Monthly Archives: May 2010

Thomas Cort contacted me indicating that the NCC have requested the removal of geocaches from Gatineau Park by June 20, 2010. He evidently received his information from geocaching.com. The implication from their message (copied below) is that geocaches may possibly be placed in Gatineau Park again in the future, once an NCC approved procedure for doing so has been established.

As a non-geocacher I find this slightly confusing.

Last summer (2009)Thomas asked other geocachers if he needed to gain permission from the NCC to place a cache in the park. Two of the replies he got indicated that although there were no rules at the time, meetings were planned that would establish some.

The NCC has issued a document stating that managing geocaching is one of its priority initiatives. That document though talks not of complete removal of geocaches but about their removal from zones identified as being the highest priority for conservation; their removal by the end of the summer; and their management in reference to Parks Canada’s geocaching guidelines.

I must say I am a bit surprised that a complete removal of caches is being called for and I’ll ask the NCC for their side of the story. I had instead been hoping that since geocachers have a strong centralized organization the NCC would reach out to this governing body and enter into an MOU as it has done with mountain bikers and rock climbers, enabling discussion with the affected group and the arrival at a mutually satisfactory route to responsible management.

For the sake of completeness, here are the associated pieces of background info noted above.

Message Thomas received from geocaching.com:

You are receiving this message because one of your caches is located within the territory of Gatineau Park.

The National Capital Commission (NCC) wishes to control Geocaching in the Gatineau Park.  Therefore, it is currently setting a procedure for caches within its territory, and is asking geocachers to archive all caches in the park.  They are requesting the cooperation of concerned geocachers to pick up all the containers.

We are asking for your cooperation in collecting your cache and in archiving the listing. Note that on June 20, 2010, all remaining caches within the territory of the park will be archived.

All new requests for publication at this location will be denied until permission of the NCC and the new procedure are received. We apologize for this inconvenience, which is beyond our control, and solicit the patience and cooperation of all geocachers.

Thank you

The Quebec Reviewers

Extracts from a geocache discussion board in reply to Thomas’ inquiry:

• The red-haired witch wrote “…there are guidelines for placing caches in Canadian National Parks and in Ontario Provincial Parks (and some are being worked on for Quebec Provincial Parks), but Gatineau Park is not a National or Provincial Park, which is why none of those guidelines apply there. So, for now… go ahead and place your cache, just make sure to follow NCC rules (don’t  cut down trees, build structures or pet the bears  )”
• Cron wrote “They are aware and they think nobody should place a physical cache on their property (Green Belt, Gatineau Park, etc), but they are not enforcing any rules yet. At that time, they were supposed to have meetings about it and come up with some rules. Never heard of them since then (they have my number).”

The NCC document entitled Priority Initiatives Stemming from the Gatineau Park Ecosystem Conservation Plan includes the following about geocaching:

• The geocaches located in the park’s integral conservation zone will be relocated in areas that are less sensitive before the end of summer 2010.
• Information regarding the geocaches will be modified on the websites associated with this activity.
• The NCC will refer to Parks Canada’s guidelines to manage the geocaching activity.

Parks Canada’s web page Parks Canada Welcomes Geocachers

In a letter to the editor at Lowdown Online Muriel How of the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society urges parliamentarians to make amendments to the bill now being considered that will change the legal status of Gatineau Park.

The National Capital Commission and the International Mountain Bicycling Association signed a Memorandum of Understanding last fall. This follows the pattern that the NCC has been trying to establish with Gatineau Park user groups but until now it was not completely clear what the MOU encompassed.

Last week the IMBA posted an item about the NCC’s mountain biking studies but also included in that post a link to a copy of the MOU.

From that document (which does contain other info):

1. Objective

The objective of this MOU is to enable further collaboration between NCC and IMBA to improve sustainable multiple-use trail planning, trail rehabilitation and management and encourage responsible use of trails in Gatineau Park. Collaboration could include mutually beneficial projects, programs and other opportunities related to trail planning, design, rehabilitation, maintenance, safety, communications and education. There is no financial obligation to either party as a result of this project. If individual initiatives require funding, separate agreements will be established.

