New bathrooms, trail and roofed accommodations when frontcountry camping returns to Kejimkujik
Posted Mar 10, 2021 07:25:37 PM.
When frontcountry camping resumes at Kejimkujik National Park and National Historic Site this year, visitors will notice some improvements.
The Jeremy's Bay Campground was closed for renovations during the 2020 season, and when it reopens this year, campers will get to use new facilities.
No more trekking all the way to the outdoor theatre area to take a shower. All the former washrooms have been replaced with new combined washroom/shower buildings, which are accessible, family-friendly, and gender-neutral.
“The new design has a common hallway space for all users with five individual rooms, each with toilet, sink, and grooming area behind a lockable door as well as three shower rooms with lockable doors,” says Parks Canada on its website.
The old facilities hadn't been upgraded since they were built in the 1960s.
There's also a new option for overnight stays. Five Ôasis camping units have been installed overlooking Kejimkujik Lake.
Each teardrop-shaped structure at Jim Charles Point is heated and features a bed that transforms into a table, along with a hammock loft. They sleep up to two adults and two children.
Parks Canada has added the first new trail in decades to the national park. The 6 km long Ukme'k (pronounced “ook-may-k”) — which means “twisted” in Mi'kmaq — connects day-use areas and the campground on a single shared-use trail.
There's also a new water treatment facility, upgraded power and sewer utilities.
And there's still a major project in the works. The federal government is investing almost $600,000 to put in a solar array to offset 100 per cent of camper electrical use in Jeremy's Bay Campground.
Installation will start this spring and is expected to be completed by next spring.
“It will be located on currently unused, cleared land near the main electrical line for grid tie-in, using a net metering system with Nova Scotia Power,” Parks Canada said.
Reservations for Kejimkujik's 2021 season open at 8 a.m. on Friday, April 23.
