Changes could be coming to Whitehorse's popular Long Lake
The city is proposing to add a formal parking lot, a barrier-free trail connecting the parking area to the beach, additional portable toilets and garbage cans, change rooms, benches and picnic tables. The proposal is now being assessed by the Yukon Environmental Socio-economic Assessment Board (YESAB).
"I think this is long overdue," says Dave Paquet, who regularly swims in the lake and walks the trails.
The popular lake is about a ten-minute drive from downtown Whitehorse and attracts large crowds on hot summer days. Currently, the area has a small parking area, a hiking trail that circles the lake, two portable toilets and a few garbage cans. The city recently added a dock and a life jacket loaner station.
The city is proposing to clear vegetation in the area to make way for the new facilities. Some of the mature trees near the lake provide nesting areas for birds, but the city says it will only clear vegetation outside of the main nesting period. It also says riparian areas surrounding the lake may be disturbed during construction.
However, once the project is complete, the city says it will help protect vegetation and riparian areas, which are often disturbed by users.
Megan Sharp runs on the Long Lake trails and swims in the lake in the summer. She says leaving the area "wild" may not be the best way to protect it.
"When it's less developed and less people use it, I find there's lots of trash and maybe there's lots of folks maybe doing stuff like making a bonfire when they shouldn't," she said.
Sharp also thinks the upgrades will make Long Lake more inclusive.
"There's not a lot of places that are accessible for folks that maybe have mobility challenges," she said.
Paquet says he has been advocating for upgrades to make Long Lake more accessible for years. As he gets older, he's finding it harder to walk the narrow, root-strewn paths around the lake.
"As you get older, it might be nice to have a little more ease of access."
Nikki Krocker is one of the early morning swimmers who brave the lake's cool water before the daytime crowds arrive. She says the peace and quiet draws her to the lake in the mornings and that she likes that the area is undeveloped. She says she doesn't need to use the new facilities herself.
"Part of what I like about this is that I can get away from people and things, so that's not something I would need, but that doesn't mean it's not something many other people would need and really benefit from."
Krocker hopes that the city takes users' needs into consideration when planning the project's construction and design.
If the project goes ahead, construction is expected to start in 2026 and be completed by 2028. The public will not be able to access the construction area during that time, but other access points to the lake will remain open.
The public can provide feedback on the proposal on YESAB's website until July 8.
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