How a free year helped put Parks Canada 'on the map'

After a year when no one had to payit was a fair assumption that Parks Canada would see a decrease in traffic at the P.E.I. National Park for 2018, but a hot, beautiful summer pushed the numbers even higher.

Parks Canada saw an 11 per cent increase in visitor numbers this summercompared tolast year.

"We had all kinds of visitors come from around the world," saidTaraMcNallyMacPhee, the manager of visitor experience for the P.E.I. National Park.

"We didn't expect it was going to be like the free year at all."

McNallyMacPheebelieves weather played a big part in the jump in visitors.

'Phenomenal summer'

Parks Canada saysdata about how many people visitis gathered from computerizedtraffic counters embedded in the roads near the gates. Last year for July and August there were 375,840 person visits versus 398,939 this year.

"We just had a phenomenal summer,"McNallyMacPhee said.

She said campgrounds were regularly full andvisitors sometimes had to be redirected to other sites because parking lots and beaches were full.

"I think 2017 helped to put Parks Canada on the map," she said.

Infrastructure improvements helped

Parks Canada has been undergoing some major infrastructure improvements in the last few years.

Federal dollars were invested into everything from campgrounds, roads, trails and day-use areas, to new cabins.

McNallyMacPheebelieves those site improvements are also helping boost numbers.

"I think that certainly helps influence the return," said McNallyMacPhee.

She said extra revenue gathered from the increased visitors will help pay for further improvements to P.E.I National Park.

Green Gables down

Green Gables saw about a 20 per cent drop in visitors from last summer.Officials say the site is generally more popular on cloudier days and there weren't many overcast days.

"We know those hot, sunny days visitors are looking to be at the beach," said OcelDauphinais-Matheson, national historic sites manager.

Green Gables is also under construction as anew visitor centre is being built.

"I think construction always impacts visitation," Dauphinais-Matheson said.

Greenwich popular

Greenwich was a site Parks Canada was trying to promote more, to spread out visitors.

McNallyMacPhee said visitor numbers were strong in Greenwich in 2017 and 2018.

She said improvements to the boardwalk there also helped bring people in.

"People fell in love with the site," said McNallyMacPhee.

Number strong as weather holds

The good weather is continuing into September so Parks Canada says numbers are still strong.

"It's very beautiful," said Michel Varin who is visiting from Quebec.

"Parks Canada is a good place to visit, it's the same for us in Quebec," he said.

"There are still folks that are swimming, it's just been a beautiful month so far," said McNallyMacPhee.

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