Gatineau Park reopens Saturday, ice storm clean-up still underway

Gatineau Park reopened Saturday after it was shut down for 5 days because of safety concerns.

“We have been working full time. We had service contractors out there, we a had conservation officer involved and our own crews (cleaning up),” says Christie Spence, Director, Quebec Urban Lands & Gatineau Park, with the National Capital Commission.

Large branches and trees have been removed but there is still considerable debris on the ground.

Spence says some areas are still off limits because crews have not been able to reach them because conditions are still unsafe. She says, “There are a bunch of smaller trails that are an offshoot of the main trails and we haven’t been able to clean there yet.”  

The parkways were also scheduled to reopen for vehicles and cyclists on May 4^th, but because of ice and snow the opening has been delayed. The NCC hopes to have them open by the May Long Weekend.

According to the National Capital Commission this is what’s open or closed:

• Open: All parking lots giving access to the main trails, except two:
• Closed: P13 at Meech Lake (note that Wolf Trail remains closed)
• Closed: The parking lot and trail for the Luskville Falls;
•  
• Open:

• Lauriault Trail;
• Sugarbush Trail;
• Capital Trail;
• Pioneers Trail.
• Closed: All backcountry trails (including snowshoe and snow bike trails);
• Closed: Rock climbing sites.