Ontario Parks says restoration plans are being developed for Samuel de Champlain Provincial Park after last weekend’s storm.
“The storm, which included a microburst, resulted in extensive tree damage and hazardous conditions throughout the park,” states the Parks Alert web page. “Emergency workers have been actively working to assess the damage, clear debris, and provide assistance to those affected. Overnight reservation holders have been notified.”
The park is closed to the public, with officials saying they anticipate it will be at least a week before the park is accessible.
Meantime, the Northern Tornadoes Project, based at Western University, says ground and drone surveys in the park revealed strong downburst damage, at least EF1.
“Further investigation is needed to determine full extent and max. wind speed, though it does appear comparable in intensity with some of the strongest downburst damage NTP has seen to date,” states a post on social media.
Still at the park, the Near North District School Board (NNDSB) says the ‘significant and landscape-altering damage’ caused by the storm has forced the cancellation of summer school programming at the Canadian Ecology Centre (CEC).
“Staff of CEC have reached out to registered students and staff, and the process of demitting and refunding students has begun,” states a NNDSB release. “Phone lines are down, and people are asked to be patient as staff reach out over the coming days.”
The board says teachers and students from across the province register every year to take advantage of the unique learning opportunity at the centre.
Both sessions of the summer credit courses have been cancelled.
