News Release
Public Urged to Use Caution in HRM Parks
(Wednesday, August 8/2001)-- Halifax Regional Municipality's parks and wooded areas remain open to the public, but parks-users are being asked to use caution, remain on the pathways and to refrain from smoking or using other forms of ignition in those areas.
The HRM announcement follows a province-wide ban on woods travel issued today by the Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources. Provincial parks remain open to the public, although there is a ban on open fires and travel in the woods is restricted.
Parks and Recreation staff and Halifax Regional Fire and Emergency Service are currently monitoring dry conditions within HRM's forested municipal parks. They are sample testing in municipal parks, using meters designed to measure soil moisture. HRM has also been consulting daily with Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources officials regarding the dry conditions..
A ban on open fires in fire/ BBQ pits was instituted last week in all municipal parks. If there is not a substantial amount of rainfall in the next few days and the hot weather continues, HRM may be forced to close some parks or municipally-owned wooded areas.
Staff are also monitoring municipal playing fields, which are beginning to show the effects of a lack of moisture. In the summers of 1997 and 1999, HRM wooded parks and many playing fields were closed because of hot weather conditions and a lack of rainfall.
HRM urges the public to exercise caution when using forested parklands, observe the ban on open fires/barbeques and refrain from smoking in wooded areas.
HRM will continue to advise the media of any new developments regarding the forest fire danger, park use and conditions at municipal playing fields..
--- 30 --
John O'Brien
Corporate Communications Officer
490-6531
Peter Bigelow
Manager, Parks and Open Spaces
490-6047
