Algonquin Provincial Park - power access
Was checking out Algonquin park and it seems to say that the power pedestals are 30 meters from the site. Is this right? Do people really need nearly 100 feet of power cable and extensions?
Forum Discussion
RangerJay wrote:
..... hmmm ..... don't know why folks get upset over needing a little extra power cord - near as I can figure - one of the usual benefits of a long distance to the pedestal is lots of space between you and the next guy as well as lots of privacy - these things seems a real plus to me when camping .....
Jay
Jay, it's not us being upset, but it's disappointing that Ontario provincial parks could do much better, they are firmly back in the 1960's. I remember being in Pinery at that time with my parents, some things have improved but the parks haven't moved with the times and they aren't capitalizing on the change to camping habits, equipment and demographics.
The parks and government people should tour some US state parks and see what could be done. We've stayed in state parks in a lot of US states where a 30 amp or 50 amp pedestal is 25 ft.(max) from the RV and the campsite separation is as great or greater than in Ontario. Some parks have full services and the rate in Natchez Trace Tennessee (as an example) was $17.35 per night for full services for us this fall.
Are there some state subsides? Probably, but the parks are much more efficiently run. There are a limited number of full time staff and volunteers host and do the campground cleaning and daily maintenance. In Tennessee the ranger comes around twice per day, once to post occupancy tags on the posts and once to check, you call or go on line to get a site, no one is at the campground entrance to do this. I suspect that in Ontario the unions would get in the way of running the parks this way unfortunately.
What's the saying, "the enemy of good is better"?
