A bumper 2022 summer is expected at Cypress Hills park.
The expectation is based on high campsite and camping night reservations.
Royce Pettyjohn, park manager, said 2021 had seen the busiest summer that the park had experienced in its 90-year history.
“2022 is shaping up to be just as busy,” he told the News-Times.
Pettyjohn said the park’s campsite reservation launch was April 26.
On that day Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park Saskatchewan received 4,788 individual campsite reservations and more than 26,000 camping nights were booked.
A new park feature this summer will be the opening of the Pine Hill Campground at the end of July, said Pettyjohn.
Park staff will be hoping a good summer will mark a rebound from the April 5 storm that blasted the region, knocking down hundreds of power poles.
“The park was without power for about six days,” said Pettyjohn. “Although there was some minor damage to park infrastructure, the most significant damage was to the forest.
“As the forest here at CHIPP Sask. is overmature, trees reaching the end of their natural lifespan are more susceptible to damage caused by wind storm.
“A significant number of trees have come down due to the increased amount of extreme weather we experienced this past winter.”
Meanwhile, Cypress Hills park continues to welcome ideas to draw more visitors.
Saskatchewan Park had invited entrepreneurs to come forward to discuss business opportunities at CHIPP Sask.
“Sask Parks is always interested in receiving proposals from entrepreneurs who have business ideas that will both complement and enhance the visitor experience offered by provincial parks in Saskatchewan,” said Pettyjohn.
He added: “The park receives several proposals each year, and these proposals are forwarded to the Sask Parks Business Unit in Regina who work with entrepreneurs to determine the feasibility of implementing new experiences in parks across Saskatchewan.”
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