As the province continues to learn to live with COVID-19, the Provincial Government today announced a two-phase re-opening process for the Provincial Parks of Newfoundland and Labrador, to occur during Alert Level 3.
- On Friday, June 12, day-use activity at 13 Provincial Park campgrounds and seven day-use Provincial Parks will be permitted.
- On Friday, June 19, overnight camping at 13 Provincial Parks campgrounds will be permitted, with restrictions.
In addition, the Campsite Reservation Service will be launched on Thursday, June 11 at 1:30 p.m. NDT. A public advisory on launch of the Campsite Reservation Service, will be issued prior to that date.
Overnight camping is expected to resume in full, beginning in Alert Level 2.
The number one priority during this re-opening process will be the safety of all visitors and staff. As a result, cleaning schedules will be enhanced, and services such as playgrounds, showers, recycling services and laundry facilities will be closed or unavailable. Also at this time, the only accepted form of payment will be debit or credit card.
All visitors and staff are reminded to adhere to any public health orders issued. Physical distancing must be maintained, and entry can be denied to anyone exhibiting flu or cold like symptoms. Protect yourself and your family by practicing good hygiene, by washing your hands with soap and water, or using hand sanitizer before and after touching common surfaces, such as door knobs, flush handles, and taps.
There are 32 provincial parks throughout the Newfoundland and Labrador; including 13 camping parks, 10 park reserves, and seven day use parks, as well as T’Railway Provincial Park and Main River Waterway Provincial Park.
For more detailed information on hours of operations and guidelines for park day-use and camping, see backgrounder below.
For the most up-to-date information related to COVID-19, please visit www.gov.nl.ca/covid-19. For general inquiries related to available government services, please email covid19info@gov.nl.ca.
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“On behalf of the Provincial Government, I welcome back visitors to our beautiful provincial parks to enjoy the outdoors and the numerous related activities. Our re-opening process is designed to ensure public safety, so I encourage users to follow all the park guidelines and restrictions that have been put in place. The launch of the Campsite Reservation Service will occur on Thursday, June 11. As we get closer to the launch date, we will provide more information to those who utilize this service.”
Honourable Bernard Davis
Minister of Tourism, Culture, Industry and Innovation
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Provincial Parks of Newfoundland and Labrador
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Media contact
Eric Humber
Tourism, Culture, Industry and Innovation
709-725-9655
erichumber@gov.nl.ca
BACKGROUNDER
Provincial Parks – Day Use Schedule – Effective Friday, June 12, 2020
Provincial Parks
There are 13 Provincial Parks in Newfoundland and Labrador:
- Barachois Pond
- Butter Pot
- Blow Me Down
- Dildo Run
- Frenchman’s Cove
- JT Cheeseman
- La Manche
- Lockston Path
- Notre Dame
- Pinware River
- Pistolet Bay
- Sandbanks
- Sir Richard Squires Memorial
Starting June 12, all parks with, the exception of Pinware River Provincial Park, will be open for day use Monday to Sunday from 8:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. Pinware River Provincial Park will be closed on Mondays and Tuesdays until the full staff complement is in place but in the meantime, will open on the remaining days from 8:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Provincial Park Day Use Areas
There are seven Provincial Parks which are for day use only:
- Arches
- Cataracts*
- Chance Cove*
- Codroy Valley*
- Deadman’s Bay*
- Dungeon*
- Gooseberry Cove*
*Note: These six day use parks will be open for day use but there will be no picnic tables or washroom facilities. The picnic tables and outhouses will be closed at the Arches on Mondays and Tuesdays.
Opening Guidelines for Provincial Parks
Day Use (as of June 12):
- Outhouses will be open.
- Playgrounds, boat rentals, and comfort stations including shower and laundry facilities will remain closed.
- Checkpoints will accept credit and debit cards only (no cash).
- Firewood will not be available for purchase. If you want to have a campfire in a designated fire pit, please bring your own firewood.
- Plan ahead. Bring your own water, snacks, and hand sanitizer. Wearing a cloth mask is an additional measure you can take to protect others around you where it is more difficult to keep a 2 m distance.
- Park staff may have to limit access depending on visitor numbers. Consider visiting at times or days when visitor use may be lower.
- For anglers, park gates will be closed from 8 pm to 8 am. Please park vehicle(s) outside the gate or choose to fish elsewhere, until overnight camping resumes.
- Staff are available if you require assistance.
Camping (as of June 19):
- Camping is permitted for self-contained units only, no tenting.
- All campsite types (seasonal, extended stay and short-term stay) will be available for reservation (as of June 11 when the system is active).
- The number of extended stay and short-term stay campsites available for reservation has been reduced by approximately 50 per cent to reduce congestion in campgrounds. Inventory may be added or removed from the reservation system as needed based on visitor compliance with public health guidelines.
- Checkpoints and dumping stations will be open.
- Checkpoints will accept credit and debit cards only (no cash).
- Outhouses will be open for day users.
- Playgrounds, boat rentals, and comfort stations including shower and laundry facilities will remain closed.
- Firewood will not be available for purchase. If you want to have a campfire in a designated fire pit, please bring your own firewood.
- Park staff may have to limit access depending on visitor numbers. For day users, consider visiting at times or days when visitor use may be lower.
- Staff are available if you require assistance.