Cataraqui Conservation has announced that as of 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday, April 8, all Conservation Areas and trails owned by Cataraqui Conservation will be closed to the public until further notice.
A list of included conservation lands can be found at the CRCA website. The closures also extend to two Lake Ontario boat ramps, Hay Bay in the Town of Greater Napanee and Henry St. in the City of Brockville, which is in line with other closures in those respective municipalities. Inland lake boat ramps and water access points will remain open at this time.
The agency says the decision to close trails and properties was a difficult one but deemed necessary after its its conservation areas experienced a significant increase in visitor traffic and both staff and members of the public reported some people were not be respecting physical distancing measures and/or were gathering in groups larger that the provincially mandated five individuals.
“The next several weeks are critical. We encourage residents to stay at home and practice social distancing,” said Katrina Furlanetto, General Manager. “We sincerely hope that by taking these steps now, everyone can get back to enjoying these properties, trails and facilities as soon as possible.”
All public events at Conservation Areas were cancelled on a previous date and the following closures are still in place and have been extended to May 4, 2020:
- The Cataraqui Conservation Administration Office (1641 Perth Road, Kingston) is remaining closed to the public until May 4. Staff will still be available during regular business hours of 8:30 a.m.to 4:30 p.m. by telephone or email.
- The Outdoor Centre at Little Cataraqui Creek Conservation Area and the Nature Centre at the Mac Johnson Wildlife Area in Brockville remain closed to the general public until May 4. This includes all education and weekend programs.
- Programs and services, including Cataraqui Conservation’s flood forecasting and warning, dam operations and planning and permitting remain active, with staff available by telephone or email.
Community members are asked to utilize phone or e-mail if they need to contact or correspond with staff during this time. Please note that response and processing times may be delayed. Permits or other hard copy documents can be dropped in the mail slot at the Administration Office or emailed to the appropriate staff member.
Visit crca.ca/coronavirus for future updates.
