BIGHORN – While residents of the MD of Bighorn want the provincial government to do something about increased overnight camping at Gap Lake, officials are saying they will be monitoring the situation.
The increase in camping along the 1A Highway a few kilometres west of Exshaw became a flash point for residents of the municipal district recently, after Canmore changed its parking regulations for those camping overnight in a public parking lot behind the Save-On-Foods to help manage the situation.
On Tuesday (June 11), the provincial government acknowledged it has heard concerns about overnight camping in the Gap Lake area and said it is monitoring the situation.
“Alberta Environment and Parks (AEP) is aware that overnight camping has increased in the Gap Lake Area, and is monitoring the situation through periodic site visits by Lands Officers and Conservation Officers,” said Scott Lundy, assistant director of external communications for AEP, in an emailed statement.
“Under the Public Lands Act, any person may enter on and occupy vacant public land for recreational purposes. Overnight camping (a.k.a. random camping) is a recreational purpose permitted on vacant public land.”
Lundy noted a person is allowed camp for a period up to 14 days under the regulations.
The issue was discussed at the MD of Bighorn council meeting in May and revisited again on Tuesday, when Reeve Dene Cooper and councillors expressed concerns about the risks of random camping in the area.
“We don’t want to bring people into active quarries, it’s dangerous,” Cooper said, noting campers can also easily end up in occupied lease lands and other places where they should not be.
Located six kilometres west of Exshaw, the land is in the industrial triangle where the Reeve “strongly discourages” random camping due to safety and trespassing concerns and the fact the area is bighorn sheep habitat. Leaseholders in the industrial triangle area include Lafarge, Graymont, Burnco and Baymag. All industrial leaseholders in the area are required to eventually return the area to bighorn sheep habitat.
“What the lawless people have to realize is the criminal and civil code apply [and] if you are breaking the laws on those lands, you are not free from being investigated and charged,” Coun. Erik Butters said at council.
Several Exshaw and Bighorn residents have brought up the issue over social media, expressing concerns regarding the cleanliness of the area and potential fire hazards.
Lundy noted the rules for overnight camping on public land include campsites must be kept clean and all garbage must be removed; campsites must be located in areas that minimize damage to vegetation; and the facilities must be temporary and portable.
“Fires for cooking and warming are permitted, as long as fire bans are not in effect. Fires must never be left unattended, and they must be extinguished before leaving,” Lundy wrote.
“Dogs are permitted on vacant public land, and they must be under the care and control of their owners at all times.”
The area around Gap Lake where people are setting up is not listed as an official campground under the Alberta Parks website. Gap Lake is listed as day-use only and the official campgrounds in the area are Bow River, Three Sisters, Lac Des Arcs, Bow Valley and Willow Rock, all listed on the Alberta Parks Bow Valley campground map.
The Reeve told the Outlook last week that the “highest and best” use of the area as he has understood it, is to use the area as a habitat patch specifically for bighorn sheep and that while it is an area the MD might have influence, the direct care and control is with the provincial government.
“The Gap Lake Area is public land and therefore a working landscape,” Lundy wrote.
“Routine maintenance on a nearby power line was recently completed [and] the company has an obligation to carry out reclamation on its workplace.”
The AEP assistant director did note motorized access is temporarily restricted to allow landscaping work to occur.
“This work will be carried out in the coming weeks,” he said.
