial Park.

Peggy Sattler told the Wynne government during Question Period on Thursday the parking fees, which were introduced last year, have dramatically reduced the number of people visiting the park.

“If we assume two people per car, with each car paying for just one hour of parking, this translates into 25,000 visitors over 16 months -- a drop in attendance of more than 75%," said Sattler. “The park is really only accessible by car, and the data confirms that the fees are creating huge barriers to access.”

Sattler said, prior to the parking fee being introduced, an estimated 100,000 people visited the park annually. Over a 16 month period between August 1, 2016 and November 30, 2017, Sattler said approximately $67,000 in parking fees were collected.

“Does the minister think that a paltry $67,000 was worth depriving tens of thousands of Londoners, including seniors, people struggling with mental health issues, and others on low or fixed incomes, from the benefits of using this park?” Sattler asked Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry Kathryn McGarry.

McGarry was quick to fire back that the fees collected were reinvested into park improvements such as improved lighting and new washrooms and parking lots.

"All of the programs that are offered by our Ontario parks, and there are 340 of them in the province of Ontario not all with services, but it is all funded through gate receipts," said McGarry. "So all of the programs, all of the trails, all of the infrastructure that the Ontario Parks manages, all of the staff and all of the facilities that all of the visitors to our parks enjoy are all paid for through this special purpose account."

This is the second time Sattler has called on the Liberal government to remove the parking fees from the 200-hectare provincial park located at the western edge of London. She said the fees, which range from $5.25 to $14.50, were imposed without any public consultation.

While McGarry called the parking fee "unfortunate," she said there was nothing the government could do to remove it.

"Each Ontario provincial park has its own management plan and that management plan is set in progress for many years," said McGarry. "So I don't have the authority to [remove the parking fee]."

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