As of August 1,2016 the park will now be charging for parking at the two new parking lots equipped with the latest in money gobbling technology. Yes a mere $5.75 for up to two (2) hours of parking.
You are paying for parking, not for use of the park.
You may be wondering why.
Easy.
By paying for parking at the meter and displaying your ticket in your window, they only have to have the enforcement officer lurk around the parking lot waiting for you to enjoy the park a little longer than you paid for. Then will write you a ticket.
But if they were to have you pay for use of the park, the park enforcement would have to get out of their vehicle and be on the trails to insure you have paid for your use.
I have contacted the Ontario Parks people to express my concern and did get a reply.
Please read the following and if you are as peeved off at one more nickle and dime of taxation of something our taxes pay for in the first place, please respond to the contact person listed.
Hi Larry,Thank you for your email regarding Komoka Provincial Park, we appreciate you taking the time to share your concerns.
Komoka Provincial Park now receives an estimated annual visitation of over 90,000. Due to this high volume of visitors Ontario Parks made the decision to install a pay and display machine to recover the cost of maintaining the parking lots, privies, and ongoing maintenance. The fee for the Pay and Display machine is $5.75 per vehicle for two hours.
It may interest you to know that the Ontario Parks system is largely funded through user fees. The money that visitors pay for services in Ontario Parks stays in Ontario Parks. All park revenues are deposited into a Special Purpose Account (SPA) and are used to offset the cost of operating the provincial parks system. In 2015, Ontario Parks operated at over 85 per cent self-sufficiency.
Ontario Parks is committed to providing world-class recreational opportunities for our visitors at reasonable and competitive prices. Park fees are reviewed annually; we also compare our fees with other park organizations, including other provinces and private operators that offer similar services and find that our fees do compare favourably. Fees are approved through Treasury Board and the legislative authority for Ontario Parks is the Provincial Parks and Conservation Reserves Act and the Financial Administration Act.
This decision to initiate self-serve collection of fees within Komoka Provincial Park is consistent with the park management plan. The park management plan was developed between 2001 and 2010 and included several opportunities for public and Indigenous consultation. All comments and input received during consultation were taken into consideration in the development of the final plan which was released in May 2010. The Komoka park management plan can be found on Ontario Parks website.
If you have any additional questions or concerns regarding Komoka Provincial Park please contact Rhonda Card, Park Superintendent at (519) 874-4691 or rhonda.card@ontario.ca.
Again, thank you for writing and I hope you continue to enjoy the beautiful landscapes and the outdoor health benefits that our provincial parks have to offer.
Regards,
Ontario Parks