Visitors pack Sask. campgrounds in first long weekend without COVID-19 restrictions
Campgrounds were packed with people looking to enjoy the nice weather, great outdoors and the first three-day weekend since COVID-19 restrictions were lifted on July 11.
Matthew Lee made his way to Pike Lake Provincial Park to camp with family, traveling from La Ronge.
“The first night was already just a blast and a half. I’ve had so much fun seeing everybody’s friendly faces.”
Joining Lee are 22 family members from Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba and Saskatchewan. They have been waiting for the opportunity to gather after Lee's grandfather Wayne Lee, 70, passed away. The pandemic put plans on hold with inter-provincial travel closed off and other restrictions in place.
“This weekend what we're doing is a family memorial trip for my late grandfather who passed away last year,” said Lee. “We all wanted to do something in the old man’s honour.”
The mighty Lee contingent weren’t the only ones packing into the Pike Lake.
“When it comes to sites you can reserve, we are at capacity,” said Dan French, executive director of park operations for Saskatchewan Parks.
French said the parks have been busy since the beginning of the season and have stayed busy since the beginning of July after the schoolyear ended. The province's parks are also seeing lots of day visitors come out to the beaches at spots like Pike Lake, Blackstrap, and Good Spirit.
“Our day-use visitors are off the charts.”
Sturgeon Lake Regional Park which has been busy all summer is jam-packed this weekend. The park hosted a volleyball tournament, horseshoe tournament and held a beach party with fireworks on Saturday.
“It has been unprecedented actually,” said Melanie Neufeld who manages Sturgeon Lake Regional Park. “We can’t take any more campers, we are like beyond full staff, and we called in more people.”
Fire bans remain in place at some of the provincial parks.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Deaths of 4 people on Sask. farm confirmed as murder-suicide
The deaths of four people on a farm near the Saskatchewan village of Neudorf have been confirmed a murder-suicide.
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
developing Bus plunges off a bridge in South Africa, killing 45 people. An 8-year-old child is only survivor
A bus carrying worshippers headed to an Easter festival plunged off a bridge on a mountain pass and burst into flames in South Africa on Thursday, killing at least 45 people, authorities said.
Calgary bridges remain closed due to ongoing police incident
Calgary police have shut down a number of bridges into and out of the downtown core as officers deal with a distraught individual.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.
George Washington family secrets revealed by DNA from unmarked 19th century graves
Genetic analysis has shed light on a long-standing mystery surrounding the fates of U.S. President George Washington's younger brother Samuel and his kin.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
Kinew, Poilievre meet at Manitoba legislature, discuss each other's priorities
Premier Wab Kinew and federal Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre met at the Manitoba legislature Thursday afternoon.
Biden OKs US$60M in aid after Baltimore bridge collapse as governor warns of 'very long road ahead'
Maryland Gov. Wes Moore warned Thursday of a 'very long road ahead' to recover from the loss of Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge as the Biden administration approved US$60 million in immediate federal aid after the deadly collapse.