KINDLING The Slow Thaw
Dreams of the Frost Centre opening this summer are melting away
The fate of the 24,000-hectare Leslie M. Frost Centre will remain in limbo for an- other summer as the provincial govern- ment entertains proposals on how to run the centre in the future. The Natural Resources Centre, located
near Dorset, Ontario, consists of rugged Canadian Shield, mixed-woods wilderness and historic canoe routes. Prior to the sud- den closing of the centre in July 2004 by the provincial government, tens of thousands of city youths had experienced the wilder- ness through the centre during almost 60 years of environmental education at the residential facility. According to the premier’s office, the
Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) is getting out of the education business, and selling the Frost Centre to the private sector would save the ministry $1.2 mil- lion per year. After protests from teachers, outdoor
leaders, environmentalists, and in the absence of serious offers from private
investors, the Liberal Government set up a committee to study ways to re-open the centre. In June of 2005, the committee recom- mended that the centre remain publicly owned but be leased to the private sector to operate as an environmental outdoor learning centre. The committee is now sitting on 20 pro-
posals from different organizations, includ- ing one for a not-for-profit environmental education centre by the Friends of the Frost Centre and one for an eco-lodge and tourism training centre submitted by Al Zikovitz, the publisher of Cottage Life and explore magazines. According to David De Launey of the
MNR, any future use should maintain the original educational spirit of the cen- tre, while being financially viable. In the meantime, the hiking trails and canoe campsites are still open to the public. —David Arama
CAMPING SHOWS & EVENTS
NATIONAL HOME & RV SHOW April 7–9 K.C. Irving Centre Bathurst, NB
RV & LEISURE SHOW Apr 21–23 The Glacier Arena St-John’s, NF
NATIONAL HOME & RV SHOW Apr 28–30 Mariners Centre Yarmouth, NS
PADDLING EXTRAVAGANZA May 6 & 7 Laurel Creek Conservation Area Waterloo, ON
www.advguide.com
RAPID’S SINGLE BLADE SYMPOSIUM May 19–21 Palmer Rapids, ON
www.rapidmedia.com/sbs
GREAT CANADIAN OUTDOOR EXPO June 9–11 Canada’s Outdoor Park Woodstock, ON
www.greatcanadianoutdoorexpo.com
FAMILY CAMPING 5
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