**** LANDS/FORESTRY Media Releases
Shubenacadie Wildlife Park, Camping Season Opening in June With Safety Measures In Place
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The Shubenacadie Wildlife Park and Nova Scotia’s 20 provincial camping parks are set to reopen in June with new measures in place to ensure Nova Scotians can safely enjoy their visits.
The wildlife park will reopen Monday, June 1, with reduced visitor capacity and modified hours to allow added time for cleaning. The park will open at 9 a.m. and close at 6 p.m. daily, with the final admissions at 5:30 p.m.
Visitors are encouraged to practise physical distancing and pay by debit or credit. A one-way route around the park is marked with arrows for visitors to follow. Some trails will be closed. Visitors cannot bring food into the park for the animals and coin feeders will not be available. Portable washrooms, including accessible facilities, and canteen service will be available.
Provincial campgrounds will open Monday, June 15, at a reduced capacity. The number of available campsites has been reduced by 30 per cent to ensure physical distancing requirements are met. Campers can expect more frequent cleaning of common areas, signs to promote physical distancing and other healthy practices, and changes to the on-site check-in process to minimize physical contact with park employees.
Campsite reservations will open over four days starting Monday, June 8. A schedule of which campgrounds open for reservations and the days they open is posted on the provincial parks website. Reservations can be made online or by phone starting at 9 a.m. on those days.
Provincial campgrounds will only be open to Nova Scotians. Reservations from out of province visitors will not be accepted in accordance with public health orders. Only registered campers will be allowed to enter campgrounds.
The provincewide burn ban will expire Monday, June 1 at 11:59 p.m., but daily burn restrictions remain in place during wildfire season. Nova Scotians must check restrictions online each day and know their municipal bylaws before burning brush or starting a fire in their backyard.
Quick Facts:
— all provincial park events are cancelled until at least June 30
— playgrounds and group facilities at campgrounds will remain closed until public health restrictions are lifted
— group camping sites, yurts and cabins will be closed this season
Additional Resources:
Nova Scotia Provincial Parks website: http://parks.novascotia.ca/
Nova Scotia Provincial Parks on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/NSProvincialParks/
Shubenacadie Wildlife Park website: http://wildlifepark.novascotia.ca/
Shubenacadie Wildlife Park on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ShubenacadieWildlifePark/
BurnSafe map: http://novascotia.ca/burnsafe/
Lands and Forestry on Twitter: http://twitter.com/nslandsforestry
