P.E.I. National Park at Cavendish open again after 2019 closure

The campgrounds at the Prince Edward Island National Park in Cavendish are open to the public again, although at a limited capacity.

Post-tropical storm Dorian took down 80 per cent of the trees in 2019 and the campground sustained about two metres of erosion after the storm. The campgrounds were closed from then until reopening on June 8 of this year.   

Joel McKinnon, the visitor services co-ordinator for P.E.I. National Park, said the aftermath of Dorian is still noticeable in some areas of the campgrounds.

The remaining debris and fallen trees will help restore beauty to the park in future, he said.

"We're working on that restoration work for kind of a long-term gain to bring Cavendish Campground back to its former beauty," McKinnon said.

"It's a really important part of the restoration project to bring those nutrients back into the soil, create a really fertile ground for some new growth to happen in Cavendish."

Of the 280 camp sites at the park, only 126 are open for now, with hopes to increase that number to 210 in July.

"There's no current plan to increase that capacity now, but we are definitely monitoring things closely as things go on throughout the summer," McKinnon said.

New addition to campground

Bunkies are a new addition to the campground this summer.

"It's part of the new offer as well to make these accommodations accessible to many people," McKinnon said.

"They're meant for two people, but they can accommodate up to four, depending on, you know, if you have some more people coming to visit you. But they have ramps and they're barrier-free options for people that are coming to visit."

Some spots on the campgrounds will be available for walk-in visitors, however, it's best to book a reservation, McKinnon said.

"We encourage people to look in advance with travel restrictions and plan your visit, and part of that is making your reservation in advance to make sure your space is available."

He urges visitors to follow COVID-19 guidelines while on campgrounds.

"Be mindful of the people around you. Be mindful of the spaces that you do use. Come prepared, bring your own sanitization kits and, you know, ultimately just enjoy your stay here."

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