Robert Wires Reflects on the Future of Highway-Based Tourism In Northwestern Kawartha Lakes

Recorded at the Kirkfield Museum, February 26, 2022
Interviewer: Ian McKechnie
Videography: Ekaterine Alexakis

Duration: 2:22

Robert Wires sitting in front of white wall. Text on screen reads: Robert Wires Maintenance Foreman at Balsam Lake Provincial Park.

Robert Wires: I think what you’ll see is a lot of the recreational opportunities will continue, [um], we’ve seen a great influx in the last few years of the, [um], people that have had their cottage here now turning them into full-time homes; they are selling their place in the city and looking at us now as a full-time opportunity. [Uh], internet’s better, a lot of the things they don’t have to be at their workplace to do their jobs, so you see a lot more of that. You’re seeing a lot of the traditional cottages are being sold, demolished, and the dream home basically putting up. As far as parks are concerned, 

[Black-and-white photograph of campsites beneath deciduous trees, complete with tents, trailers, trash cans, picnic tables, and 1970s-vintage vehicles.] Text on screen reads: Balsam Lake Provincial Park, early 1970s.

RW: I think we’re going to continue to see the RV units – all those things were convenient, and we’re gonna have to adjust that: “Okay, do we start offering cabins?” Because we’re looking at people now who have never camped before. So we’re trying to introduce more opportunities where yes, they came up to use this for day use – now they’re thinking “Well, maybe we should come up and spend a couple of days, but we don’t want to invest in an RV, we don’t want all the camping equipment.” A lot of parks, including Balsam, are on the shortlist for, uh, roofed accommodations. I think you’re going to see more of that aspect. We’re also saw a great upsurge in our rental equipment. So, people come up, they want to rent a canoe, bicycle – anything along that line – ‘cause maybe they’re coming out of a condominium in the GTA that does not have the storage area for these sort of things, and they are wanting to do it. The nice ripple effect there of that is we can’t service everything, so you have outlying facilities that will be able to provide some of those services. We – the park – for the last few years has offered a learn-to-fish program for especial…And it’s surprising, it was, I believe,

[Black-and-white photograph of beach and lake, people on dock, motorboats, and foliage.] Text on screen reads: Balsam Lake Provincial Park, early 1970s.

RW: originally geared for more younger people, but you have people that have never fished before coming out to experience it, and the people that we’ve had working on it have been excellent. [Uh], guided hikes, things along that line, we’ve had great turnout for historical talks within the park, things like that. So people are wanting to learn about where they’re staying.