A look back on Ontario Parks’ outhouses

We called on Ontario Parks Architect Matthew Harvey to provide some insight on outhouses…the good, the bad, and the stinky!

In the course of my 30 year architectural career with Ontario Parks, I occasionally get asked what I do for a living. I proudly reply “Why, I design outhouses!”

If that person doesn’t excuse themselves, turn on their heel and beat a hasty retreat, then we might get down to a discussion that goes something like this:

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Rise of the clones

Today’s post comes from Cara Freitag, past park naturalist at Neys Provincial Park.

When I first sat down to write this post, I felt doubt about whether or not people would want to read it.

“Who cares about plant rhizomes? Why would anyone read that?” I asked myself.

Well, I care about plant rhizomes. After all, they’re the reason we have a forest!

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Is that lichen killing those trees?

Today’s post comes from Cara Freitag, a past Park Naturalist at Neys Provincial Park.

There are many misconceptions about nature: climb a tree to escape bears,  moose are friendly, coolers are strong enough to prevent bears getting your food.

Before I became a naturalist, I thought that all insects were bugs, not just the Hemiptera order. My cousins in Germany thought that every Canadian had a pet Polar Bear!

None of these things are true.

Big mammals tend to get most of the attention, but there are misconceptions about smaller organisms too.

We have many visitors at the Neys Visitor Centre wondering: “Is that lichen killing those trees?” (Don’t worry, the answer is no.)

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Leeches: fearsome, ferocious, and… friendly?

Today’s blog comes from Charlotte Westcott, Discovery leader at Neys Provincial Park.

One of the most exciting things about working for Ontario Parks is getting to investigate all the different species that live in your area.

Here at Neys, we have a diverse array of boreal forest flyers, runners, critters, and crawlers to investigate.

Yet for all our curiosity about the world around us, sometimes a few of our park residents can slip through the cracks.

Even for some park naturalists, critters can get a bit too… disgusting. Yet if we challenge ourselves to look past the grossness, we can find a whole new world of wonder on the other side!

These fearsome, ferocious, and friendly species have marvelous stories, adaptations, and more just waiting to be discovered once we give them a second look.

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Ruffing it at Ontario Parks: a dog’s perspective on camping

This post is brought to you from our guest blogger Sitka the Border Collie, with help from her human Laura Myers, a strategic market development specialist with Ontario Parks.

Hello! My name is Sitka and I’m a dog.

My humans love to camp! From the moment they brought me home when I was eight weeks old, they said, “I can’t wait for all the camping adventures we will go on, little one.”

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6 parks with extended fall camping seasons

Cooler weather. No bugs. The pumpkin pie aroma wafting from your campfire, and the warmth of hot chocolate in your hands.

It must be fall camping season!

Searching for the perfect destination? These six parks will be extending their camping seasons this year:

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Healthy Parks Healthy People Day 2023

We know that spending time in nature is good for us.

Sometimes, we just need a little push to get outside and feel the effects!

That’s why on July 21, we are offering a variety of activities in parks across the province in celebration of Healthy Parks Healthy People Day.

All parks that normally charge a day-use fee will be offering free entry so you can enjoy the benefits of being in nature.

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Chugging along the tracks of time

Today’s post comes from Kelila Seymour, a Discovery Leader at Neys Provincial Park.

While some parks can boast a connection with the Canadian Pacific Railroad (CPR), few parks are “tied” to the railroad as closely as Neys!

Maybe you’ve driven across the tracks when you’ve entered the park, heard the whistle blow as you curl up around an evening fire, or had the chance to paddle under the trussel bridge that spans the Little Pic River.

Surrounding Neys, you are reminded of the CPR and its historical significance to the park and to Canada.

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