Whitehorse could soon have most parkland in Canada

Whitehorse city planners have completed the first draft of a regional parks plan that would give the city more parkland than any city in Canada.

• Scroll down to see a map of the proposed parks

The proposal includes five new parks covering over 30 per cent of the total municipal area.

The parks, a product of the city's 2010 Official Community Plan, are planned for McIntyre Creek, Chadburn Lake, McLean Lake, Wolf Creek and Paddy's Pond-Ice Lake in Hillcrest.

In all, theyll cover more than 12,000 hectares.

The largest park, at Chadburn Lake, is more than 19 times the size of Vancouver's Stanley Park.

"I would challenge anyone to look at a successful community and find one that hasn't set aside big public spaces for public enjoyment and for nature," says John Glynn-Morris, the lead planner on the project.

Glynn-Morris says the plan complements the municipal motto that promotes Whitehorse as "The Wilderness City."

Senior Planner Mike Ellis says the city wants public input on how to maximize benefits from each of the parks.

"There are these massive big spaces like McIntyre Creek and Chadburn Lake, areas we all use and love but there's a need to make sure these are protected."

Whitehorse residents are invited to review the plan and comment on the citys website.

The final parks plan could be approved sometime this summer.