With thick wool socks likely at the ready, thousands poured into Ontario’s provincial parks this weekend.
And Orillia’s three area parks were no different with hundreds of campers pitching their tents and setting up their trailers for a chance to enjoy what some view as the unofficial start of summer.
“We love to camp and are camping about 11 or 12 weekends this year as well as two full weeks during the summer,” said Tanya Devries, who travelled from the Bowmanville area with her husband John and bulldog Bruce for a weekend getaway at Bass Lake Provincial Park.
While they’ve now moved up to a trailer after starting out tent camping, John Devries said there’s nothing better than enjoying time outdoors.
“You’re not working and it’s stress-free,” he said, adding they enjoy biking, walks and campfires at the province’s parks.
Courtice resident Kirsty Mason has camping at every provincial park in Ontario on her bucket-list after already tackling many parks in eastern and western Canada.
“This is our escape,” she said. “At home, we don’t always take the time to read a book, but here we do. Camping slows us down.”
Camping at the three Orillia-area parks officially began last weekend and while the weather has not yet cooperated, the parks have had wet springs in recent years and manages the best they can, according to Curt Morris, acting park superintendent at Bass Lake, Mara & McRae Point.
And despite the weather, Morris said there were very few cancellations for the Victoria Day weekend with all three parks busy.
And while some like to use the May long weekend as a camping springboard, the province’s parks remain a popular draw well into the fall.
“Ontario Parks focus on family camping and ensuring our visitors' stay is peaceful and enjoyable and there are so many nice beaches and trails within the parks,” Morris said.
“But here in the Bass Lake Cluster, our parks are so close to Orillia and there is always something happening in this city.”
George Kuca, who now lives in Stayner, said camping has always been an important part of his life, especially when he lived in Mississauga.
“It’s a huge release,” he said. “You get away from the big city.”
This weekend also allowed Kuca and his fellow camping mates an opportunity to try out their new tent trailer that he noted was a ‘fixer-upper.’
“We began working on it last month,” he said. “We finished it on Thursday and left for the campground Friday. This is our maiden voyage.”
