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REPORTING · 29th December 2010
HIRSCH CREEK STILL WILDERNESS PARK - CAMP AT OWN RISK
Walter McFarlane
On September 14th, 2009, Hirsch Creek Campground became: “Camp at Your Own Risk’ due to the dangerous trees which could blow down during high winds. You can read about it on the Kitimat Daily.

During the budget process, a motion was made to let the campground grow back into a wilderness park. Nothing was mentioned about camping. Later in the year, a group of out of town campers were driven out of the park.

None of the motions passed by Council on either date closed the park for camping although they did make the park: “Camp at Your Own Risk.” However, according to the report provided to council on December 20, signs were placed around the park which read the park was closed for camping.

A motion was made by Councillor Bob Corless to remove the no camping signs and replace them with signs stating the park is an un-patrolled wilderness area while maintaining the other recommendations from the ARC. It was carried.
Whiners ????
Comment by Brad Opheim on 5th January 2011
Hans, I as a hockey player and coach I take exception to your calling every hockey mom and dad, every hockey player aged 6 to 50 plus, every figure skater and every recreational skater a "whiner" . We pay several hundred dollars a season to play hockey.

Our tournaments put visitors in our hotels and restaurants (10 teams coming Jan. 21-22nd alone) contributing to our local economy in the middle of winter no less. Those visitors also buy gas, and may even do some shopping while here. I think they call that "economic spin off".
Having 2 rinks allows all kids and adults to stay fit have fun, doing so at a decent hour of the day and evening, and still kids are going to 6:30 am hockey practices !

I used to play and party at Hirsh creek in my younger days, people can still do that there today. As for no "serviced" camp sites, its kind of ironic that they kicked people out of a un-serviced "campground", yet let people park on the river bank, where no camp ground exists, and nobody does a thing about that.

When they drive their self contained motorhomes down to the river and park 25 feet from the riverbank for a week to fish and then drive away when the freezer is full or the holiday is over , what have they left in support of Kitimat? Oh yeah they left lots of eco system damaging, river polluting toxic waste, grey water, garbage, etc. Not exactly the "economic spin off " I think we were hoping for?

While we all may not agree on what needs to be fixed first, I think we can agree that with a diverse population there are going to be diverse interests and opinions on most subjects.

Noticed a petition going around about the new snow clearing policy. Have had people new to Kitimat comment on how great the snow clearing is here, compared to where they came from, while some long time Kitimat residents have the opposite opinion. Does that make them whiners? I guess it depends on which side you are on...
Hirsch Creek Park fan
Comment by H.J.Sanou on 29th December 2010
Just wondering how much money was saved. All that was needed was manpower to service Hirsch Creek Park, with equipment readily available at the yard.
Since there were no lay offs at the yard, where were the savings? What work was done instead that was so necessary that the park had to be neglected..
If we had the same whiners that wanted the second arena reopened I am sure the park would have stayed open as well.