2. NCC and IMBA will:

• Work cooperatively to identify, develop, and implement mutually beneficial projects, programs, and other opportunities related to trail planning, design, rehabilitation, maintenance, safety, communications and education, subject to the available of funds and personnel;
• Foster strategic alliances between NCC staff and IMBA’s staff, membership and network of volunteers;
• Share related information (as appropriate to the normal protocols of NCC and IMBA);
• Meet annually to discuss ongoing activities and new collaborative opportunities; and
• Complete an annual work plan that identifies and prioritizes potential projects, programs and other opportunities.

3. NCC and IMBA also agree that:

• This MOU is not intended to create a partnership between NCC and IMBA.
• This MOU is not an exclusive collaboration—either party can collaborate with others at their own discretion.
• Any materials prepared by either party for informing the public about this collaboration will be submitted to the other party for formal review and approval prior to its release.

Brian claims he hasn’t heard whip-poor-wills in Gatineau Park in more than 20 years but hears them now and hopes this means they are returning.

As reported by Sereena at TriRudy (she did have on a wetsuit and two bathing caps)

On Monday CBC Radio’s Stu Mills on All In A Day interviewed the NCC’s Louis-René Sénéchal about the NCC’s “Share the Road” advertising initative. Here’s the audio for that (it runs 8 minutes).

[audio: http://media.libsyn.com/media/p2peak/CBC-cycling-interview.mp3]

Louis-René explains how the NCC is trying to educate both cyclists and car drivers to promote safety in the park. That’s good.

With respect to cyclists he mentions how the Quebec traffic laws are applied so that cyclists ride single file and in groups smaller than 15. That sounds logical.

Yet there is something less than logical in there from a cyclist’s point of view. The Ottawa Bicycle Club explained to me that NCC parkways are patrolled by RCMP who enforce rules that aren’t always precisely in line with the rules or the surrounding province and municipality. The Ottawa Bicycle Club worked with what was then the RMOC (now the City of Ottawa) to establish a bylaw that allows two cyclists to ride side by side. Yet even on the NCC parkways within Ottawa this is not permitted.

Whereas the single file cycling rule may or may not be reasonable for Gatineau Park, based on conversations I’ve had, it appears that many leaders in the bicycle community feel that the rules imposed under the NCC’s “share the road” were done without their input or consultation.

Is this one more example of an opportunity for the NCC’s “openness” and “dialogue” initiative to bring authorities and park users closer to seeing eye to eye?

The National Post, in a report on the Queen’s visit to Canada this summer speculates that she’ll spend July 2nd relaxing in Gatineau Park:

“…Following a portrait session the next morning and the delivery of an “official greeting” at the Canada Day celebrations on Parliament Hill, the royal couple will spend July 2 enjoying a private day of relaxation in the Ottawa area, presumably at the federal government retreat on the Quebec side of the Ottawa River in nearby Gatineau Park.”

If you are in Gatineau Park around this time on a sunny day and think you can hear the pitter-patter of raindrops on the forest floor, we’ve got news for you.

The precipitation you are hearing is the poop from thousands and thousands of tent caterpillars munching away at the leaves in the trees above you.

Parkways in the Gatineau Park will begin to be closed to car traffic on Sundays between 6am and 11am this coming Sunday May 23.

The section of Parkway known as “the north loop” or “the doldrums” from P8 to the base of Dunlop Road will be closed to cars from 6am to 1pm.

During a ride up the parkway today I saw one squashed turtle and one live turtle peeking warily from the grass at the edge of the pavement.

The egg laying season is upon us (or upon the turtles) and they are venturing up onto what seems to them to be embankments upon which they might bury their eggs. Cars don’t see it the same way so please be alert when near ponds and try not to squarsh the hopeful mothers.