Northerners heading out in tents and trailers as province loosens camping restrictions

People returned to Sportsman's Park this spring when they usually do, just as the weather was starting to get warm.

But it will be far from a usual summer for the 100 families with trailers beside Daoust Lake in Alban.

There is caution tape around the beach and the playground. The games room and shower rooms are also closed.

"People that have children, a lot of them haven't started coming yet. Because they can't let their kids play," says Darlene Belanger, who has owned the park with her husband for the past 11 years.  

"It's very sad."

Most trailer parks were allowed to re-open May long weekend, but they have to follow government restrictions, which includes physical distancing and wearing masks. 

"As soon as they step foot off their site, they have to be masked. It's very weird," says Belanger. 

"It's very quiet. Very subdued."

At least one trailer park in the northeast has fallen through the cracks in the province's re-opening plans.

Flood's Landing Campground, north of Cochrane, has 27 trailer spots that aren't serviced by hydro, water or septic systems, which means it didn't fit the requirements for the parks that re-opened in May.

Owner Wendy Tanner says it's been tough explaining to her customers why they can't visit their trailers.

In the last week, the provincial government announced that camping on Crown land is now allowed and Tanner believes that should open the door for her to open her doors, but says she's been playing a "cat and mouse game" calling government agencies and is "not getting a lot of guidance for our unique situation."

"We don't want to do the wrong thing," she says.

"We don't want to open if we're not legally allowed to, because we can't afford to get charged and we want to do the right thing for our campers."

When Michelle Ouellet saw a social media post about Crown land camping re-opening, she and her husband got their camper ready and went out to find a spot right away.

"You're getting pretty antsy here by June. Camper is sitting in the driveway and you're waiting," says the Cochrane woman.

"We're really happy that they opened up Crown land that they made it available for the people that don't have thousands of dollars to spend at an RV park ... and give us a chance to enjoy somewhat of our short summer."

Reg Michaud of Hanmer spends his summers exploring northern Ontario by pitching his tent on Crown land from Killarney to Gogama.

This weekend he's off to Elliot Lake to do some hiking.

"Great to hear that it was going to be legal again and hopefully it stays that way," he says.

Michaud says even in the middle of the northern Ontario bush, he often runs into campers crowded together or lakeside spots where there are so many RVs it looks like a trailer park.

"You can catch it either way whether you're in the wilderness or walking down a city street, I guess, so keep the same practices in mind," he says.

This will also be the first weekend since Ontario provincial parks re-opened to some campers.

While the main campgrounds are still closed, backcountry sites are now open for those on hiking or canoe trips.

Jeremy Pawson, the superintendent for Killarney and French River provincial parks, says this week they've been seeing about ten campers a day.

"I'm excited," he says.

"Very happy to see people back in the park again and reconnecting with nature. You know, that's what we do at Ontario Parks."

Pawson says they are not allowing more than five people per campsite, unless they can prove they're from the same household.

He says campers are also being advised to pack hand sanitizer because washing your hands isn't always easy in the backcountry.

Most park facilities are still closed, but washrooms will be available for those heading out on trips 

"We do have protocols in place," says Pawson. "We have increased the amount of time we're cleaning."

There is no word yet on when the main campgrounds in provincial parks could re-open and what that would look like.