Mayor Laughren Praises MNR Decision to Operate Ivanhoe Lake Provincial Park for 2014 Season
Date published: Tuesday, March 25, 2014
Timmins Mayor Tom Laughren is pleased with the Ministry of Natural Resources’ decision to continue to operate overnight camping facilities at Ivanhoe Park in the 2014 season, without the need of a municipal guarantee.
“When the Province indicated plans to close ten provincial parks to overnight camping in October 2012, we worked very closely with other municipalities through the Federation of Northern Ontario Municipalities, and park users to ensure there was a plan to save our park. We were pleased in 2013 when MNR entered into a municipal backed partnership to Ivanhoe Lake Provincial Park and thrilled that our agreement with them proved successful,” said Mayor Laughren, who is also the Vice-President of FONOM.
The Friends of Ivanhoe Lake Provincial Park were instrumental in helping to promote the park and through their work and the work of the City of Timmins and FONOM, Ivanhoe Lake Park’s future is more secure.
“This announcement by MNR shows what positive results we can get when municipalities, local stakeholders and the provincial government come together and share responsibility for achieving success in the North.” said Al Spacek, President of FONOM and Mayor of Kapuskasing.
In late 2012, municipal representatives from Northeastern Ontario, through FONOM, developed a blueprint for addressing the financial shortfall MNR cited as the reason for closing parks. Under the plan, MNR was given a pathway to breaking even or turning a slight profit at parks and local municipalities like Timmins offered to fund any deficit the province generated through parks operating under the plan.
“Mayor Laughren and Timmins Council showed preparedness to go to the wall for Ivanhoe Lake Provincial Park and the park users truly took to heart the ‘use it or lose it’ message FONOM and others were sharing last season. Together they’ve saved this park by making it financially viable to MNR,” added Spacek.
For More Information:
Mayor Tom Laughren of Timmins, Vice President of FONOM
705-266-5804
or
Mayor Al Spacek of Kapuskasing, President of FONOM
705-335-0001
[email protected]